克瓦尔岛海岸以鲱鱼为食的座头鲸，北挪威特罗姆瑟 Humpback whale feeding on herring off the coast of Kvaløya, Troms, Northern Norway (© Espen Bergersen/Minden Pictures)
克瓦尔岛海岸以鲱鱼为食的座头鲸，北挪威特罗姆瑟 Humpback whale feeding on herring off the coast of Kvaløya, Troms, Northern Norway (© Espen Bergersen/Minden Pictures)
Whales in winter
Wintertime brings large numbers of humpback whales to the icy waters off the Norwegian coast, where they feed on herring and krill—and delight whale watchers with powerful leaps, tail-slaps, and glimpses into their underwater world. Male humpbacks are famous for theirhaunting songs, which can last up to 20 minutes and be heard over great distances underwater. Scientists aren’t sure why exactly the males sing these ballads, but some theorize it’s related to courtship. That sounds romantic enough, but ladies take note—the humpback isn’t one to settle down. It's a migratory animal that swims up to 16,000 miles a year, traveling from southern breeding grounds to Arctic waters like these.
罗弗敦群岛的北极冲浪之旅，挪威罗弗敦大师赛 Arctic surfing trip in the Lofoten Islands, Norway for the Lofoten Masters (© Nicolás Pina/Tandem Stills + Motion)
罗弗敦群岛的北极冲浪之旅，挪威罗弗敦大师赛 Arctic surfing trip in the Lofoten Islands, Norway for the Lofoten Masters (© Nicolás Pina/Tandem Stills + Motion)
Chilling out in the Arctic
Surfers from Norway and around the world gather each September in Unstad, a tiny village in Norway's Lofoten Islands, to compete in the Lofoten Masters, which bills itself as 'the world's northern most surfing competition.' Described by some as the best surf break in Norway, the island village, where sheep easily outnumber villagers, boasts two surf shops to help both novices and experts prepare for the extreme conditions. And surfing isn't just a summer sport at this famous, and frequently photographed, beach located inside the Arctic Circle--during winter months, surfers come here for the unique experience of surfing under the Aurora Borealis.
Midnight sun at North Cape, Norway © Ron Bennett/Shutterstock
Midnight sun at North Cape, Norway © Ron Bennett/Shutterstock
Basking in the glow
Norway may not be top of mind for most sun seekers, but around the middle of May until late July, head to the Arctic Circle and you can experience a natural phenomenon known as the midnight sun. During these few months the sun is visible at midnight local time, like you see in today's image of Norway's North Cape. Of course, as nature strives to maintain a balance, during winter many of these same places experience polar night, when the sun never rises above the horizon.
