Andenes and Whale Watching

Today we had to get up earlier to check in for the whale safari. We had a guide who took us round a small museum to give us information about the whales or dolphins we would see.

Eg sperm whales have blow hole on the left side of head due to the right one developing into the sonar chamber. They have the biggest brain of any known animal (8kg). The lone males are in the colder north where there is more food. The mothers and young stay in groups in temperate regions where it is safer.

Then we had an hour's break and we had coffee and cake in the caravan, and then we boarded the boat. There were about 40 people on the safari with us.

We sailed out for over two hours to the deep Bleik canyon. On the way we saw 10-15 pilot whales (the biggest dolphins) and watched as they leaped out in groups of three or five. Then we located a sperm whale using a microphone beneath the boat to listen for the clicks they make when diving and these sounds were broadcast on deck. We saw the same individual three times and there was a sighting of a second sperm whale a long way off. Maros spotted it though and pointed it out. When the whale was on the surface there was an intent silence as we all watched and photographed it. The first time after the whale dived people started clapping. It was amazing to see the dolphins and whales in the wild. (My photos aren't great but I shall try and post more from Maros later).

Then we were given hot soup and a roll as we returned to the harbour. We had left in the boat at 12.00 and we got back just before 6pm. The sea was quite calm and it was about 10°C but it got pretty cold on deck for all that time, although we were all three of us dressed as warmly as we could get.

Then we drove south for an hour and a half towards the Lofoten islands and we stopped at a small campsite on the edge of a fjord. We had delicious spagetti for tea with a whole head of garlic in the sauce to keep us healthy and then we all slept like little logs after the long day.

We have now travelled around 4,500km on this holiday - about the same distance to travel coast to coast across the USA. We met an English couple at the campsite and on the whale safari who couldn't quite believe how far we had travelled.