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Skogsøya photos ~ Winter scenes

Your guide: Johan I. Borgos

Pick any ten winters on the coast, and each will differ quite much from the rest. The relatively warm Gulf current flows along the islands, meeting colder air from the north. This meeting gives great room for variation.

Low pressures coming in from the Atlantic ocean make some winters a stormy experience. Other years a vast high pressure in the east keeps the storms away from the coast. Wind from southwest brings rain, if it turns northwest then we get snow.

But one thing comes every winter - "mørketida", the murky time. At 69 degrees north the sun never rises above the horizon from late November to late January. No problem. We're used to this.

I've picked twelve slides which will give you an impression of what our winters may look like. As a matter of fact they represent four different years.

One day you notice that the light part of the day has become very short. In a few days the sun will disappear. That means having the lights on 24 hours a day for two months.

Perhaps some snow will arrive and make everything a little lighter during the dark time. However, for many years snow before Christmas has been rare. Did I hear someone talk about global warming?

High noon a week before the sun reappear. Hjellsand is snow-covered, except for the dark strip near the sea, where the high tide has washed away the snow. In the south the sky is noticeably lighter, showing that the sun is not far below the horizon.

In a couple of days the sun will be back. It will first appear over the lowest part of the mountain range - if it's not cloudy. A young rowan tree is ready for a new season after braving a winter storm or two.

And here is a storm from southwest. Heavy waves roll in from the sea, and the highest cross even the road, leaving heaps of brown seaweed there.

A fine storm is a beautiful view, but usually there's too little light to get good pictures. Luckily the waves are white!

A sunny day in February, and time for skiing. The sunshine is very bright, and the gleaming white snow can make your eyes sore.

A trip up in the mountains gives double pleasure. First the magnificent view, and secondly the downhill race.

On Skogsøya you may even meet a little herd of reindeer (or caribou). Here the are taking a rest on the ice of a little lake.

Time to get more food. These animals aren't afraid of humans. They pass the skier in the background without giving him a look.

One day the first plants appear through the melting snow. It's April, and a long winter is slowly giving way for the spring.

Now it is time for walks in the mountains. The world is still blue and brown, but in a couple of weeks the nature will be greener.