Page 22 - 2022-08-01 Paddling Magazine

PADDLEBOARDING

STILL
Sublime
Encounters

Waiting on orcas at the top of the world

AT THE EDGE OF TWILIGHT, a lone paddleboarder glides among
giants. Above her, snowy mountains bathed in warm light pierce a pink
and violet sky.
Images like this don’t happen by chance in the fjords of Arctic Nor-
way. Capturing elusive orcas amid spellbinding scenery and magical,
fleeting light at the top of the world is Tommy Simonsen’s specialty.
For the Norwegian landscape, wildlife and documentary photographer
(@tommysimonsenphotography), the Arctic’s capricious weather and
fickle light hold the key to its enduring appeal.
“Much of November, December and January, the sun simply doesn’t
appear above the horizon,” Simonsen explains. “But for a brief time just
before the sun disappears in November and after it returns in January,
the Arctic light is a gift of pastel colors.” During this time of the year,
sunrise and sunset linger for as long as two hours.
Factor in roaming killer whale pods and marauding winter storms,
however, and chasing ephemeral cotton candy skies at 70 degrees north
is no simple task.
Around 3,000 orcas live in the Norwegian and Barents seas, spending
most of the year in offshore waters. Then, from mid-October through
January, they enter the narrow coastal fjords of Arctic Norway, following
shoals of herring. The whales move around the fjords, so finding them
takes experience and more than a little luck.
Simonsen describes a typical day during a January photoshoot: board
a small, open boat in the island fishing village of Skjervøy; depart the
harbor around 6 a.m. and speed through the Arctic winter darkness,
swaddled in a survival suit and insulating layers of wool and down.
Wait for the two-and-a-half-hour window around midday when diffuse,
soft-hued daylight illuminates snow-covered mountains and—hope-
fully—the slick, black backs and towering dorsal fins of an orca pod.
Watch, compose and shoot as the sky glows intense yellow and pastel
pink. By early afternoon, the sun will dip back below the horizon and
darkness will reclaim the fjord.
Whether he’s traveling by boat, dogsled or skis, Simonsen relies on a
network of talented expedition partners for support and safety. Human
subjects also lend a more intimate scale to otherwise austere images of vast,
frozen landscapes. Many have become close friends—like standup paddle-
boarder and Schibevaag Adventure founder, Kari Schibevaag, who leads
paddling and snorkeling excursions to experience Norway’s orca whales.
Paddling in such close proximity to 26-foot-long, five-ton marine
mammals demands respect and an understanding of their behavior.
“When we see a gathering of whale-watching boats in the fjord, we
try to go somewhere else to minimize our impact,” Simonsen explains.
“Most of the time, we get lucky and the pods pop up around us. They
are often curious about Kari in a peaceful way.”
Making images like these, says Simonsen, is all about patience. Includ-
ing plenty of extra time in any travel plans is essential. During the winter
months, Arctic low pressure systems march across the North Atlantic
in quick succession, bringing snow, rain and high winds making it
impossible to venture out into the fjords. Simonsen’s advice for aspiring
photographers and paddlers: be prepared to wait—for the weather, the
whales, the sun or, simply, the right moment. By Virginia Marshall

22
P A D D L IN G M A G A Z IN E