October 2024

October 31st

• Guests / Country: 16 guests from Germany, France, Malaysia, USA and UK.
  
• Weather Tromsø: Cloudy / snow.
• Destination / weather: Dividalen valley / clear.
• Aurora activity: 8/10.
• Aurora show: All over and far south, curtains, spikes and curls. Couple of coronas and dancing colorful curtains.
• Visible for the naked eyes: Bright green and red glowing.
• Tour km: 285.
• Tour hrs: 7,5.
• Wildlife: One fox and two deer.
• Space show: Several good and bright fireballs.

Most of the guides went towards east tonight, to Skibotn, the Finnish border and into Finnish Lapland ... but, I decided to drive the other way towards south and into the lovely valley Dividalen, close to the Swedish border ... it`s always a gamble, but tonight we won ...

Lovely clear sky and silence, since we was alone in the valley ... and that`s just great when we know how many buses there`s along the roads, which make a crowded area where ever you drive if you follow the flow ...

And the Aurora show was great.

October 28th

• Guests / Country: 13 guests from Germany, Switzerland, India, Australia, Brasil and USA.
  
• Weather Tromsø: Cloudy, windy, rain, sleet and snow.
• Destination / weather: Finnish Lapland / clear / a few clouds.
• Aurora activity: 6/10.
• Aurora show: All over and towards south, but faint. Spikes, curls and curtains. Then after we left; dancing Aurora.
• Visible for the naked eyes: Bright green.
• Tour km: 370.
• Tour hrs: 8,5.
• Wildlife: One fox.
• Space show: Couple of bright Taurid Fireballs.

It was only one thing to do this night; head longest possible far east for get the best clear sky ... but, I got surprised that it was clearing up already 15 km inside the Finnish border ...

We went +30 km inside and got close to 100% clear sky and it was Northern Lights all over ... but, it was faint ... and the next hours it tried to get brighter, but not really ...

On the south sky there was still two stripes which should probably come later, but it was time to leave back to Tromsø, since the weather was not funny the last 150 km ...

5 km inside Norway I just had to make a stop, since one of the south stripes had exploded and it was dancing over the bus ... a nice final show for my guests.

October 26th

• Guests / Country: 13 guests from Bulgaria, Germany, Switzerland and UK.
  
• Weather Tromsø: Part clear.
• Destination / weather: Ramfjordmoen / Nakkevatnet lake / Sjursnes / clear / haze / cloudy / clear.
• Aurora activity: 9/10.
• Aurora show: All over and far south, curtains, curls and spikes. Several coronas and deeply Red Aurora.
• Visible for the naked eyes: Green and deeply red Aurora.
• Tour km: 120.
• Tour hrs: 7. 

RED OCTOBER

Tonight I was thinking to drive into the country side, and to "my last secret spot" for get beautiful Aurora pics of the lake and the surroundngs mountains, but after a 20 km drive only we had to make a stop since the sky was clear and Lady Aurora was already showed up.

And it got better and better, so there was no chance to leave ... and it got crazy good with Auroras all over and deeply red Aurora visible for the naked eyes.

After 2,5 hours at the first spot we went to an another lovely lake for make the camp fire, but then the clouds came ... so, we continued down to the fjord where we had a lovely view towards the Lyngen Alps and got the final show of Lady Aurora ...

It was great, but I missed two moment of Aurora for set 10/10 points; A really good Corona and dancing.

October 25th

• Guests / Country: 16 guests from El Salvador (country no. 104), Honduras, Germany, Austria, Taiwan, Australia and India.
  
• Weather Tromsø: Cloudy / rain.
• Destination / weather: Finnish Lapland / cloudy / haze / part clear.
• Aurora activity: 4/10.
• Aurora show: Several stripes across the sky, spikes and curls. And little dancing curtains. Two colors on camera.
• Visible for the naked eyes: Little green.
• Tour km: 370.
• Tour hrs: 8.
• Wildlife: One reindeer and 2+3 moose.

Tonight it was only one way to drive, far east and into Finnish Lapland ... but, when we arrived at 10 pm the beautiful clear sky was overcast ...

So, then the patience game begin ... since the weather forecast showed it should clear up again one hour later, so I just parked by the Finnish/Swedish border river at Keinovuopio, set the camp fire and waited ...

On the NW sky it begin to come an opening with a red spike of Aurora, and 1,5 hour later, little delayed, the sky begin to be better and better, and then the Aurora show begins ... perfect timing ;)

We left at 00.30, but while we was on the drive it came even more ... but, I am sorry, I have a driving limit and my main case is to bring all my guests safe back to the city, so I am never taking any risk for making my body knocked ...

October 22nd

• Guests / Country: 9 guests from Germany, Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand.
  
• Weather Tromsø: Part clear.
• Destination / weather: Kvalsundet / Kattfjordeidet / part clear / haze / cloud holes.
• Aurora activity: 8/10.
• Aurora show: Activity all evening, all over and far south. Curtains, spikes and curls. Couple of coronas and dancing in two colors.
• Visible for the naked eyes: Bright green and little pink.
• Tour km: 85.
• Tour hrs: 5,5.

I was first thinking about to drive far east into Finnish Lapland, but after thinking too much the last two nights and failed little, then I change my mind and followed the flow where all the other guides was driving, so I decide to stay on the coast.

It was little tricky weather ... again ... but, when we had just drive 30 km north of the city to the strait between the islands of Kvaløya and Ringvassøya, then the sky was good enough and it got better, so I went for one of the shortest drive this season.

And we had okey Aurora in 2,5 hours, but then suddenly all sky got overcast ... but, it was too early to return at 10 pm ... so, I drove to a gas station for a toilet stop which was needed.

The weather forecast said it should be overcast in a hour before it should clear up again from south, so we drove that direction on Kvaløya island and found a gap as we followed little towards west ... and it got larger ...

Lucky for us, because then the activity suddenly showed up very bright on the south sky and we got a great final show with bright curtains and coronas ...

Went back to the city with happy guests ;)

October 21st

• Guests / Country: 9 guests from Germany, India and USA.
  
• Weather Tromsø: Cloudy / rain.
• Destination / weather: Balsfjord / Skibotndalen valley / part clear / holes in clouds / haze.
• Aurora activity: 4/10.
• Aurora show: Colorful Aurora towards south, but faint. Then a bright show through the haze. Curtains and spikes.
• Visible for the naked eyes: Bright green / white.
• Tour km: 350.
• Tour hrs: 6,5.
• Wildlife: Holy mooses, 5+2 and 2 white rabbits.

An new tricky weather night which forecasted a clearing in from south which should move towards north, so therefore 96% of the guides went towards the coast, west and north of the city.

I don`t like to wait in the rain, so I headed into the country side with the option for a return, if I heard back from my colleagues about improving conditions on the coast ...

When we came 60 km south the sky sudenly became 60% clear, so then it was no reason for a return, and when the sky camera in Skibotn 60 km away, east of the Lyngen Alps showed 90% clear, then it was only one thing to do; drive to the best sky ;)

But, as we know, the clouds are moving and when we arrived it was only 10-20% clear sky left, and we got to see a lovely colorful curls between the clouds in a huge gap towards south ... before it went overcast ...

Then a hour earlier a bright show true the haze.

On the coast they got better cloud hole later, when we was on the return to the city.

Oh yes, it`s always a gamble in this tricky weather conditions ...

October 20th

• Guests / Country: 14 guests from Austria, Germany, India and USA.
  
• Weather Tromsø: Cloudy / rain.
• Destination / weather: Storfjord / Lake Goaki / part clear.
• Aurora activity: 5/10.
• Aurora show: Several stripes across, curtains, spikes and curls. Little intense pink dancing.
• Visible for the naked eyes: Bright green and little pink
• Tour km: 340.
• Tour hrs: 7,5.
• Space show: A bright and fast fireball.

Tonight I trusted little too much on the weather forecast, which showed clear sky from the south around 11 pm ...

So, I was planned to drive far south for meeting it, but after drving 50 km the "wrong way", I got message from my colleagues that it was partly clear sky in Skibotn, east of the Lyngen Alps, 100 km towards east.

So, after a brainstorm I decided to return ... and thanks for that, since the "clear sky from the south" was delayed with 3 hours ...

We missed the first bright pink dancing since we was driving, but got an okey show rest of the evening.

Guests was happy so that is most important ;)

October 19th - Private Aurora Chase Dinner

• Guests / Country: 2 guests from Austria.
  
• Weather Tromsø: Clear.
• Destination / weather: Finnvika / Kvalsundet / clear / cloudy / clear.
• Aurora activity: 7/10.
• Aurora show: All over and towards south, curtains, spikes and curls. A couple of small corona and intense pink dancing. Three colors on camera.
• Visible for the naked eyes: Bright pink and green.
• Tour km: 70.
• Tour hrs: 5,5. 

Finally a clear night on the coast, so I just decided me for do a short drive to a lovely location by the strait between the islands of Kvaløya and Ringvassøya, 20 km west of my home ...

It was starting early after a short drive from the city so we made a short stop just in case ... before we contiuned little further north for set the camp ...

I should also be a chef for my guests tonight, but the dinner had to wait since The Lady was really active when we stopped, so I had to secure some pics.

After a lovely show, also with intense eye visible pink dancing, then the sky suddenly covered over totally ... but, I decided to not rush and just wait ... and after 1,5 hours relaxing around the camp fire with good and tasty food, the sky got beautiful clear again ...

Tonight`s menu:
Fish stew with cod & vegetables - BBQ Reindeer slises - Local sweet Lefse with hot black currant juice.

October 15th

• Guests / Country: 13 guests from Norway (Aftenposten journalists), Germany, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan and China.
  
• Weather Tromsø: Part clear.
• Destination / weather: Skibotn / Storfjord / part clear / clear / cloudy.
• Aurora activity: 4/10.
• Aurora show: Several spikes across the sky, curls and curtains. A small corona.
• Visible for the naked eyes: Bright green.
• Tour km: 240.
• Tour hrs: 8.
• Space show: Two very bright fireballs. The first one was the longest I have ever seen; it was crossing the sky from the moon to Jupiter, and it was slowly. At the end it splitted up in 3-4 rocks.

Patience is King!

Partly beautiful clear sky and the full moon with Lyngen Alps and the other lovely peaks around should give a perfect moment together with Lady Aurora ... but, she was very shy tonight ... so, we waited ... and waited ...

The forecasted "show" at 10 pm didn`t showed up, and the next one at midnight was slim ... so, I told my guests that we will leave 30 mins past midnight ... we left at 00.40 ... and of course, 10 mins later she suddenly showed up ...

We missed the beginning, and with the high mountains wall towards east then we missed part of it, but after the third wave, then she suddenly showed up with little stronger activity straight above us ... even with a small corona.

It`s always great to get a show like this after a looong wait ... saving the night for me, and it`s more fun to return to the city with happy guests ;)

October 14th

• Guests / Country: 13 guests from India, Thailand and Switzerland.
  
• Weather Tromsø: Cloudy / rain.
• Destination / weather: Lake Kilpisjärvi / clear.
• Aurora activity: 7/10.
• Aurora show: Several stripes on the south sky, curtains, spikes and curls. Couple of small coronas and dancing.
• Visible for the naked eyes: Bright green.
• Tour km: 330.
• Tour hrs: 8.
• Wildlife: One white rabbit.

Great to be back on a chase again ... but, as I mention for my guests nowadays; This season can be the last with regular Aurora Chases ... since my body had told me the facts in many years now ... it`s time to drive it more slowly ... so, it`s a beginning of the end now ...

So, from next season (no. 20) and with over 2,000 nights out, I will open the next season calendar (2025-26) only with Private Aurora Chases and more Arctic Excursions package tours, for individual bookings too ...
 

Tonight it was only one thing to do; Drive directly to Finnish Lapland where the weather forecast showed clear sky, and so it was.

In the valley of Skibotn none guides had stopped, so it looks like more had think the same way as me ... around the border many guide buses had stopped, but the clouds was pressing in from north and west, so I continued to the sky was 100% and the clouds was far away ...

We got in some clouds during our stay, but they dissapear as suddenly they came, so it was a great and cold moment by the lake of Kilpisjärvi, and when I was planned to leave before midnight, I just had to tell my guests; `We have to stay longer` because Lady Aurora wasn`t ready and came with more and more on the south sky together with the moon ;)

Just loved it!

October 11th - Private Arctic Excursions (Tromsø)

• Guests / Country: 8+4 guests from India and UK.
  
• Weather Tromsø: Holes in clouds ... clear sky on the way ...
• Destination / weather: Blåmannsvika / Grøtfjord viewpoint / Tromvik / part clear / clear.
• Aurora activity: 8/10.
• Aurora show: All over and far south, curtains, spikes and curls. A couple of Coronas and intense dancing.
• Visible for the naked eyes: Bright green and little red.
• Tour km: 95.
• Tour hrs: 5,5. 

After the greatest Aurora show ever at the beginning of the week (Oct 7th), the clouds came in and covered all the Nordic countries in three days and nights, so yes ... here in the north we missed the Greatest Aurora show EVER at October 10th ... which they enjoyed well all over Europe and southern states of US.

So, it was a cloudy experience at the Magic island of Senja, but well back in Tromsø on Friday the weather forecast looks better ;)

Normally I am ending my package tour when the guests are back in the city, but after the three cloudy nights, I had to give my guests little more, so after a two hours break we drove out again, and with one of my guests cousines it was 12 guests on this chase ... a short one to the most popular location onn the coast: Grøtfjord.

It was quite cloudy in the beginning, but suddenly it was clearing up at the same time Lady Aurora got intense and beautiful.

After a long day, I was knocked, so just before midnight I ended the chase and returned with happy guests.

October 9th & 10th - Private Arctic Excursions (Senja)

• Guests / Country: 8 guests from India and UK.
  
• Weather Hamn, Senja: Overcast / high clouds, but too heavy ...
• Destination / weather: Hamn / Skrolsvik / cloudy / overcast / rain / haze.
• Aurora activity: 0/10.
• Aurora show: Extreme high activity, but we missed it all ...
• Visible for the naked eyes: Green / grey clouds.
• Tour km: 210.
• Tour hrs: 6.
• Wildlife: 1 fox, 2 white rabbits, 3+2 moose and 25+10 reindeers (All videos on GG FB >)

It`s pity ...

After the best Aurora show ever the night before, all Northern Norway, Finnish- and Swedish Lapland got totally overcast, so we missed the great show for the third night in row at Tuesday night, and then on Thursday, October 10th, while south Norway, East Finnmark and the whole Europe got the best Aurora show ever ...

We just "enjoyed" Aurora pics from Cambridge, Oxford, Italy, Spain, USA and Gamvik in Finnmark, during our dinner ...

At Wednesday, we try our luck at the `lighthouse`at Hamn, but the "clear holes with high clouds" didn`t got better, and on Thursday we try our luck by driving to the south part of the Magic island of Senja, but it was totally overcast there too ...

So, the highlights of the evening and very late drive was a nice Gem Safari ;)

October 7th - Private Arctic Excursions (Lyngen)

• Guests / Country: 8 guests from India and UK.
  
• Weather XLyngen, Nordlenangen: Clear.
• Destination / weather: XLyngen / Sør Lenangen / clear.
• Aurora activity: 10/10.
• Aurora show: All over and far far south ... most of the night only on south sky. Curtains, spikes and curls. Couple of nice coronas, but never crazy dancing.
• Visible for the naked eyes: Green, yellow, purple and deeply RED Aurora.
• Tour km: 18 (!).
• Tour hrs: 6.
• Wildlife: One fox.
• Space show: Several very good, long and bright fireballs.

What a night ... really crazy good ... my best so far this season! (and for ever ?)

We didn`t got so much peace during the first dinner here at XLyngen in Nordlenangen, since Lady Aurora was crazy good on blue sky already at 7 pm ...

Then after the dessert we went out on the jetty and got to see several good coronas and very bright Auroras ... after a couple of hours outside, we went in for a short relax ...

But, my guests wanted to see more ... out in the real darkness, without any disturbing lights from the village, so we loaded the bus and went 9 km south to the west side of the Lyngen Alps ...

And it was just very good timing that we went out just that time, since the three stripes on the south sky begin to be active, and suddenly all the east sky over the mountain ridge begin to glow RED ... very strong red, which I haven´t seen since November 2023 ... and YES, it was visible for the naked eyes ... and it last for ever.

After 1,5 hours out in the beauty we headed back, but my guests was wondering if it will come more ... and as I normally tells my Aurora guests, the answer was the same; You never know ...

And then it was contiuned, when I had parked the bus and the guests went back to theirs cabins ... the third stripe on the south sky begins to move ...

The next morning I got a message from one of my colleague, that he got Aurora to his morning coffee, before the night became a day ... and when I checked the Stackplot (Real Time Activity), it was probably dancing crazy from 2-7 am ... so, this night we should quit the day and stay awake all night ...

October 5th - Aurora for myself

• Guests / Country: Just a good Swedish colleague of me.
  
• Weather Tromsø: Cloudy / rain.
• Destination / weather: +90 km inside Finnish Lapland / clear.
• Aurora activity: 6/10.
• Aurora show: All over and little towards south, curtains, spikes and curls. Little dancing and three colors on camera.
• Visible for the naked eyes: Bright green.
• Tour km: 480.
• Tour hrs: 10.
• Wildlife: One moose and two foxes.

Oh yes, I am Aurora Addicted ;)

On my night off from work, I went far inside the Finnish border and with me I bring with me one of my good friend and colleague, just because the Aurora forecast was saying it should be a super good show, but it never showed up ...

But, that`s very typical when the Aurora forecast a Kp 7-9 show ... it`s sometimes too strong and the solar storm are just passing the earth and the magnetic fields ... so, it got only a normal Aurora show.

October 4th - Private Aurora Chase

• Guests / Country: 3 guests from India.
  
• Weather Tromsø: Cloudy / rain.
• Destination / weather: Storfjord / Skibotn beach / Skibotndalen valley.
• Aurora activity: 5/10.
• Aurora show: All over and far south, curtains, spikes and curls, and a little corona. Two colors on camera.
• Visible for the naked eyes: Little green.
• Tour km: 260.
• Tour hrs: 7. 

It`s pity !! Tonight I broke my deal with my own got feeling ...

My first plan was to drive far inside Finnish Lapland for get the best clear sky, but when I heard from my colleagues in front of us who had been to the border and returned down in the valley again, cause too cloudy and fog.

Then I begin to act like a new beginner, by stopping when I saw clear cloud holes and Aurora in them ... but, the sky was perfectly clear at our third stop at the beach, but then the clouds begin to come in from north ...

1st wave of Aurora on the south sky:
We got part of it between the clouds, and one corona in a cloud hole which suddenly appear.

2nd wave of Aurora on the south sky:
We missed it, since I decided to drive up in the valley where I heard from my colleagues who had little better sky, so it exploted while we was driving ...

3rd wave of Aurora on the south sky:
I saw on our very good Aurora forecast, then the next show should come at 1.45 am ... which was the time when we was 15 mins from the city, but then it was heavy raining ... so, we couldn`t see anything of the sky ... and very typical; by dropping off my guests, the whole sky got clear over the city, but then the show was over ...

Maybe I shouldn`t be so hard to myself, since we got to see the Northern Lights in totally five different locations, but it could be so much better ... so, next time I will not listening to my colleagues, but just go for my own got feeling and drive to the first planned location ... since we know very well that if there`s cloudy at the border, it`s normally much better +30 km in and over the waterline hill ...

October 3rd

• Guests / Country: 16 guests from Sri Lanka, India, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Australia, Brasil, France and USA.
  
• Weather Tromsø: Cloudy.
• Destination / weather: Soltinddalen valley / Langsundet strait / part clear / clear.
• Aurora activity: 6/10.
• Aurora show: All over and far south, curtains, spikes and curls. Couple of small and fain coronas. Three colors on camera.
• Visible for the naked eyes: Bright green and little red glowing.
• Tour km: 130.
• Tour hrs: 6,5.

A new night towards the north and to my island north of the city ...

I thought it should be tricky with a new night with bad weather, but 20 km before planned end stop by the coast, the sky suddenly got good and clear, so we stopped in my Ice Fishing valley on Ringvassøy island, 65 km away from the city.

It was a nice Aurora with many colors on camera, but it was faint ... but, then she begin to drag towards the south sky ... so, I "pressed" my guests to stay longer ... only 4 outside, and 12 inside the warm bus ...

After 1,5 hours waiting for the explotion I "gave up", and told my guests; Maybe we will get it on the return to the city ... and YES we did ... after 30 mins driving, I had to just pull into a parking spot where already four Aurora buses was standing, and send my guests outside.

I gave it 30 more minutes and could return to the city with a bus full of happy guests ;)

October 1st

• Guests / Country: 16 guests from India, Colombia, Brasil and USA.
  
• Weather Tromsø: Part clear / rain.
• Destination / weather: My home / Gamnes / Dåfjord / part clear / cloudy / rain / hail.
• Aurora activity: 4/10.
• Aurora show: Several stripes all over, spikes, curls and curtains. Three colors on camera.
• Visible for the naked eyes: It was faint, so only white Aurora.
• Tour km: 145.
• Tour hrs: 6.

A new tricky night with changing in the weather which included rain, wind and hail, but the only options was to stay at the coast, since it was the same all over, and in Finland it was overcast the whole evening.

So, we headed north of the city to "my own" island, Ringvassøya, where we stopped at several locations, since the weather changed so rapidly ... at the end we ended up in Dåfjord, 70 km north of the city, where I made a camp fire and served local made snacks and hot black currant juice.