I wonder if the Northern Lights would be the number one bucket list item of travellers – if that information was ever gathered together. Many people commented it was Number one on their list, and it was a long-held dream of mine. A long time coming – no pressure but I would remind Chris that Bhutan had been his long-held dream – one we had already ticked off. Of course, I could not persist with the view that I did not enjoy Bhutan at all!!!
As the days went by, on our northbound voyage, we grew less certain about seeing Aurora Borealis – the Northern lights. As our friends last night drew near we commiserated at dinner as we simultaneously researched our next lights trip. A little despondently we headed to our cabins for the night thinking “Why bother preparing?” A cloudy sky with a low chance of a sighting.
Just settling for the night when the word came – “We have light action”. All week I had clothes ready fireman style to hop in and get up on deck pronto… except for this night of course. I was tripping over myself and Chris with nothing in the right place!! Amazing how quickly we layered up and got out on the deck.
And there they were – at first light white fluffy streaks until our eyes adjusted and colour emerged. Gently moving and shifting shapes stretched across the sky, wisps of cloudy white turning to colour. Sudden bursts of shape and colour in random forms. Tears were shed. Hours were spent eyes fixed skywards. Who noticed the snow and cold? Who noticed the creeping early morning hours?
Little wonder so many cultures over the years have stories about the Aurora Borealis – the Vikings, Sami cultures and many scientists and researchers through the ages. Early Norse myths and legends are said to include “Viking beliefs that the Northern Lights illuminating the sky were the reflections of the Valkyries’ armour as they led the warriors to Odin.” (https://global.hurtigruten.com/inspiration/experiences/northern-lights/norse-myths-and-legends/)
Not a phenomenon to see once and move on from – not on one night and not in our lifetime. We stayed on deck for hours until frozen fingers and the whipping wind drove us indoors again. “It would be good to also see them from the land,” said my friend!!! I am never one to disagree of course.
Photos – a confession they often come out with deeper colour than the eye can see. No they are not coloured post-photography it just picks it up. Sometimes I used it diagnostically to check lights vs clouds. With shutter partly depressed the Northern Lights showed green – clouds just stayed cloud colour.
Movement from the boat – and this night it was a rock n roll kind of night – made focus tricky even with a tripod,
Dark snow splashed mountains rising around us, a bright moon with a halo around it, a rolling sea covered with white caps. All overshadowed by these beautiful lights waving across the sky -unforgettable. To top it off we docked briefly at a little snow-capped fairy-lit village to drop supplies.
Finally tearing our selves away in the early hours of the morning as the lights dwindled to tiny streaks. To bed, only after gaining assurances that should they fire up we would be called.
A magical moment that was not to be repeated again on this trip but the seed is planted. Where next??
