There is a unique place in the world for orca lovers. A place where you can swim with these cetaceans in the wild, seeing them up close, very close. In their environment. In the absolute freedom of the ocean. It's not an experience for everyone, especially due to the cost and weather conditions. But it is a unique experience for any nature lover without preconceived fears.
Orcas in the Arctic by buendiaphotography
Tromsø: a glimpse of the Norwegian Arctic
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Tromsø, located in the Troms region of northern Norway, is the gateway to the Arctic. With a population of around 70,000 inhabitants, this city is known as the "Paris of the North," not so much for its architecture but for the tradition its population acquired from the mid-19th century of dressing fashion coming directly from Paris on the fishing boats arriving from France.
Tromso is the cultural, scientific, and tourist center of the region, although Tromsø's history dates back to the early Saami settlements in the Middle Ages, and its heyday as an important fishing and Arctic center began in the 19th century.
Tromso's unique location, above the Arctic Circle, makes it a privileged place to experience natural phenomena like the northern lights and, of course, what you came here for: to swim with orcas in the wild. In winter, orcas enter Tromso's fjords in search of prey, by the millions, in the midst of migration: herring. Not only can we see orcas, but also humpback whales, common porpoises, and rorquals looking for the same source of food.
Swimming with Orcas
First things first: you cannot swim or snorkel with Tromso's orcas on your own. The only way is to participate in expeditions organized by authorized local operators. They are not many, and it's not cheap either. But if your dream is to swim with orcas in freedom, in their environment, in the wildest way possible, this would be what you would experience:
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Orca Norway is the pioneer operator in Tromso and has the experience and dedicated professionals both for the safety of the participants and for the respect and care of the orcas. As you can see in the video above, sea conditions are harsh and very changing, and the collaboration of experts is essential.
Orca Norway was founded in 1990 by an orca enthusiast, who has three ships and organizes expeditions ranging from 3 to 6 days. The trip is most similar to a dive cruise, where the boat is your home and where you sleep, eat, and make friends who share your love for orcas while waiting for the conditions to be ideal to jump into the water and swim with the orcas.
Obviously, the 6-day trip is more expensive and gives you more opportunities and occasions to dive with the orcas. Each ship in the Orca Norway fleet has capacity for 12 people, with a different price for the comfort it offers and the crew it has, but all offer an intimate and exciting experience with the orcas.
If you have ever been on a liveaboard diving trip, this routine will sound familiar, similar to the ones on orca expeditions in Tromso. You start the day between 7 and 8 in the morning, and after a hearty breakfast, a briefing is held, which in this case focuses more on the weather forecast. If everything is in order and you can go out to swim with the orcas, after putting on your drysuit (yes, the water is cold, very cold, about 5ºC), you will get into your zodiac in search of the orcas, previously located by the team on the boat. And once in the water, the experience you were looking for: seeing groups of up to 10 orcas swimming freely, communicating and moving through the fjords in complete peace.
When to Swim with Orcas in Tromso
Although excursions, sightings, and orca swimming experiences occur throughout the winter, November may be the best month due to visibility since during this month, you will have more natural light. You know that in the Arctic winter, daylight hours are drastically reduced to only 4 hours.
However, it's important to note that Orca Norway states that the chances of swimming with orcas are higher in December and January. Yes, during your trip to Tromso, you will have few daylight hours, but a unique experience of swimming with entire families of orcas in freedom.
Is it Dangerous to Swim with Orcas?
Finally, and we know that many people have reservations, we will dedicate two paragraphs to the safety of swimming with orcas. The main thing to know is that safety is the number 1 priority on these expeditions. The second is that there is no recorded attack by orcas in freedom on any human. Not the case in captivity, where these animals, accustomed to swimming up to 64 km daily, are held in pools. The psychological harm suffered in captivity by these animals, the most intelligent mammals after humans, causes them to react aggressively at times against their captors. As we saw in this article when orcas' attack on sperm whales was recorded underwater for the first time, even in those circumstances, humans can be in the water without being attacked.
Obviously, they are wild animals, and their unpredictable nature implies some risk. But both attack statistics and safety guidelines from Tromso operators support the safety of this activity.
So, if you're up for traveling to Tromso next winter to dive with orcas, we'll be delighted to hear your experience of snorkeling with orcas. Something that in few places can be done with the safety, in groups of orcas as large and as close as in the magical Tromsø.
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