Sea Safari Andenes – Orca and Winter Whale season Guided whale watching trips with experienced crew

All though we may have visits of orcas and humpbacks any time of the year you are now
most likely to see the whole year's present Sperm whales, as close as you can responsibly
get with a boat when visiting us in Andenes during Winter! We bring you to the whales just
at sea level with RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) boats. Due to the change in the migration of the
herring we have however moved our orca snorkelling and watching activity to the area of
Skjervøy during the late Autumn and early Winter. If you come specifically for
the orcas or humpbacks you have to join us further north from November 2022 in Skjervøy. We
restart our Winter Whale Watching Season here in Andenes with daily departures from
January 2023. Please check our FACEBOOK page for the latest updates!
Andenes, situated in the arctic, app. 300 km above the polar circle: Besides the whales, you
can experience the Northern lights, arctic colours, reindeer, moose, white-tailed eagles, dog
sledging, off the beaten tracks! It means much less light pollution to enjoy Northern lights!
Offering whales all year

November – January in Skjervøy

In this period we will be offering trips from Skjervøy due to the change of the herring migration. You will then be able to experience orcas and humpbacks up close as they are following the spawning herring, one of the world’s largest fish stocks. Orcas feeding on herring show a very specific behaviour, which of includes very active „caroussel-feeding“. In this period our activity in Andenes will be limited and only offering trips upon request to see the sperm whales.

Jan – April
This period, when the ocean is coldest, is also the time when the whales are closest to Andenes. Also, Sperm whales, though present all year round, are found in bigger numbers during that period. Sometimes they even may form groups of up to 10 whales and dive often for shorter times than in summer. They can be found already at 3 – 5 nautical miles from the harbour, whilst in summer they are often at 10 miles or further.

OBS: We can provide Whale watching tours from Andenes as of mid-December 2022! Call or Email us!

April
The orcas tend to follow other spawning fish species to Andoya. From the end of March to April they are very
close to the coast and have been seen on nearly 100% of the trips in the past years. Their behaviour is very
distinctive from January, which has to do with the food they target. In April the days are getting very long, offering many hours of good light conditions and the air is warming up noticeably. You can also avoid the rush of the Summer and Winter seasons.

Due to the limited daylight, we will only organize trips upon request in the darkest period, but with the sun reappearing in the middle of January we start running two trips every day from 15th of January.

As you can see, there are many good reasons to visit Sea Safari Andenes in Winter: Many
whales at close distances, Northern lights in the dark period, long days and returning
migratory birds in April, Eagles, moose and beautiful arctic landscapes.
So your dream of a lifetime experience can come true. Seeing Northern lights and Orcas -
being part of an amazing Arctic wildlife experience!

You can book ONLINE, Call us or send us an e-mail if your clients have special wishes.
For accommodation, we collaborate with "Ellingsen Apartments", which offers renovated
apartments close by.
Sea Safari uses Land-based lookouts (we use big binoculars on the lighthouse to find whales, which helps us to spot whales up to 25km), hydrophones (under-water microphones which help us to locate Sperm whales while they are underwater). We operate with safe Rigid Inflatable Boats (RIBs) which offer perfect angles for photographers and reduce the risk of seasickness. We don't do sea-rafting and have very often the possibility to be completely calm next to the whales, with our propellers switched off, not to disturb the whales or your experience.

By the way: We are open the whole year around. The great richness of Andfjord and the
adjacent Deep sea canyon attracts about 10 whales and dolphin species the whole year around!
So every season has its own charms with ever-changing light conditions!
12-MONTH SEASON!

Note: Our whale-watching trips are weather-dependent. Therefore it is a good idea to add one
day or two to your stay, just in case the waves are too high or it is too foggy. Please, contact
us or read the FAQs for more information.
Book your tour here! or call for more information: 004791674960
or post@seasafariandenes.no.

Book your tour here! or call for more information: 004791674960 or post@seasafariandenes.no.

Procedure of a whale watching trip in Atumn/Winter

1. Arrival: Please be at at the Sea Safari Brygga (reception and guesthouse) 30 minutes prior to departure.
2. Reception: Check-in and informative introduction about whales and the sea as well as a safety briefing. When necessary, information is given in different languages (English, Norwegian, German, Dutch, and Spanish).
3. Getting ready for the sea: We provide a thermo-floatation suit and a life-vest which is mandatory, Please, wear warm and comfortable woolen or fleece clothes, in winter long under wear e.g. merino is recommended as well as warm boots.
4. Boarding: Together we go to the boats, just next to the reception.
5. Tour: Off we go! Depending on where the whales are, we drive between 10 - 20 minutes to their position. When we approach the whales we do operate very respectfully in their proximity, following our code of conduct for whalewatching.
6. The autumn/winter tours last between 2 and 3 hours and take place from November to March (weather-dependent). Please, contact us beforehand for whale watching in October and April.
7. Back on land: From the harbor we go back to the reception where we change and enjoy some warm soup, bread, coffee and tea, and during our trip summary you can get more information on the whales you just watched.

For the whale watching trips, we provide

• Water-repellent thermo flotation suit
• Life-vest

We recommend to wear

• long underwear (fleece, wool, merino)
• comfortable cloths
• warm jumper/jacket
• beani and gloves
• warm, waterproof shoes/boots

Duration: 2 - 3 hours

Max. Passenger number: 12/boat

Note: Our whale watching trips are weather-dependent. Therefore it is a good idea to add one day or two to your stay, just in case that waves are too high or it is too foggy. Please, contact us or read the FAQs for more information.