
I’ve been returning to Northern Norway to freedive with orcas since 2016 and over the years I've assembled a gear bag with items that are essential for keeping me from freezing.

Since gear is something I'm asked about frequently, I thought I'd write everything up in a blog post and hopefully help with with your own trip preparations!

Here's what I'll cover:

1. [Freediving wetsuit](#1-freediving-wetsuit)
2. [Crocs clogs](#2-crocs-clogs)
3. [Windproof poncho/robe](#3-windproof-ponchorobe-for-cold-climate)
4. [Accessories](#4-accessories)

## 1. FREEDIVING WETSUIT

Since you’ll be diving in water that gets down to 4°C (or less) and spend time on an open boat in the air and wind which can feel as cold as -20°C , _a thick and well-fitting_ freediving wetsuit is an absolute must.

A typical freediving/spearfishing wetsuit is designed for warmth and unrestricted movement and it consists of 2 parts – pants (high-waist or long johns) and a jacket with integrated hood. The jacket has a beaver tail that goes under your crotch and connects in front. These kinds of wetsuits have no zippers and seal against your face, wrists and ankles perfectly. A good fitting wetsuit will stop any water from entering under your suit.

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After choosing the right design, you’ll be looking at wetsuit’s thickness. Here I’d recommend going above 7mm, as _7mm is an absolute minimum_ - even if you’re good at handling the cold. I personally use 8mm freediving wetsuit (long johns & hooded jacket), but if you’re of a smaller build I would recommend going even thicker – 9mm or 10mm. Our bodies retain heat differently depending on the skin surface/volume ratio, so smaller bodies will require more help with staying warm.

Another important property of your wetsuit is the neoprene’s finish – make sure your neoprene wetsuit is _open-cell on the inside_ (meaning it’s raw neoprene on the inside, not lined with nylon or any other fabric) and, if possible, was tailor-made for your body. The wetsuit’s outside isn’t as important – smooth surface will make you slightly more hydrodynamic but is very sensitive to damage, while having a nylon layer outside will add to your wetsuit longevity and protect it from small cuts and tears.

When it comes to different types/brands of neoprene, _Yamamoto neoprene_ is the industry’s bestseller because of it’s quality and elasticity, so make sure you look into the properties of the type of neoprene your wetsuit is made of. Warmth and elasticity are the main characteristics you’re after, and for obvious reasons – staying warm and being able to move freely. Cold water freediving usually doesn’t entail deep diving, so there’s no concerns regarding how much the neoprene _crushes_ over time.

### Gloves & Socks

Cold hands and feet are almost a guarantee in cold water diving, so make sure you follow the same advice with your gloves and socks – have those also made with open-cell neoprene on the inside. Personally, _I use 7mm gloves_ (mittens style with thumb and index fingers separate) and _5mm over-the-shelf Mares socks_. Thicker socks create quite a bit of padding around your foot so the transfer of energy from your kick to your fin is reduced – this is why I personally avoid socks thicker than 5mm.

## 2. CROCS CLOGS

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Crocs clogs are a well-deserving member of the arctic freediving gear trinity (along with the wetsuit and a robe). As soon as you get out of the shower or any other changing place, you’ll be walking on cold and possibly edgy surfaces. In order to make sure my feet are warm and my socks don’t get damaged, I’m using crocs. They’re a lifesaver.

Make sure you try them on while wearing your neoprene socks or buy a size larger than your usual size. When walking around make sure to put them in 4WD mode.

## 3. WINDPROOF PONCHO/ROBE for cold climate

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Using topside wind protection that’s easy to put on and off has been a gamechanger for me. Sitting on an open boat in sub-zero temperatures and wind will cause you to shed heat rapidly. This is why it’s paramount to be wrapped in a warm windbreaker surfing poncho while you’re cruising around looking for orcas. I use _[DryRobe](https://dryrobe.com/?rfsn=6408044.366f46)_ because the outer shell is wind & splash proof while the inside is lined with fleece. Make sure the robe/jacket is big enough for you to put it on easily while wearing your diving suit. I usually wear L size clothing and my DryRobe is XL.

There’s a number of surfing brands that make warm and cozy wind-breaking ponchos, so shop around.

## 4. ACCESSORIES

### Mask & snorkel

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If you already own a mask and a snorkel you’re comfortable with, bring them – especially if you’re using prescription lenses! If you’re buying a brand new mask for this trip make sure if fits you well and that the protective silicone film is removed from the glass by either rubbing it off using dish soap or toothpaste, or by burning it off with a lighter. When using the latter method, verify that the glass is indeed tempered first (Tempered or T will be printed on it). When the silicone film is left on it causes your mask to fog up, and the idea is to see animals clearly. If you don’t have someone experienced do this for you, check how it’s done on YouTube.

If you’re thinking about buying one of the low-volume acrylic freediving masks such as Aqualung Sphera – _don’t_. Those masks are great for freediving but I wouldn’t recommend them for once-in-a-lifetime whale snorkeling - or any fun diving with animals for that matter. Although they give a wider field of view, they also distort your vision due to their curved lens design, so the subjects end up _appearing farther than they are_. You want to see the orcas clearly and close up, not like you’re observing them through a fisheye lens! I’ve tried this mask with orcas and have ditched it after a single dive.

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_Mask (de)fogging_ - use spit or a drop of baby shampoo to keep your mask from fogging up. Smear either of those around on the inside of the glass surfaces, let it sit for a few moments and then briefly rinse with (sea) water.

Make sure you know how to _clear your snorkel_ if you get some water inside. A quick and powerful blow will be sufficient to clear it and be able to continue breathing.

Also, use a snorkel that has a high-viz marking on the top so your boat driver sees you at all times, or tape a high-viz tape around the top of your snorkel for the same effect. It will keep you safe in the dark Arctic conditions.

### Fins

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Whichever fins you’ll be using, make sure they fit when you’re wearing your neoprene socks and they’re not too tight – otherwise your feet will get cold quicker.

Personally, I use Pathos carbon fiber fins and I don’t plan to change those any time soon. Pathos foot pockets are legendary for their fit and how good they hold the foot securely, and are by far the favorite in freediving circles.

My fins have white writing on them and white rails on the side which adds to being visible in the water.

### Weight belt

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Silicone or rubber weight belts are awesome. They’re comfortable to wear and don’t move around when you go inverted for your duck dives. Personally, I use a white silicone weight belt. It’s stretchy, comfortable and also adds to being visible in the water due to it’s bright color. Make sure it has the classical pin & hole buckle that can be released easily in case you have to ditch it.

### Wetsuit lubricant

In order to get into an open-cell wetsuit without damaging the delicate neoprene you will need to use some form of lubrication. Most of the divers use conditioners or shampoos mixed with water, others just use water or even slide in completely dry (I don’t recommend this). I personally use _Slippy_ – a powdered solution that mixed with water creates an excellent odorless and colorless lubricant that is safe for the skin – and I don’t think I’ll ever go back to using conditioners. A can of Slippy is enough to make 16+ liters of lubricant and costs 10,- EUR, so it’s a no-brainer. There’s also wetsuit gels by dive gear manufacturers like Omer that serve the same purpose. Find one that works for you!

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### Neoprene glue

Bring a brand new, unopened tube of neoprene glue with you. You’ll need it to fix small wetsuit tears when they happen, and it’ll be good to know your glue is of maximum quality as it hasn’t been exposed to air previously. The glue loses its properties over time after being opened, so it’s better to leave that last year’s tube behind.

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## That's it!

This pretty much concludes my simple but efficient gear bag, so go ahead and cut some corners by gearing up properly. What you don't want to do is go through my pain of suffering in sub-zero temperatures and wind onboard an open boat with only two layers of neoprene keeping you from freezing.

I want to give credit here to my colleagues and guests that inspired me to get things like DryRobe and Crocs. No matter what you think of them as fashion statements, I've learned to appreciate their utility since day one.

The above list doesn't include my underwater photography gear, since that's not really **essential**, but if you'd like to read about that keep an eye out for the next blog post.

Stay safe and enjoy your adventures!

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Essential Gear for Arctic Freediving


## Azores islands

Azores are an island archipelago sitting almost halfway between Europe and North America. The islands are of volcanic origin and are surrounded by very deep waters. The landscapes are stunningly beautiful with lush vegetation, volcanic calderas and waterfalls, but the deep blue waters around are what we were interested in the most.

It's one of those places where, because of being in the middle of nowhere, you never know what might swim by. Speaking of which, there were a couple of species we were hoping to cross our paths during this trip, namely blue sharks, various dolphins, whales and pelagic species such as mobula rays, wahoos, mahi mahi etc.

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## Getting there (against all odds)

This being the summer of 2021, we felt like we knew how to navigate various covid travel restrictions, so armed with that confidence we set off on a freediving trip to Azores.

Little did we know that Lisbon airport’s handling company Groundforce had other plans as they announced a strike exactly for the weekend most of us were connecting there on our way to Azores.

Many calls, emails and rebooked tickets later and most of our group made it to Faial island in spite of almost 600 other cancelled flights. That little miracle alone was enough for us to gratefully clink the glasses over dinner once we were in Horta (capital of Faial) and cheer to the diving adventures that lay ahead in the coming days.

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There were four diving experiences planned for the week and we would execute them
as the weather conditions would allow – after all, we’re in the middle of the unpredictable
Atlantic. We scheduled diving with blue sharks, diving with mobula rays at Princess
Alice Bank, go dolphin snorkeling/whale watching and do a coastal freediving session.

## Days 1 & 2 – sharks!

It didn’t take long for us to be made aware of how rough the Atlantic ocean can be as we were floating a few miles off of Horta on our first day, chumming and waiting for the blue sharks in the swell. After a challenging hour during which we mostly stared at the horizon, we got a call from the other boat letting us know they just got some sharks. Minutes later, we joined them and dropped in the water where four blue sharks were already waiting for us, with their numbers continuously increasing.

For many of us, this was a first blue shark encounter and with their sleek, elegant appearance and their curiosity, they made for a great photographic subject.

Next day the weather turned for the worse and we used our land-locked time to visit local museums and do more restaurant scouting.

Luckily, it didn't take too long for the weather to start improving, so the following day we could get back out on the water and have another day with blue sharks, this time with less swell and equally awesome animals around us.

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## Day 3 – Princess Alice Bank

With favorable weather conditions (favorable, not ideal!), our third day on the water was spent going to what many divers call the best dive location in the Atlantic – Princess Alice Bank. PAB is an underwater pinnacle some 45nm from Faial, coming from the depths to about -35m. This kind of topography in an open ocean is a marine life magnet and that was clear immediately after our 2.5h bumpy boat ride to get there. As soon as we dropped in the water I started noticing random shoals of fish around – small jacks, atlantic bonito, triggerfish, barracudas… But we came all the way here to see the iconic mobula rays!

After a few minutes and a couple of scouting dives, I’ve started noticing a few of them at depth. A bit more patience and we had them in sight – groups of 5, 10, 15 mobula rays flying underwater in big circles around the pinnacle, coming up all the way to the surface. A surreal experience for all of us, to swim and freedive next to these animals.

On other dives we could spot greater amberjacks, 50+kg monster fish, big shoals of barracuda and even an occasional wahoo pair swimming by at the surface. This was definitely one of the wildest and most diverse blue water diving I’ve done so far!

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## Day 4 – dolphin snorkeling, whale watching

Fourth day on the water was reserved for looking for cetaceans. We headed south of Pico island where we had reports of sightings of dolphins and sperm whales. Unfortunately, after about an hour of trying to time the sperm whale’s surface interval, we couldn’t spot them nor get close so we moved on. Soon after, we noticed a pair of beaked whales followed by a sighting of a baleen whale in the distance at the same time as a pod of spotted dolphins started closing in.

We enjoyed watching dolphins porpoising and bow riding around our boat, and once they settled down we split up into smaller groups and tried getting in the water to do some snorkel with them. After two unsuccessful attempts we saw these dolphins weren’t interested in having us in there so we continued the rest of the trip enjoying their show top-side.

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## Day 5 – freediving the Furnas caverns

I guess that’s just the way it goes – the less expectations you have, the better your experience will be. That’s exactly how it went down when we went for our little coastal freediving session, only to be stunned by the beauty of Furnas caverns.

It took us about five minutes after departing Horta’s harbor to arrive at the spot and drop into the clear blue water of these photogenic caverns. After sizing up the place and doing the first couple of dives, we noticed we weren’t alone – the first cavern’s residents were there as well, two eagle rays.

The place was a lot of fun to dive and we’ve used the opportunity to make numerous photos. The backlight coming from the outside creates the perfect blue-illuminated backdrop, but don’t hold my word for it – just check the gallery below!

Once done with the caverns, there’s a reef teeming with life just around the corner. Here we found parrot fish, groupers, sargos, wrasses and even some stinging jelly fish, as Michal found out first-hand!

Overall, Furnas caverns were a truly breathtaking (pun intended) place in which one could spend hours upon hours trying to get that perfect split shot. Right, Casper?

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## That’s a wrap

How does one go home after a trip like this? You don’t! That’s why Amanda and I stayed for a few extra days and got onto another whale watching trip, this time finally seeing our first sperm whales!

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This trip came about on quite a short notice and I can’t thank enough both Marcel Wilpernig from Behind the Mask Travel for organizing it, and the six wonderful adventurers that joined Amanda and myself on this unique experience.

Elodie, Lucy, Fred, Lasse, Casper and Michal – I hope we get to do this again!

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Freediving in the middle of the Atlantic (Azores trip report)


<blockquote className="pt-4 opacity-75">

Having had skipped the previous season due to the pandemic, I got back to Norway in early November 2021 eager to once again join my absolute favorite marine creatures in the water.
I guess they shared the sentiment, because throughout my stay the interactions we had could be summed up in a single word - curiousity.

</blockquote>

## The story of the season

Every season is characteristic and action-packed in its own way, and this one was no different. Something I will remember this season for was the curiosity and interactivity the whales were displaying,
giving us some of the most engaging encounters I've experienced in these waters.
We've had a wide range of memorable situations and behaviour displays including orcas approaching us, turning, blowing bubbles, doing open mouth displays, circling back around, bringing calves, carrying things in their mouth, clicking us and vocalizing.

It should be said that the season was not without its challenges. A few times we had to stay in the harbor due to some strong winds and rough seas, but thankfully for the most part we were able to operate without too much disruption.

## Strong start

My first tour started on Nov 6th, and soon after settling in onboard we got a nice surprise - clear skies and Northern Lights above our ship on our first night. If I was supersticious I'd say that this was a good sign for the things to come. And it was.
The following day we got out in quite favorable conditions and it wasn't long until we spotted a pod of orcas working on a bait ball. I couldn't believe our luck and it wasn't long until we were quietly slipping into the water to see
their foraging in full display. The experiece was unlike anything else you can imagine, surreal, as if you're living out a BBC wildlife programme. I was also able to get some of the best underwater footage of orcas foraging here,
like this bull eating herring and spitting out the unwanted parts.

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The rest of that week continued in the same fashion, with orcas being very active and curious. Although we didn't see more foraging, we had many swim-bys with orca curiosity on full display.

One of the days we had so many successful drops I stopped counting. Most of the snorkelers were satisfied to the point of tapping out and calling the swims off. We continued watching the animals topside until the daylight faded. The camera batteries were empty and the hearts were full. That was a great day.

My personal favorite was this swim-by where the orcas turned to us and swam right past us with a few of them carrying what seemed to be jelly fish in their mouth - a behavior we'd see multiple times in the coming days and weeks.

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## Baby Orca

Another highlight of the season was the "Baby Orca". Even though we've seen many calves throughout the season, there was one that stood out -
a calf that was recognizable by heavy scarring on its back and body, and was brought to us by his mom multiple times over the weeks.
That's why we named him "Orca baby" and he became a bit of a mascot for the season. Whenever I'd chat with Pierre after a day out in the field, I'd first check if he's seen "baby orca" again.

There's a few opinions on where this kind of scarring comes from, but toothed whales are known to be aggressive to a newborn, so the scars might have come from adult males from the same pod being rough with the calf.

You can see orca baby and his mom at the start of the first clip and in the second clip.

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## Differences from previous years

Something we haven't observed much of was humpback whales lunge feeding - something we've had plenty of in 2019/2020 season. Also, we didn't come across as many carousel feeding as we did in previous seasons.
It might be down to bad timing and luck, an increased number of whale-watching boats, or perhaps the whales adapted their techniques to current conditions and did more foraging at depth?

Also, there wasn't as many herring fishing boats as previously, allegedly because the herring stock that entered the fjord consisted of mostly smaller herring.
As always, it will be interesting to see what happens with the herring migration in the future and whether Kvaenangen fjord continues being the place of action.

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## The wildest Northern Lights

One of my most memorable moments of the season actually happened outside water. It was the night of Nov 28th, and after a long day of crew duties I decided to go for a walk through the village in Reinfjord - a remote place where we docked for the night.
After finding a nice spot to enjoy the silence and no light pollution, I've spent about 20 minutes just staring at a clear, starry sky and then noticed some activity ramping up.
Another 15 minutes elapsed and all of a sudden I found myself standing beneath the mountains completely alone, gazing at the best light show Planet Earth can produce.

I was treated to the most spectacular display of Northern Lights I've ever seen. It was so colorful and dynamic it felt like someone up there was messing with my head.
Even though I was completely mesmerized by this sourcery, I was able to somehow position the camera on the ground and leave it to click away while I stared up. Here's a few shots from that night.

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## Bad press

On the human side of things, the situation on the water in early November was messy. There were simply too many boats and unskilled boat drivers on the water, competing for the whales.
This was an unfortunate side-effect of a few circumstances coming together:

<UL className="font-normal text-lg pb-2">
  <li>
    <u>1. The pandemic</u> - many people were eager to get out there and see the
    orcas which led to an increased demand
  </li>
  <li>
    <u>2. Herring migration</u> - it stayed unchanged and the whales could be
    found in the same place as in previous years
  </li>
  <li>
    <u>3. Newcomers</u> - new tour operators joining the industry to capitalize
    on that predictability by leasing boats in Skjervoy and offering tours with,
    in some cases, not having the necessary Norwegian boat-driving certification
    nor experience to operate in these kinds of conditions
  </li>
</UL>

Over the weeks we've seen way too many instances of poor or simply wrong approaching styles. Chasing and pushing the animals and cutting in front/between other boats and animals hurts both the whales and the industry, and should not be tolerated.

Although fingers were being pointed on social media towards snorkelers as the main culprit, bad boat driving and approaching was happening regardless of whether it was topside or snorkeling tours. Building on top of the original insincere
accusations were many "couch activists" who were eager to jump on the bandwagon and enjoy the moral superiority in telling other people what is right and how "swim with whales" operations are simply wrong. This is something I will address in a
future opinion post on swimming with whales and whether that can be a sustainable and ethical activity.

Some of the situations made our blood boil and our skippers had to intervene over the radio or by talking to the violating skippers directly on the water.
It's incredibly frustrating to be engaging with a pod, working on a soft approach for 10-15 minutes only to have some selfish skipper ruin everything by cutting you off or chasing the animals away.

Thankfully, the backlash on social media did make some local headlines and in turn made a change - shortly after the Fiskeridirektoratet (Fisheries) was out in the field checking boat licenses and overseeing the way in
which whale-watching boats operate.
The day after there was noticable change in the number of boats that were out in the fjord, as if most of the "bad guys" were wiped out. I know this is a caricature portrayal of the situation, and again I will address this in a separate post.
In any case, even this bare minimum level of regulation was a much needed change - for both the whale watching clients and for the whales. I hope we build on top of that going forward!

## Highlights

With the good and bad out of the way, here are some visuals (both photos and footage framegrabs) from the most memorable moments of this season.

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The success of these encounters and the precious seconds we get with the whales are a direct result of a patient and soft approach, and of letting the animals dictate the encounter. Perhaps there's a lesson to be learned in there!

## What's next

Every season comes with its own challenges and concerns, and by far the biggest one is whether the whales will be back in the same area.

According to the experts the herring migration might change any year now as the new stock takes over the collective "decision-making" on where to go.
This will in turn get reflected on where the whales will congregate. For the last 5 years that was Kvaenangen fjord, but will the next season be the same? We'll have to wait and see.

Whatever the case may be, Orca Norway's expedition ships will be ready to raise the anchor and take us wherever the animals are - hopefully to a quieter place without many boats and people.

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