Whale watching in the Arctic

In November 2019, a long-held dream finally became reality: a cruise in the Arctic winter. I had toyed with the idea of travelling with Hurtigruten, but eventually decided that I would prefer a smaller ship. A week on the three-masted schooner "Rembrandt van Rijn" was just the thing for me. The wintery fjord landscapes are breathtaking, the light has a stunning clarity and where else would you get to see a sunrise lasting for hours? 

I am standing on deck in the early morning, listening, snug in my warm coat. It is still pitch black, only the lights of the fishing boats twinkle in the dark. Then, suddenly, close by, I hear a whale blowing out, and then another one. Gradually, the inky sky starts to brighten and a short distance from the Rembrandt I can make out a huge black fin cutting silently through the slate-coloured water. My first orca!