January
January 31st - private Aurora Chase (Cruise Viking Sky)
Guests / Country: 2 from USA.
Weather Tromsø: Clear. Destination / weather: Sørskaret / Skulsfjord / clear / haze.
Aurora activity: 10/10. Aurora show: All over, far south and east, curtains, spikes, curls, Intense Rock`n`Roll dancing in 3-4 colors (visible for the naked eyes), amazing many coronas.
Tour km: 50. Tour hrs: 4,5.
January 29th - private Aurora Chase (Cruise Viking Sky)
Guests / Country: 2 from USA.
Weather Alta: Cloudy. Destination / weather: Destination weather: Jøkelfjord / part clear / haze. Aurora activity: 2/10. Aurora show: A band low on the north sky, curls and spikes. Tour km: 160. Tour hrs: 6.
January 26th
Guests / Country: 8 from Germany, Norway and UK.
Weather Tromsø: Clear. Destination / weather: Skarsfjord / clear.
Aurora activity: 6/10. Aurora show: Several bands across, curtains, spikes, little dancing two colors.
Tour km: 95. Tour hrs: 6,5.
January 25th
Guests / Country: 13 from Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, and Australia.
Weather Tromsø: Clear. Destination / weather: Finnvikdalen valley / Dåfjord / clear.
Aurora activity: 5/10. Aurora show: Several bands across, curtains, spikes, little dancing two colors.
Tour km: 140. Tour hrs: 6.
Back in business after a week ski holiday in Rondane National Park..;)
January 14th
Guests / Country: 13 from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Israel and USA.
Weather Tromsø: Cloudy. Destination / weather: South Senja / heavy snow / clear holes in the clouds.
Aurora activity: 2/10 (+7 above the clouds..?). Aurora show: Several bands and one bright one on the south sky, little moving.
Tour km: 390. Tour hrs: 8,5. Wildlife: One weasel, one white hare, one reindeer and five moose.
It was one one of those impossible nights, weather wise... or close to impossible...
It was two weather forecast who shows it was a hope at the south part of Senja, 195 km south of Tromsø; the German "Kachelmann" and the Norwegian "Yr".
So, we was four guides who went the same way, the famous Kjetil Skogli, my good colleague since 2006 when we two started the Aurora business in Tromsø, and Torsten - the Aurora scientist and meterolog, plus Geir in Aurora Photo Guide.
But, when we arrived the "right location" we was met with heavy snowing, not storm since it was no wind, but it was so much snow so we saw noting when I was driving, the speed limit was only 30-40 km per hour, in a area we know it`s a lot of moose... and my guests observe the two first one along the road, standing there like statues, cover in snow, so it was not easy to see...
When we arrrived my place, where miracle has happen before, then I begin to convince my guests how important patience is, the most important tool when you do a chase in difficult weather conditions... but, it didn`t look good, and I metioned for my guests; Lets wait little bit more, since you never know... but, I just had to wait little bit more for get my driving break time, before the return with no succesful result... the atmosphere felt really heavy in the bus...
My colleagues Kjetil and Geir was returning to the city...
And then I saw a glimpse of moon light, and a hope was born; Are the clouds breaking up..? I went out in the snowy weather with my camera, and there, beside the moon I got some green, and my guests dress up and joined me outside. I called Kjetil and he returned back, but Geir who runs a shorter chase was already to far away...
And then Torsten arrived the right location 20 mins later...
I can`t say the conditions was perfect, but in this tricky night with heavy snow it was more than enough... and then we begin to see stars, and more view of the lady in several holes, with a small grande finale with bright moving on the south sky... I set only 2 of 10, but above the clouds it was much brighter...
Yes, we got it, I was happy and my guests was both happy and surpised, I guess... then we went back, and arrived the city 3.30 am.
(the feedbacks on email get it confirmed; my guests was impressed re: driving in difficult snowy conditions and happy cause they actually saw little of our lady dance tonight)
It`s in the bad conditons your skills as a guide shows up..;)
January 13th
Guests / Country: 14 from Germany, Switzerland, Taiwan, UK and USA.
Weather Tromsø: Cloudy / snow. Destination / weather: Øvergård / Signaldalen valley / Malangen / part clear / haze / clear.
Aurora activity: 6/10. Aurora show: Bright band across the NW sky, spikes, curtains, curls.
Tour km: 275. Tour hrs: 7,5. Wildlife: Two reindeer on the frozen lake.
I could do it easy for myself tonight, by following one of my colleague out on the coast to the clear sky and hope for a early show, but I was little afraid for the overcast weather which should arrive around 10 pm, so I went into the country side, and was planned to drive to Senja...
The half way we got good enough sky, so I changed my plans and headed instead east, and then along road we got the first bright show. Not the best location, but most important, my guests got a great show and I could relax. Job was done; I found clear sky and could let my guests see what they came for.
The sky was clear further east so I was planned to set the finale stop under our "Toblerone-mountain" 90 km SE of Tromsø... but, after a short stop for some pictures, the haze cover the sky, and then the clouds, so we did a backtrack to the clear sky again, and ended up at one of my best places at a beautiful frozen lake, where we had activty rest of the night until 1 am when we returned...
The cooles image I have was made; A reindeer came walking into the picture on the lake, when I shot a picture of one of my guests..;)
But, how can you make the reindeer stay still... and my guest was so excited and "scare", since I minutes before around the campfire, had told my guests about the wolf who was in the same area some years earlier... so, what was actually coming out from nowhere in the darkness on the lake...
Great night & happy guests, which make my work even better..;) still going strong in my 13th Aurora season, and after 1500 nights out for the chases as a Aurora guide..;)
January 12th
Guests / Country: 8 from Germany.
Weather Tromsø: Cloudy / snow. Destination / weather: Skibotndalen valley / haze / cloudy / clear.
Aurora activity: 1/10. Aurora show: Just a faint band low on the north sky, then a 1 mins green spike.
Tour km: 275. Tour hrs: 7,5. Wildlife: One fox.
January 8th
Guests / Country: 14 from Slovakia, New Zealand, Germany, Australia, UK and USA.
Weather Tromsø: Part clear. Destination / weather: Blåmannsvika / Grøtfjord / part clear / clear.
Aurora activity: 6/10. Aurora show: First several bands on the north sky, curtains, spikes, 2 colors on camera, and then a great strike all over the sky.
Tour km: 70. Tour hrs: 6,5.
Finally a tour on the coast again, where we found clear sky 25 km west of the city, and then we settle on a beach with a campfire only +10 km more west where we could relax in peace.
It was Aurora activtiy on the sky all evening, but it was "quite faint" with some nice one, so we headed back to the city at midnight... mostly because I was knocked after 14 nights with long drive far inside Finland, plus I guess my guests was happy with a 6/10... but, at the airport we had to make a new stop, since then she was back for full...
After my guests was back at theirs hotels and AirBnb`s, I got a nice view of the lady over the city outside my office at Guides Central...
January 7th
Guests / Country: 14 from Argentina, Slovakia, New Zealand, Germany, Switzerland and USA.
Weather Tromsø: Cloudy / snow. Destination / weather: Finnish border / inside Finland +20 km / part clear / clear / snowstorm.
Aurora activity: 7/10. Aurora show: All over, straight up, spikes, curls, Pink curtains dancing, and a little corona.
Tour km: 350. Tour hrs: 8. Wildlife: One weasel, one reindeer and two moose.
It was very special to be out on the roads tonight, in a peaceful mode..;)
Last night it was about 100 Aurora buses out along the roads towards Finland, and tonight it was only 6 (!)...
I guess many had cancelled cause the really bad weather forecast... yeah, of course it was "little wind and snowing" but I have experience worst.
And then I guess the Christmas & New Years rush was ended this weekend, so it was quiet in the city...
But, that`s just great, so we had all the best places for us self..;)
We stopped first at the border, where we got the first show through the haze, and the first pictures of my guests was taken by the border cairn.
Then we continued through the "snowstorm" further into Finland, where we got the best show on clear sky, before the real snowstorm was started, and then on the return my guests got a real feeling of how to drive when you see noting... all was white... and inside Finland they are not so good as on the Norwegian side to maintain the roads...
January 6th
Guests / Country: 14 from Australia, Hong Kong, South Africa, Slovakia and Germany.
Weather Tromsø: Cloudy / rain. Destination / weather: Skibotndalen valley / inside Finland +35 km / part clear / clear.
Aurora activity: 6/10. Aurora show: All over, far south, spikes, curls, 2 colors curtains, little pink dancing.
Tour km: 380. Tour hrs: 8,5.
January 4th
Guests / Country: 9 from Thailand, Mexico, Italy and USA
Weather Tromsø: Cloudy. Destination / weather: Skibotndalen valley / clear.
Aurora activity: 10/10. Aurora show: All over, far south, curtains, spikes, curls, intensive 3 colors dancing, several coronas with an amaxing Grande Finale with an amazing corona in 4 colors, visible for the naked eyes.
Tour km: 240. Tour hrs: 7.
My greatest "night off" ever..;)
My plan was to have night off from chasing at January 3rd and 4th, but when I discovered a flat tire on the bus at the 2nd, I had cancel / postpone the chase for the 4th, and I am very glad I did, since the activty was slow that night.
It`s pity that only 3/14 guests could postpone theirs tour, but my nine guests this amazing beautiful night was more than happy..;)
January 1st
Guests / Country: 14 from Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong and Brasil.
Weather Tromsø: Cloudy / snow. Destination / weather: Inside Finland +20 km / clear.
Aurora activity: 5/10. Aurora show: A lovely curtains all over the sky from west to north/east, 2 colors on camera, spikes, curls, little moving.
Tour km: 345. Tour hrs: 9. Wildlife: 1 fox and 7 reindeers.
