ORCA KINGDOM

CHASING SHADOWS IN THE ARCTIC CIRCLE

Dennis Guichard is a multi-agency qualified Scuba Instructor Trainer & a DAN ‘Master Dive Pro’ member. He is a qualified Offshore Diver Medic, Saturation Life Support Technician, and an UHMS Hyperbaric Technologist.

I’m not going to lie, the Arctic is COLD. The weather there is extreme. They say, “You don’t visit the Arctic, you experience it”. Trying to find the courage to bail off the side of a dive boat when it is -12°C and snowing takes everything you’ve got.

Make no mistake, I was excited to be there. It was the realisation of a lifetime dream. I doubt there’s a YouTube video left that I haven’t watched from researching for this trip. But nothing fully prepares you for how incredible the Fjords of Norway are, and how deep you have to dig into yourself to embrace the adventure, than actually being there.

Orcas, of course, populate all of our planet's oceans. But most of them are transitory, moving over vast expanses of open ocean, so difficult to dive with. As far as I’m aware, there are only two places in the world where we can find them with much success. In the Sea of Cortés off Mexico during their summer, and in the very northern Fjords of Norway in their Arctic winter.

A most incredible spectacle of nature occurs in the northern Fjords each winter. Atlantic herring congregate en-masse within the relative protection of the Fjords in order to spawn. And chasing those bait balls of herring to gorge for the winter feast, is one of the greatest gatherings of fin whales, humpback whales, and orca on earth.

Orcas differ around the world. They differ in body shape and also in what they predominantly feed on. The orcas we get passing along our South African coastline are large-mammal feeders, known as Southern Ocean Type A’s. They prey on our great white sharks as we well know, and will also feed on seals, whales, and other large ocean creatures at will.

There’s no known incidence of an orca harming a human anywhere in the world, but we don’t know for sure that these local orca will ignore us particularly when feeding. That said, some divers have been getting in the water with them during Sardine Run expeditions and have enjoyed incredible experiences in doing so. But they are very much a rare chance occurrence.

The orcas that congregate off Norway are known as North Atlantic Type 1's. These species specifically feed only on small fish, such as mackerel and herring. They are considered quite safe to dive with, as larger mammals (like humans) do not form part of their diet. Their gathering in large numbers also makes these trips worthwhile as they are almost guaranteed to be seen.

Just getting to them is quite an adventure in its own right. From the sweaty tropics of Durban, it is an overnight flight to Dubai, another long-haul to Oslo in Norway, and then a 2-hour domestic flight up north to Tromsø. From there, a 4-hour drive in blizzard white-out conditions, driving a left-hand-drive hire car with snow tires, up into the Arctic Circle at 70°North to a small fishing village called Skjervøy (pronounced Shjervay).

There are several operators offering trips to dive with the orcas in northern Norway. Most of them are live-aboard type experiences operating predominantly out of Alta, which is slightly east of Skjervøy and on a different part of the fjord network. However, the two operators in Skjervøy offer day trips that last about 4 hours each. This works out to be more affordable, gives us a comfortable night back in the warmth of our hotel, and provides flexibility to go out looking for the Northern Lights if they happen to put on their light show. The Arctic winter days are very short, with only a few hours of daylight at best. From mid-November to mid-January, the sun doesn’t rise above the horizon at all due to the northerly latitude of the location.

I’ll be honest, I battled with the conditions here. The cold is quite something, being out on the open sea in weather totally alien to us soft tropical folk. We had a tough weather week when I was there, with the wind whipping up the sea, and my own courage diminishing in direct proportion. The Arctic is beautiful. It is utterly breathtaking. But it is a tough environment.

We can all catch ourselves living uninspired lives sometimes, working away at our desks amidst the dull drudgery of daily life. And we can question quite what the function of being is. I hope that when my days here are done, I will be able to look back with satisfaction in knowing I dared greatly. We don’t have to succeed each time we dare, but we win by giving life our best regardless. It is said the real stoke of life is found when we are living on our own edge. Having the difficult conversations that drive meaningful growth. And doing the things that bring us joy, in whatever form that might have the most meaning to each of us. Visiting the Arctic in winter to dive with orca is certainly walking life on its edge, by my yardstick anyway.

These orcas are incredible. They are matriarchal by nature, meaning they are led by the eldest female in any family. What really strikes you is the utter size of them. The bull male can reach over 6m in length, with its dorsal fin standing as high as a fully grown man. And that they feed on something as minuscule as a herring, literally one by one, makes you wonder how on earth and how long it takes them to get a belly full.

Immersion pulmonary oedema (IPO) is a real concern when diving in cold water like this. But one always has peace of mind knowing DAN has your back wherever you might be diving in the world. We freedive and snorkel in drysuits (you can’t scuba with Orca) and wear 7mm hoodies and gloves, so we do what we can to keep warm. The adrenaline runs so hard that you almost don’t notice the cold anyway, almost.

I have unfinished business with the Arctic. I didn’t get to see the northern lights when I was there, as the blizzards were relentless. And I feel I can do better by getting into the water to experience more of these incredible creatures. So, I’m already booked to return for winter 2025 to try again.

Life is short, and tomorrow’s not guaranteed for any of us. You know those bold things you've always wanted to do? You should go do them!