ARCTIC HOTSPOT
Lights, Norway offers dazzling frolicking whales, speedys leds
Who in their right mind would visit a place deep in the Arctic Circle in the dead of winter when it’s minus 8 degrees outside and you’re meant to sleep in an iceencrusted tent without electricity or plumbing — all in hopes of seeing something that might never appear?
Me, apparently. Along with 40 or so others who’ve also decided to spend their time in the dark, remote place known as Camp Tamok, 90 minutes outside of Tromso, Norway. On this night, we’re chasing the Northern Lights, that coveted glow of color and shadow in the sky which draws thousands of tourists every winter to this eye-ball-freezingly harsh preserve. The aurora is most viewable at this location from September through the end of March.
I spent a full week in Tromso, experiencing a kind of cold, and yes, wonder, I’ve never before felt. While I did get lucky with those lights, even if you didn’t you would find a world of exotic activities to enjoy in a place less than a two-hour plane trip north of Norway’s capital, Oslo.
Tromso, a town of sleekly modern Nordic structures nestled next to historic wooden ones, has a surprisingly large population: over 70,000, making it the heftiest city in the Arctic Circle. Unfortunately, that creates enough light pollution to mean you have to venture out of town for the best chance of spying those spooky green, red and purple patterns dance in mid-air.
Nearly all of the local attractions involve being bussed out to more isolated places, where you can engage in the literal reindeer game of sledding with those horned creatures, as well as dog sledding, and snowmobile racing. You can also whale watch, from large boats anchored in picturesque Tromso harbor.
You should know that arriving in this season brings two more hardships beyond temperature. The air holds no humidity, which means finger nails can split and wet hair may crack. You’ll also experience major light deprivation. During the polar night, the sun never peeks above the horizon.
Yet, it’s far from 24/7 black. Between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m., there’s twilight. Its rich gleaming turns out to be one of Tromso’s most beguiling features. It creates an ever-shifting swirl of indigo and slate that produces some of the most ravishing low-lights I’ve ever seen. While there’s no visible sunset, there is an after burn, which, on one night, blazed in a color that can only be described as Mark Rothko red. It’s a photographer’s dream.
Likewise, the temperature isn’t always as Nanook-of-the-North cold as it was during my trek. Due to the Gulf Stream that washes into this archipelago, it’s more common for temps to vacillate between the teens and the low thirties.
While outdoor activities occupy most of your time — most lasting from five up to 24 hours — the town itself has some sweet draws. There are lots of good restaurants, specializing in reindeer (tastes like a gamey steak), and whale, a surprising lean meat under the blubber. My raw carpaccio version at Emmas (emmasdrommekjokken.no/ en; the best place in town) tasted as rich as roast beef.
For culture, there’s the Polar Museum, which chronicles the history of trapping, whaling and North Pole exploring over the last century or so. It’s full of creepy dioramas of the crazies who braved the great white north, as well as a cute taxidermy display of polar bears, walruses and seals. A short walk away there’s The Art Museum of Northern Norway, which stresses local artists of the