Land of Fjords & Seas of Plenty

NorwayNORDKAPP LOFOTEN TRONDHEIM WRECKS KRISTIANSAND

25 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Wild diving at Europe’s top

Text by Arnold Weisz NordkappTranslated by Peter Symes Top side photos by Arnold Weisz and Stein Johnsen Underwater photos by Stein Johnsen With little regard to the abun- Diving at 71°10’21”N dance of awesome dive sites The expectations were sky high around the island of Magerøya, when we first rolled off the Zodiac it’s the diving in Nordkapp, the and plunged into the big blue Northern Cape, that everybody under the towering 307m high asks for, not just for the sake of Nordkapp plateau. The owner having been there-done that at of Nordkapp Dykkersenter (dive center) Hugo Salamonsen is a native Are you a connoisseur of from Finnmark, the northernmost region in nature diving and open Norway, and as is typical oceans? Nordkapp is here, he wasn’t unduly burdened by modesty. the place for you. From He was going to show us some real diving, dam- the town of Honningsvåg mit—and disappoint us, you have access to the he did not. Below the almost verti- magnificent gullies off cal cliffs, we decended into an indescribable Nordkapp, drift dives in wild and beautiful natu- the Magerøy Sound and ral underwater world. One gully followed after cave diving in the Tufjord another in a very varied terrain. At a depth of 17- just to name a few. 18 meters, we couldn’t feel the ocean swell Europe’s most northern point, but anymore, and swimming along also because of the fantastic ter- the wall, we come across big hol- rain below the vertical cliffs. lows encircled by kelp forest. A King crab has taken refuge under an sea anemone clinging to the steep Vertical cliffs of Nordkapp, top of Europe rocky underwater cliffs of Nordkapp INSET: A hermit crab sports the latest fashion in sea anemone decor 26 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel Nordkapp

Our senses are go out the way we constantly being entered and con- bombarded here. clude this dive by The visibility is excel- doing a little round lent, and above in the kelp forest. us, we see how the From a depth of surf is breaking and only a few meters, slamming into foam we make our final as it hits the rocks. ascent while look- We enter a gully, ing up at the steep where a squadron cliff, which is the of coalfish swiftly very fringe of conti- sweep across the nental Norway. kelp, flying low in formation. We enter another gully mov- Spooky night diving is trying to hide but is given away by its ing forward in a jerky fashion as the We were also able to make a couple rolling eyes scanning my every move- swell above makes the water pulsate of great night dives on this trip – which ment. I suddenly get goosebumps as down here. Some times it is necessary is not really possible during the high a dark shadow in front of me moves. to grab hold of a kelp stalk, to stay put season when the midnight sun provides The beam of my torch cuts through the when the current recedes outwards. 24-hour daylight. Great night dives can water like a sword and strikes a wolf fish In the narrow gullies, we encounter be done only a few minutes drive from right in the forehead. It just lies there dense beds of sea anemonae. The Honningsvåg, and it is absolutely worth- munching on sea snails with its impres- colourful ten- while spending some hours down there sive dentures. “Bon appetite,” we can’t tacles sway one evening rather than hanging out in help murmuring to ourselves before we with the cur- the pub. press on with our dive. rent. Here Swimming around in the shallow and there, a kelp forest in the soothing darkness of Cave diving curious squat the inner fjord is a unique experience. In Tufjorden, on the island of lobster pokes You are never quite sure what you are Magerøya’s west side, we find a cave. its head out going to encounter next. You sweep At a depth of 4-5 meters, there is an to see who is the surroundings with the beam of your opening taking one about 80 meters coming to visit. torch, and suddently something blinks into the mountain. A good deal of this The path back. An enormous cod comes closer passage is rather narrow, so diving here starts to get to investigate matters and see who should be reserved for high tide and quite narrow, or what is intruding in on his peaceful calm seas. Otherwise, the swell would so we turn evening. probably send you tumbling around out around and On the light sandy bottom, a plaice of control like clothes in a dryer.

The King crab rules below the waves around CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: Reindeer graze on the plains; A snail carries its Nordkapp INSET: Spines of a nudibranch home with it on one large foot pad; Brilliant sea anemone sways in the current 27 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel Nordkapp

The innermost parts of this cave opens up but the entrance and exit weather has a great into a spacious cavern with 5-6 meters up makes for quite an exciting deal to say when to the ceiling and a big space of air. and special underwater swim it comes to diving This dive is not for the claustrophobic. for those who have a propen- around Magerøya. After a while in the dark, you start wonder- sity for this kind of adrenaline But it is always posing whether there might be a dragon lurk- rush. sible to find dive sites ing in the shadows while you frantically fin The less experienced can that are sheltered so your way back to daylight. still get their kicks by restrict- you can dive any time The cave itself is not all that spectacular, ing themselves to the first 10-15 meters of of year. Perhaps, you will have to endure the entrance where there is still daylight a bumpy ride to the site or lashing rain or and direct access to the open sea. In the wind. According to Hugo you don’t get far opening to the cave, it is still possible to in these parts if you are not prepared to be marvel at the polished rockface and the flexible around your comfort requirements. play of light on its surface without having to It is not a place for whiners. venture into the realm of absolute darkness. On the other hand, the Arctic Ocean And the diving outside the cave is not might, all of a sudden, show off and bad either. Lots of kelp and a very varied present its most pleasant side when the topography that descends into the depths sea is dead-calm, like a blue rug, while the as you travel into the fjord. Below the sun shines from a deep blue sky. But be southern cliffs, the sea bed is strewn with advised: bring with you clothing for all types boulders covered with dense beds of sea of weather and seasons. If you are properly anemone. dressed, you will always be able to enjoy the magnificent sceneries up here—regard- Four seasons less of what the weather throws at you. This There is no point in denying that the is Northern Norway at it’s best and worst. LEFT: Giant Sunstar graces the rocky reef under Nordkapp; INSET: Crimson tentacles of a sea CLOCKEWSIE FROM TOP LEFT INSET: Red striped shrimp on kelp; Entering the cave at anemone Tufjorden; fish heads hang on lines for the birds to feed; INSET: Striated red scallop 28 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel Nordkapp

Nordkapp is located at the top of Europe

On top of Europe with 250 HP outboards. Even in Nordkapp rises 307 meters out of the Arctic Ocean a bigger swell, these boats have and 200,000 tourists find their way here in order to no problem travelling at speeds claim that they have made it to the top of Europe. up to 30 knots with a group of They want to experience the midnight sun from the divers on board. most northern point in Europe. Well, that is what Each boat takes up to 10 per- they think. sons, and most trips are day trips The most northern point is, in fact, Knivskjellodden, where provisions and air are a little futher to the west. However, Nordkapp is brought along for a full day’s far more impressive than the little lame and boring outing with 2-3 dives each. The tongue of land to the northwest. dive center has at least 10 com- The cliffs at Nordkapp is impressive and a must- plete sets of rental equipment, see even though it costs a whopping NOK 185,- drysuits and lamps for hire. Airfills (about USD 30). It is still worthwhile. Aside from the are offered to both 200 and 300 astonishing view itself, there is a museum, restau- bar. If you are missing a piece rant, chapel and Omnimax movie theatre. of equipment, you can prob- Honningsvåg isn’t just pictoresque, it is also a working fishing port The 17-minute long movie is made by Ivo ably find what you need in the Caprino and gives a fantastic presentation of what well-stocked dive shop. approximately 3.500 inhabitants. The location has Nordkapp and northern Norway have to offer Are you bringing non-divers along, or do you sim- its own airfield and is served by the domestic airline, above and below the surface and from the air. In ply want to enjoy the nature top side? Nordkapp Widerøe. It is also connected by the famous ferry addition, the film gives the viewer the unique expe- Dykkersenter/North Cape Adventures also offers a link, the Hurtigrutan, and a road link to the conti- rience of what diving off the coast of Nordkapp wide variety of other activities such as deep sea nent, which connects through a tunnel to the main- is like and another dimension of its natural rafting, ocean fishing trips, cayack tours, water- land. A multitude of accommodation is available, beauty. sports, bike rides, trekking, skiing and all sorts of ranging from the spartan to the luxurious. For a guided trips. The center is open year round with town of Honningsvåg’s size, there is a good deal of Nordkapp Dykkersenter flexible opening hours. restaurants and night life. It is also possible to experi- The dive center has two ence the cultural life and people of the coast. A CLOCKWISE FROM BOTTOM LEFT: 24-foot Zodiac RIBs with Getting there little north of Honningsvåg, we find Skarsvåg—the Cod; Mussles on kelp; King crab glass fiber hulls. Both The town of Honningsvåg is the biggest urban northernmost-located fishing village in the world. For duke it out on the sea bed; Bottom- vessels are equipped area in Nordkapp Kommune (municipality) with more information: www.nordkappopplevelser.no ■ dwelling Plaice are masters of camouflage

29 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Lofoten Islands

Text by Arnold Weisz ABOVE: Norway is the land of the midnight sun Translated by Peter Symes RIGHT: Anglerfish with its huge gape Photos by Stein Johnsen The Lofoten archipelago in Northern Norway is made up of majestic mountains and peaks, beaches and in particular a deep blue sea stretch- ing as far as the eye can see. Beneath the surface we encounter a magnificent terrain with kelp forests and colourful walls covered with sea anemonae. Schools of coalfish is passing overhead. On the bottom, we find anglerfish, wolf-fish, Northern Stone crabs and nudibranchs just to name a few. And we shouldn’t for- get the abundance of exciting shipwrecks. This is Lofoten in a nutshell.

A diver examines a stunning wall of brilliant sea anemones Lofoten is the home of quaint unassuming little Norwegian villages 30 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Wolf fish bares sharp teeth King crab displays powerful claws Lofoten travel A Brittle star stands out brilliantly against the black sea bottom Diver explores Lofaten reef

Midnight sun Lofoten presented itself in the best possible man- ner when we did our crossing from Vestfjorden north of the city of Bodø Lofoten to Lofoten. The is a collec- sun was shining tion of approximately from a clear sky, 200 islands that stretches out into the the sea was calm and the view from Atlantic from Northern Norway north the deck chairs on the upper deck of the polar circle. This location makes was magnificient. Upon disembark- the area unique. The coastal currents ing in Stamsund, we were greeted by are constantly pumping fresh Altantic Bjørn Sandnes from Aqua Lofoten dive water past Lofoten on their way north- center on Ballstad where we were to bound. This current, which originates in spend our first week. Cutting right to the Baltic, makes for a diverse marine the chase, his first question was, “What life in the area. Lofoten, beneath the surface, offers steep drop-offs with walls covered with brightly coloured sea anemonea and lush forests of kelp swaying gently in the current. On the sandy white bottom, we find wolfish, cod and coalfish and the occasional anglerfish with its huge gape. We find both intense drift dives and placid lagoons, tiny nudibranchs and big seals and a huge variety of wrecks —a good deal of which resulted from the second world war—as well as steam- ers and freighters, fishing vessels and what not, not to mention, a passenger liner from the famous Hurtigrute —“The fast route”—the shipping service that sails up and down the length of the Norwegian coast, connecting the coastal cities from Bergen to Kirkenes near the Russian border. Divers preparea to dive in one of the rich A shy Squat lobster crawls over reef corals islets of the Lofonet archepelago Diver enjoys a passage through kelp fronds 31 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Oggling eyes of an anglerfish may be watching you from travel under the kelp Lofoten kind of div- uninhabited ing would you mountainous like?” Being a island Mosken seasoned dive in the south. traveller, I have The current is long since 4-5 kilometers learned that wide and 40-60 the best answer meters deep to this question and the area is “your favourite is considerably places”. And, as shallower than the sea was dead the open sea calm, there were just outside. no issues in reach- The tide fills up ing any dive spot we the Vestfjord would like. First dive was twice a day made only 10-15 minutes and the dif- from Ballstad. Islets and shoals ference in sea usually makes up for a varied level may be as terrain with many hideouts for fish much as four and other sea life. When you hover meters. Right in around the underwater gulleys, in between ebb the kelp forest and along the white and flow the sandy bottom, fantastic scenery current changes and fish life surrounds you all the direction, and it Divers suited up ready themselves for a Lofeton dive way throughout the dive. is during these From mid June to mid July there reversals that vortices are created attack kind of explosion. What we is midnight sun on Lofoten making with a speed of up to six knots. are referring to is a virtual explosion night diving something of a misno- It might sound perilous to dive in of brilliant colour that we experi- mer. The good thing is that diving these conditions, but with a little ence on our dive. is possible ‘round the clock, and it experience and the right planning, It was such a delight flying by is an extraordinary experience to the dives can be fantastic. a wall along some islets in the poke your head out of the water Each buddy pair is equipped Moskstraumen. Thousands of sea and up into the beautiful sunlight at with a big red surface marker bouy anemonae covered the wall like a 1am. attached to a 30m line. This way carpet of yellow, orange, red, pink the boat captain can always easily and violet. There were so many Drift dives track each buddy pair. That being tentacles swaying in the gentle Lofoten can offer drift dives that said, all there is to do is to make a current that we almost became can stand up to what Saltstraumen back roll, descend into the big blue afraid of getting lost between (the tidal current famous for its very and enjoy the “train ride”, and it them. Between these lush fields of fierce velocity) at Bodø has to offer. does indeed feel like a train ride as sea anemones there were healthy Whether you dive in the narrow you are being swept along by the colonies of hydroids. The area also sound Raftsundet or in open water current passing all sorts seem to be much favoured by nudi- at Moskstraumen, it is possibly to of underwater land- branchs who seemed more numer- gain quite some speed during your scapes, shoals for fish and ous that the inhabitants of dives. other underwater Mexico City. Moskstraumen is known as the creatures. This dive was an strongest tidal current in open good example of water. It runs between the island Explosion what the dif- of Moskeneøya in the North to the No, not the terrorist ference

Explosions of color erupt from giant colonies of sea anemone Bright yellow markings on this nudibranch warns predators that it is poisonous 32 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel Lofoten

THIS PAGE: Scenes from the wreck dive of the Gudrun Gisladottir, which lies 37m below the surface

between a good dive and a great dive midnight sun shining bright above the shipwrecked in the Nappstraumen June can be with a good dive lamp. Light surface. The kelp forest is a favoured ref- 18, 2002. After several unsuccessful equals colours. And it is not only along uge for a lot of fish and animal species. attempts to salvage her, it was decided those impressive walls we find veluptu- It is not easy to hunt prey that can hide to leave the trawler where she had ous vivid colours, but also in the kelp for- in a dense forest. come to rest. est or along the boulders on the bottom, In other places, the big boulders cre- The sea was still dead calm when we we find this seductive play of colours. ate exciting spaces in which to swim arrived, and the sun warmed us from a On the broad kelp leaves, the col- around. At a first glance, they appear cloudless sky as we rolled into the water ourful nudibranchs have taken up resi- devoid of life and somewhat sinister. But to dive the wreck. We decend along dence. In the narrow crevices, small red then you switch on your lamp and get the downline to arrive at the mast of fish keep a watchful eye on every move- your suspicions confirmed that you are Gudrun Gisladottir at 16 meters. The ment in open water. These fish are not indeed not alone. Not everyone needs downline was fixed to the upper part of timid and can easily be approached to hide in the dark, some rely on their the bridge, so we sink slowly down along by divers and will even follow a diver camouflage. With a little patience, you the mast. around when they feel like it. The squat will soon locate angelfish, which seem The wreck is already covered in life, lobster, in its bright red shell, comes to be one with the underlying rock upon but has yet to acquire the mystique that across as both being shy and inquisitive which they are resting—giving away surrounds older and more rusty wrecks. at the same time. their presence only by their curious swiv- Nonetheless, this sunken trawler is still a elling eyes protruding out from the sand. wonderful wreck dive. Twilight Tiny gobies also take advantage of the We touched bottom at 40 meters, The terrain beneath the surface in terrain. and peered at the top of the wreck, Lofoten seems to be just as dramatic Swim slowly and open your eyes. You the mast, at 16m. The wreck rests at an as the landscape above. Gullies, grot- will find yourself embedded in an under- angle of 45 degrees to starboard on a tos and a dense kelp forest. Those who water world teeming with life. sea floor of white sand or silt. don’t mind shadowy nooks and crannies Another good wreck dive we enjoyed and have no issues with claustrophobia Wreck dving was that of the D/S Hadsel. This is the will feel right at home here even with the The Islandic trawler Gudrun Gisladottir wreck of a local freight and passenger

33 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED COUNTER-CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: View of the RIB from Lofoten below; Racks of drying fish; Morning on the Norwegain seas; travel Norwegians enjoy their beer and toast a good day of diving vessel that ran aground upon a shoal in 1958 just north of Reine. D/S Hadsel leans over 50 degrees to port. It also rests on a white seabed. The depth here is 44m, but most of the wreck, including the bridge, can be found at about 37m. The aft mast reaches up to 27m. This wreck has been somewhat destroyed, but still feels like diving a whole ship. Although the deck is somewhat potholed, there are still parts of the planks left. The visibility was rather good, and we could see almost the entire wreck as we hovered past the mast where we had attached our lines. This was indeed a wonderful wreck dive, like a scene out of a Hollywood movie. Other recommended wrecks in the area include D/S Nordstjerna, D/S Mira, M/S Sanct Amandus, M/S Fram, M/S Hamburg, D/S Ramø, M/S Rio, MRS 25, M/S Altas and M/S Stella Orion. Divecenters in Lofoten include Lofotdykk, which can be found in an old sea house built in 1890 in the middle of Kabelvåg. The house has five rooms with a total of twenty beds. There is a communal daily room, showers and toilets and a fully equipped kitchen in which guests can prepare their own meals. A full range of Lofoten Islands of Norway rental equipment is offered and airfills up to 300bar. This is also the departure point for Lofotdykk’s 28-foot RIB with access to a multitude of dive sites 5 to 60 minutes away. www.lofotdykk.no Aqua Lofoten Dive Center is located in Ballstad. It offers a full range of rental equipment and fills air up to 300bar. There is also a little dive store and accommodation for up to eight guests in a cabin with kitchen. One can also find accommodation at the nearby Kræmmervik Rorbuer. www.aqualofoten.com. See: www.lofoten-tourist.no ■

34 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Trondheim is located on the central western coast of Norway

Wreck safari and adventure along the Trøndelag coast on the Moby Duck The Norwegian coastline is long and the shipping lanes winding and chal- lenging to navigate. Here, the mis- fortunes of ships have become the fortunes of discerning wreck divers. Finding these wrecks is not without challenges, however, as you need precise direction and accurate posi- tions. Be off by a few meters and you may end up swimming in the wrong direction and never see the wreck. The difference between success and failure can be a very fine line. Enter Roy Welle, a very experienced diver who knows Trøndelag county’s Wreck Safari water like the back of his hand. He is the skipper of the local dive vessel, Moby Duck. It was early May when we came along for a five-day wreck Text and photos by Nils Aukan Trondheim safari on the liveaboard.

A diver examines the huge propellor on the M486 wreck 35 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel Trondheim

LEFT TO RIGHT: The Moby Dick readies for a wreck safari on the Trøndelag coast; Swedes bring aboard double twin sets; Guide Didrik Tårnesvik with Skipper Roy Well in cab As I embarked the Moby Dick in was joined by Didrik Tårnesvik as As we tum- its home port of Trondheim, I was guide and divemaster. Didrik used bled around joined by six experienced technical to manage the renowned dive we scared the divers from Sweden, who had been center at Hitra and had a back- living daylights on tours with this vessel before. All ground as a professional scallop out of a poor the Swedish comrades came with diver. Another professional scallop wolf fish, who 2x12-liter double tanks and a 7-liter diver with experience in Nitrox div- took off like a oxygen sling tank for decompres- ing, Robert Skaanes, came along tempest when sion. They came across very safety as deckhand. Didrik was photo- we showed up. conscentious and were obviously graphing with a Nikon Coolpix We ascended quite experienced wreck divers 990 in a Ikelite-housing, so I was a few meters who favoured bringing ample sup- pleased to have a fellow photogra- more to find plies of breathing gasses on their pher with whom to buddy up. ourselves backs and harnesses. Before we could have a go at grabbed by The Swedes were also equipped the wreck buffet, we headed for another cur- A Squat lobster oggles the camera with brilliant blue lined orb eyes with massive battery packs at a first dive right across the fjord, at rent which and a bright red exoskeleton the end of an umbilical attached Hidrem. At this location, there is a took us back to hand-mounted lamp heads. I population of the special gorgoni- to our starting point—sweet! In the shallows, there were also would say that their equipment ans or sea fans, Paramuricea pla- Meanwhile, we had managed to dense colonies of the omnipres- weighed in at around 60 kg’s each comus, in shallow water, which in get a glimpse of an amazing abun- ent Dead Man’s Hand coral, INSET ABOVE: King crab to be added to their own weight. this case, means 25-30m. dance of sea life with lots of squat Alcyonium digitatum. feasting upon a sea urchin Negotiating a dive ladder with all If you are lucky, it is also possible lobsters, hermit crabs and lots of As we were here during the this stuff calls for a fair deal of to see the ancient Chimera here, brown sea cucumbers Cucumaria algae bloom, the visibility was RIGHT: Chimera, or Ratfish, physical strength and being or Ratfish, Chimarea monstrosa. frondosa, as well as another spe- down to a moderate, though still are ancient fish of a differ- in good condition. As far Didrik and I weren’t, however, so cies that goes under the local decent, 8-10m below 20 meters, ent age. They came into as I was concerned, I was fortunate. We were swept off by an name of ”scaly sea sausage” Psolus though it was only a couple of being long before sharks and other happy with my single 15- ingoing current once we passed squamatus, which had white and meters in the shallows. early fish and have not changed litre tank and air fill. 25m, and we found it impossible to rose tentacles sticking out of the Our Swedish friends had encoun- much over the millenia. Shown Skipper Roy Well swim back against this current. sandy bottom. tered the same currents as we did, here, Chimaera monstrosa

36 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel Trondheim

Map of Wreck Sites on the Trøndelag Coast

but none of them saw the gorgonians on nately, at its this dive. peak when The trip then took us further out of the we visited Trondheim fjord, past Agdenes and into Irma but Uthaug on Ørlandet where we stopped for the wreck the night. We were then served a splendid was clearly dinner—the first of many excellent meals marked with to follow on this trip. a buoy. As Didrik led the way, the towering side er than the average stone. The Irma wreck of the ship just materialised out of the The Swedes had concluded their diving Our first wreck was Irma, 3743 brt and plankton soup. We descended along the day by collecting a good bag full of scal- located off Ørlandet. She was built in sloping wreck to our maximum depth of lops, which made for an equisite scallop Sunderland, England, in 1906, and was 30m where we took a series of pictures. soup the following day. a big vessel of no less than 350 feet. The wreck was totally clad in a carpet Heading south during the war fully loaded of big squirts, Ciona intestinalis, sporadi- Lita wreck with 6400 tons of iron ore, she struck a cally dotted by Deadman’s Hands, which On we went to Stokksund and the wreck rock just outside Djupfest-Bjugn and sank added some colour. Fish darted in and Lita, which lies at a depth of 32-39m in on March 14, 1944, with no loss of life. The out of the holes in the wreck’s steel plates. a sheltered area nearby an anchorage vessel had originally come from Latvia, We could have gone even deeper where inside Stokken. The 318 brt big steamer Lita but was seized by the Germans during the the wreck seemed to be more intact, but was built in 1890 in Danzig, Germany, and occupation in 1940. we had decided on this maximum depth. she, too, perished in the second world war What remains of the wreck is found from On this big wreck, it is possible to take after hitting a nearby shoal. She sank with 10 to 46m depth, but down to a depth of many different routes. The superstructure no cargo aboard on January 30, 1944. 25m, the wreck clearly shows signs of hav- is massive, which calls for exploration and In this case, the buoy and downline was ing the cargo of ore and metals salvaged lighter penetration. On the seafloor, there attached to the port side of the wreck. after the war. There is not much left of were still heaps of iron ore. I lifted a few The visibility was unfortunately also rather the bow. The algae bloom was, unfortu- lumps, and they were clearly much heavi- bad all the way down to this wreck, so I

A large Gargonian fan coral ABOVE: The Irma as she once was greets the divers with brilliant colour INSET: Dive guide Didrik photographs the carpet of big squirts on the Irma wreck 37 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED The Minesweeper M-468 was sunk by a drifting German travel horn mine in 1944 Trondheim made their way to the surface. way towards the stern where we We then sailed on to Bessaker came across our Swedish friends where we had a fabulous nature on their way back. At the boiler dive along a cliff wall. There were room the bottom plates at the lots of squat lobsters, butterfish starboard side was gone, and and yarrel’s blennies. The colour- the whole ship had twisted itself ful squat lobster, Galthea strigosa, in such a way that the remainder definitively got the film rolling. of the ship was lying on its star- With my 105mm macro, I got real- board side at a 90º angle. Some ly close to the little bugger. of the hull plating in the bottom had been twisted outwards in the Minesweeper M-468 explosion. The ribs stood out like We reached the northern- a ribcage with a wavy curvature. most point of our journey at Obviously, the vessel has been Langrøskjær lighthouse. Here weakened by the explosion and lies the wreck of the German lost structural strength midships minesweeper, M-468. This M-class after which the ship collapsed minesweeper had a displace- and twisted itself in the 60 years ment of 775 tons, a length of 62.5 that have since passed. meters and was built in 1942. It From the midship, the mast lies was escorting a German convoy stretched out across the sandy from Trondheim to Bodø when it bottom. Didrik and I took some The tugboat found its resing place on its port side at 25-30 meters ran into a drifting German horn shots here before we moved mine on August 12, 1944 and on towards the stern, where an brt vessel was 67m long. En route downline right on the wreck after sank around 4:30am during an external propeller axel, propeller from Blyth on England to Tromsø locating it with the echo sounder. unsuccessful attempt to tow it and rudder came into sight. The in northern Norway with a cargo This wreck sits right on its keel and ashore before it went down. The vessel had two rudders and twin of coal, it ran aground and sank was, as such, easy to find with mine was spotted before impact, propellers. We shot our last frames 180m southeast of Saxa without the echosounder once one knew but despite a valiant effort and and returned to the downline any loss of life. The salvage vessel where to look. frantic maneuvering, it struck and before our bottom time ran out. Sterkodder almost succeeded in Once more, we were greeted exploded. The vessel capsized to This wreck was very exciting salvaging the ship a week later, by the algae soup in the surface, the port and came to rest on the and, indeed, an extraordinary but the mooring lines broke, and but the visibility improved as we sandy bottom around 25-30m. one. Maximum depth on this dive the pumping hoses were severed, descended. The light condi- The crew was rescued with no was 34m. The bottom time was 21 causing the ship to sink tions were appalling, though, loss of human life. minutes. once more. and it felt like night diving once The visibility was the best we Later, the pro- we reached the sandy bottom have seen all trip, round 8-10m Wrecks paraded peller was at 33m. Here, though the plankton near the sur- The same afternoon, we headed salvaged. we came face cut out a great deal of the back towards Buholmråsa, and Skipper across a light from above. here the wrecks just line up virtu- Roy set stripe of Didrik has been here before ally in rows. We dived the wreck the coal Diver inspects the forward gear of the Lita wreck and was once more my guide. D/S Pollux, which rests just off the We came down to the bottom lighthouse at a depth of 34m. descended with utmost caution back to the stern, Didrik and I close to the bow, which was fit- This vessel was built in 1883 in through the algae-laden water decided to call it quits, whereas ted with a strange arrangement Germany and owned by the column. I attempted to use my our Swedish friends seemed con- of tubes, the acoustic mine- Bergenske Dampskibsselskab 16mm superwide angle and keep tent on carry on. The spring bloom sweeping apparatus. The bow (shipping company) when my strobes close. but the lack of of planktonic algae, in which we section was resting almost upside it was lost on visibility restricted the outcome were so unfortunate to arrive, was down with the starboard stabiliz- November of my photographic efforts. After so intense in places that oxygen ing keel being on top. 22, 1900. a short swim to the midship and bubbles from their photosynthesis We slid along the hull on our The 1112

The Maraton in all her glory 38 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel Trondheim LEFT TO RIGHT: Girders of the Pollux wreck; Divers inspect the Treff; Doors open to the Treff

there was no more daylight, so Moi at Maltsekken I switched on the pilot lights on After a splendid lunch at both strobes. Stokksund, we went on the wreck We came down on an empty Moi at Maltsekken, only about lifeboat-davit, and the visibility 100m from where Treff went was just a paltry couple of meters. down. It was not easy to orient oneself, Moi was a 201ft long, 490 brt, so we went along the starboard steel-hulled vessel built in 1952 in side towards the bow quite cau- the Netherlands. She was under tiously. I took some pictures of the way to Knarrvik with a cargo of bridge with our Swedish friends dolomite from Hammerfall, when

from the cargo, which we fol- I saw several good subjects. Two lowed. The side of the wreck of the masts remained erect and stood straight up like a dark wall stood up 4-5m above the remain- nearby, and we got to the wreck der of the wreck. at the midship level. Once more, it was time to We followed its starboard return to the surface, and I made side and went around the stern. my way back to yet another Rudder and propeller were downline around midship. After gone—only the axle remained. the ritual three-minute safety stop, Remains Act, so it is not permitted Nessaskjæret (Nessa Shoal) The wreck was nicely covered by I was soon back on Moby Duck. to bring up any artefacts. about 15 minutes from Stokksund. Deadman’s Hand corals with a The Pollox wreck sits very nicely Close by, the shattered wreck This 204 brt vessel was originally sea lily taking centre stage. We on the bottom, and had we had of D/S Orkla rests at 6-20m. A built as a whaler and launched took a couple of shots before better visibility. It was obvious green buoy was attached to the under the name Treff in 1925. She moving on. that we could have taken many wreck when we arrived. This ves- was 110ft long and was used by Around the boiler the deck was fabulous pictures here. The wreck sel had a tonnage of 4230 brt the Norwegian Navy as a sentry gone, and on top of the engine, is now protected by the Historic and was 380 feet long. It was ship until the Germans seized her owned by a shipping compa- in 1940. They mounted an big ny from Kristiansund and was 76mm canon on the fore deck transporting iron ore when it and equipped it with sinking foundered in 1957. The dis- mines. tance between Orkla and Local belief has it that the posing. It was my intention to con- she ran aground on January 3, Pollux is less than 200 meters. Germans were drunk when they tinue to the bow to take some 1975, and went under. As the And less than half a mile fur- ran the ship aground on May 15, photos there, but at 40m, the expression goes, she sank like a ther out lies the wreck of M/S 1941, after which she slid off the bottom time runs out very fast. I stone. The shoal ends in a steep Maraton. shoal and sank to the bottom managed to squeeze off one shot drop-off, which the ship soon slid where she now rests at a depth of the skylight as I passed it on my down to come to rest at 25-35m. V-5706 Ostmark of 36-46m. In 1995, Navy divers way back to the downline. She is now marked with a buoy. Following a good nights removed sinking mines and 76mm Maximum depth for this dive The Swedes did their thing and sleep in Stokksund our next muntions from the wreck. was 40.8m, and total time, includ- went for the wreck as usual, while dive was on the wreck of The algae soup somewhat ing safety stop, was 19 minutes. I opted for photographing the a German sentry ship, the turned the descent to the wreck I had 100 bars left in my 15-liter marine life on the slope as the vis- V-5706 or Ostmark on the into a night dive. Halfway down, tank. ibility still left a lot to be desired.

The Pollux

39 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED wrecks in Narvik Trondheim ice diving in Arctic travel killer whales in Vestfjord

ing two different camera systems, picture. How diving in wrecks & nature in Gulen wrecks & nature in Strømsholmen one with a 16mm wide-angle lens cool is that? This corals in Trondheimsfjord and two 200-watt strobes, and dive was great another Nikon F-90x mounted fun. NORWAY king crabs in Jardfjord with a 105mm macro lens and Just below a maelstrom in Bodø two 50-watt Ikelite strobes. rockface at 25- ...with the Norway specialist trimix expeditions And what a dive we had! 30m, the current The visibility had improved dra- suddenly picked matically, and some very special up again. Here, fish appeared out of the dark: we found a www.xoholidays.com [email protected] Norway +47 21647845 UK +44 (0) 870 486 7580 Ratfish. Not just one, but several. population of They circled around me as my the magnificient strobes fired non-stop. orange sea fans, Paramuricea placomus, biodiversity and some of the best diving I usually lasts for 2-3 weeks. Unfortunately, The ratfish, or chimera, is a spe- and they were really impressive. These have experienced in Norway. it cannot be predicted accurately. This cial deep water fish related to the corals are unique for this location, in the The various wreck dives were also year, it started early due an increase in sharks with its mouth placed on Trondheim fjord, where they grow at great. In particular, I fancied the dive on the amount of sun. Usually, the visibility is the underside making it resemble shallower dephts than seen elsewhere. M-468. It had the drama and aura of war decent below the algae, and once you a rodent. The Ratfish lives off what Once more I started consuming film, but history. I was able to overview the ship, go down to 10, 15 or perhaps even 25m, it can find in the soft bottom—fish I struggled staying still in the current, and which was of a manageble size. All sec- it clears up. and crustaceans. In front of the I soon ran out of time. I ascended into tions of the vessel were clearly recogniz- Diving 2-3 times a day can be quite dorsal fin, it has a poisonous spike, shallower waters where I saw more ratfish able, not just a chaotic pile of iron junk, taxing, but when you are accommo- of which you need to be wary. Its and many species of sea cucumbers— which some of the shallower wrecks turn dated so well aboard such a nice boat, eyes are big and reflective—obvi- the common sea Cucumber, Stichopus into soon enough. which takes you effortlessly from site ously equipped with some sort of tremulus, the Orange-footed Cucumber, However, the visibility left a lot to be to site while you are being fed excel- light amplification mechanism— Cucumaria frondosa, and the ”scaly sea desired, but that was due to the season. lent meals, how can it be anything but Prehistoric face of the Ratfish and they are well adapted to sausage”, Psolus squamatus—as well as It is rarely good to go at the time we good? ■ seeing in the darkness that reigns big northern stone crabs, Lithodes maja, went, in May, when the plankton bloom There were a lot of nice ledges and in deeper water. cod and haddock. overhangs with a lot of small fishes, squat The fish were not afraid of us and I could even shoot my last frames dur- lobsters and a lot of crabs. There was came quite close, enabling me to get a ing my safety stop where I was accom- FRESHWATER AND MARINE IMAGE LIBRARY also a blanket of tunicates in the rocks. great portrait of one of them. I also man- panied by lots of hermit crabs performing Topknots and spider crabs were willingly aged to get two of them in the same their mating rituals. The marine life on this posing and helped me bring location was just amazing. home a couple of good Once back on the surface, we frames. found daybreak underway and went back across the fjord to Close encounter Trondheim. with the Ratfish We were now heading In conclusion back into the Trondheim The six Swedish divers and I fjord to make a night dive enjoyed a spectacular adven- at Hindrem—the very same ture in the Norwegian undersea place as our first dive. As world. I have almost 38 years of matters went, the night dive diving experience and have seen and day dive on the same a lot, but I have to say that espe- location turned out to be cially our last dive was so different very different experiences. from anything else I have seen It was 2:15am when we before in shipping lanes and open descended along the slope. ocean. This was fjord diving at its I was well equipped carry- best—exhibiting an astonishing Chimaera monstrosa The Chimera or Ratfish is found in deep water 40 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED KristiansandText by Arnold Weisz Translated by Peter Symes Southern idyl with an Italian twist Photos by Stein Johnsen

Facing the busy shipping at decent depths between 15 to 30m. significant depths. There were two bouys lanes of Skagerrak and being And the Italian presence here, however on the wreck. One is tied to the stern. unlikely, just ads to the equation. Carlos’ From a depth of about 15m, it was a communications link to the hearty laughter and his good command possible to get a decent overview of continent, Kristiansand, with of English, with the unmistaken Italian this impressive wreck even before we its rugged coastline, is a ship accent, guarantees a couple of very could grab onto the rail. Reaching graveyard peppered with entertaining days. The spirits aboard his a maximum depth of 33m, we had dive boats were always high, and that is ourselves a decent tour of the rear area exciting dive sites all of which the way a dive vacation should be. of this massive wreck. can be reached in less than Even though the steel plates have 20 minutes by boat. Advanced diving buckled where the ship broke its back We began with the biggest wreck and settling on the seabed in 1945, it is still Nothing beats local knowlegde. So, deepest dive—one of the best wreck in a fairly good condition. Big openings what options did we have other than dives I ever had in Norway. MV Seattle is make it possible to penetrate parts of to contact the Italian, Carlo Golfetto, not only in relative good shape, but it is the wreck without having to embark on who runs the dive operation, One also huge—a whopping 140m. The only advanced penetration projects. Ocean, in Korsvik Marina a little outside downside is that a big part of it lies quite Even divers who don’t call themselves the town of Kristiansand. The dive deep. die-hard wreck divers, yours truly center is perfectly located for diving We did one dive on the shallowest included, think this dive is magical. The the region’s most famous wreck the part starting at the stern, from 23m sheer size surely plays its part. Since the giant MV Seattle, which rests on a slope on downwards. This was already very wreck sits straight up, it is not an issue only 400m from the dive center. Other cool, but the remainder of the wreck navigating this one and find one’s way great wrecks are located very close beckoned me to venture further down back to the downline. by as well, within 10 minutes boat ride, along the sloping deck and quite

THIS PAGE: Divers explore the eerie architecture of the giant wreck, MV Seattle 41 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel Kristiansand

You like’a da pásta, eh? Two out of three parts of the wreck are begun beeping. Even with a maximum As we break the dead calm surface and almost flat but the visibility is really good, depth at this site of not more than 23m, poke our faces back up into the suns- and there is plenty of marine life in and we have now become saturated with hine, we are greeted by a wonderful around the wreck. Different species of nitrogen and are obliged to end our smell of food. Straight back to the dive the colourful wrasses dart in and out. dive despite having both appetite and boat it is, and getting out of the dive On the white sandy bottom, several flat- air for more. equipment can’t happen soon enough fish try out their camouflage and cover as Carlos has one of his lovely pasta themselves with sand when we shine our More rusty steel dishes ready and waiting— steamy hot torches at them. Some of the best dive sites in the regi- and yummy. A 40-minute dive laden In a shadowy cranny on the wreck a on are found just outside Kristiansand with excitement and experiences surely lumpsucker is guarding his nest of eggs. and on the outside of Topdalsfjorden. works up a solid appetite, and followed He doesn’t fancy disturbances, but his We did an impressive nature dive on by Carlos’ pasta with tomato sauce and curiosity seems to get the better of him, the southeastern side of Grønningen parmesan, diving and dining make for a and he ventures out to eyeball these Lighthouse. This dive site wasn’t exactly highly recommended and memorable bubbling intruders. He ends up posing pristine nature. We knew from the onset combination. I can think of worse ways willingly for the photographers. that we would see a lot of wreck diving of passing time while getting rid of some A little school of pollacks sails by but on a trip to Kristiansand, but the fact nitrogen. take off quickly once they establish that that we couldn’t escape finding some The boat is already slowly heading for we are not all that exciting after all. rusty steel on all of our dives is not exag- the next dive site. Hot coffee and tea is Our computers now urge us to move gerated. On the other hand, the pro- also served while we get under way and towards shallower water, so we venture lific fish life seemed to treasure all the our tanks exchanged for full ones. The up into the kelp belt. remains of the shipwrecks that lie strewn next dive site will be another wreck, the Here and there we see nudibranchs over vast areas on this region. Tom B. and crabs but, quite disappointingly, We call this site a nature dive now. CLICKWISE FROM BOTTOM LEFT: Italian as he is, Since the sea is dead calm and this not a single lobster regardless of the because the remaining debris cannot Captain Carlos prepares a delicious pasta din- wreck lies in a exposed location by the fact that the terrain offers lots of suitable be called shipwrecks anymore and are ner for the divers which is ready for them when open sea, it is a window of opportunity crevices and hideouts. in the process of becoming integrated the emerge from the wreck; Delicate soft coral not to be missed. Ooops... now the the computer has into the natural habitat. The varied topo- blooms on a branch of sea grass like a flower; Divers explore the wreck of the MV Seattle 42 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel Kristiansand

ABOVE: A cozy fire with a hot meal and hot coffee is just the thing between dives LEFT: Large red starfish can be found on the rocky landscape under Kristiansand

graphy in combination with all the hide- a splendid training ground and a good The king’s city outs created by the rusted twisted metal site for a dive outing. Kristiansand is Norway’s fifth largest city acts like a magnet for the local wildlife. The wrecks, which have not been with around 75,000 inhabitants. The city They might be of the free swimming sort, identified, lie in the harbour at Lund was founded in 1641 by the Danish- or crawl along the bottom. in Kristiansand. And if you haven’t got Norwegian king Christian IV. During the The bottom is quite varied and a lot enough of wrecks just yet, it is possible to summer, the city clearly comes to life. of the cliff walls carry unmistaken marks continue diving on several more just by ”Sun, summer and sørlandet” (which from the ice age. The glacier ice sco- swimming off the jetty outside the dive means ’Sun, summer and the county’) ured out fine arching furrows in the center. is a popular figure of speech around bedrock. It almost looks like it has been Just jump in and swim across the little these parts, and for many Norwegians, done by machinery. sound. This can even be done under Kristiansand is the town for summer. water since the depth is not more than Kristiansand can get The city wrecks 8-10m. Here, you will find the wreck of about 2000 hours of Surprisingly, one of the most positive an old fishing boat at a depth of about sunshine a year. wreck dive experiences we did was 10m. But there are so many others. You The boating sea- close to town. Initially, a quick glance can also find the remains of a German son is another popu- at the map had done little to convince war plane, a Dornier, and the mines- lar aspect of living us that it would be a good wreck dive. weeper M-426. here that most of the We envisioned bad visibility and plains of In between the dives, Carlos has Kristiansanders look bare mud, but Carlos insisted. several good sites where divers can go forward to during cold ”The city wrecks” as he called them, ashore and relax between dives. During and murky winters. The are actually a splendid place for begin- summer time, it is tempting to just have a city can boast about ners’ wreck dive training and penetra- siesta and tan in this archipelagian idyl. having the largest tion techniques. A maximum depth of In the cooler months, a campfire and marina in the country. 17m in combination with small and sizea- hot drinks is another way to have a cozy Close by, one can ble wrecks, four to be exact, makes for break. also find the new fish-

Delicate polyps spread out their arms to collect nutiients suspended in the current ABOVE: Great wrecks can be found right in the city of Kristiansand 43 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel Kristiansand

The One Ocean dive boat, ProDykk, loaded with eager divers heads to a local dive site. INSET RIGHT: Captain Carlos does air fills overnight so your tanks are ready the next day

www.becher.com

ing pier which is really worth a visit. a ladder. On the dive deck there are If you want to combine a family showers with hot and cold water so the vacation with diving, this is a very diving equipment can also be rinsed good place to go. The animal and after diving. With a top speed of 23 amusement park is the town’s number knots most dive sites in the archipelago one tourist magnet. Everyone knows is reached in less than 30 minutes. Tanks ”Kardemommeby” (Cinnamon town), can be refilled from a station 24 hours right? Not to mention, the city also a day. You pay with tokens bought in offers a wide range of cultural activies the dive shop during opening hours. including many museums. Courses offered is PADI Open Water and upwards in the PADI hiearchy. The dive center One Ocean has two types of acco- One Ocean is located in Korsvik modation on offer: Two condomimiums Marina, 8km east of Kristiansand. The view seaview located directly above dive center has a modern 35-foot dive the dive shop. These apartments come boat moored only 20m from the dive will all modern amenities, for up to eight center. One Ocean is open year round divers in each. The other option is the and offers boat trips seven days nearby Dvergnestangen Camping, only a week. In the summer there 500m from the dive center, which also is up to three daily sorties and offer condos and, obviously, camping. dependent on the arrangement For more information, contact One and destination you can have Ocean located at Strandåsen 22, one or two dives a trip. The boat 4638 Kristiansand, Norway. E-MAIL: has been purpose built for diving [email protected], website: in 1998 and is equipped with a www.oneocean.no. Tourist information 215 hp diesel. On the stern a big for Kristiansand can be obtained from diving platform is mounted with www.sorlandet.com. ■

Close-up of a colony of polyps ABOVE: Dramatic view of a city wreck growing in a formation Kristiansand is located on the south coast of Norway 44 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel Invasion of the Crabs King crabs invade Norwegian waters Text by Arnold Weisz Photos by Stein Johnsen

The Cold War has been over local marine life, as well as fish stocks for more than two decades, and bottom dwelling animals. These groups accuse the Norwegian gov- but a relentless red army of ernment of ignoring the possible con- monster crabs are still pour- sequences for the marine environ- ing over the border of Russia ment. into Norway. The crabs are Estimates say that the total number of crabs is around 15 million in the feared by environmentalists, Barents Sea. As these millions were but not by scuba divers.

First introduced to the Barents Sea off northern Russia in the 1960s, Red King crabs (Paralithodes camtschati- cus) are now spilling down western Norway by the millions. The first crab was spotted in Varangerfjorden in 1976. Since then, the crab has headed steadily west bound and is now Docile monsters beasts, I wasn’t too eager to get too found in large numbers west of the Diving with this monster close. After having caught my first North Cape. The King crab roaming crab is not nearly as fright- crab with my neoprene protected the sea floor of the Barents Sea is one ening as it seems. Although hands, much of the monster stories of five species in the same family. they can grow up to 180cm lost their sting. They are indeed beau- Three are native to Arctic waters, derived from only a few thousand (6ft) between the tips of their legs tiful crustaceans and will not run if and two have their home waters at the beginning, the species have and weigh up to 9-10 kilos (20-22lbs), you decide to have a closer look at along the California coast. The crab proven to be tough, prolific and the crab is a rather docile creature. them. was taken from the Kamtsjatka enduring. In the mid 90s there was The first time I saw them under water You don’t have to venture very Peninsula, on Russia’s Pacific coast a scientific catch of the crabs, but was in the Jarfjord, just a few kilome- deep to see the crabs. They have and introduced to the Barents Sea by only in small numbers. Commercial tres from the Norwegian-Russian bor- been found as deep as several hun- Soviet scientists to get a better supply crabbing was first started by both der. We were told by the local divers dred meters, but are very frequently of seafood for the people in this part the Norwegian’s and the Russian’s in that you can handle the crabs, but found in shallow coastal waters. You of the former Soviet Union. 2003. The crab is regarded as a deli- we were still a bit anxious when we will find the King crab year around, cacy and can fetch up to USD 65 per encountered them for the first time. but in the spring (March-May) they Alien creature kilo at fish markets in Oslo. It will be They are bottom feeders, so you usually can be found in large quan- As an introduced species, the crab very difficult to stop this “red army” will most likely observe them sifting tities at depths easily dived by is by many rated as an environmen- from marching on to battle fields through the sea bed searching for most, from 30 meters and up. We tal hazard. Even though there has further away just by fishing them, so everything from worms and molluscs also caught a few crabs to cook, been research done on the crab for it seems that we have to find other to sea urchins and sea stars. The King because they really are delicious. three decades, neither Russian or ways of controlling the population. crab is also known to add some veg- The taste and texture ranging some- Norwegian scientists can agree on For now, they have given the local etation to its diet and grazes on kelp where between lobster and shrimp. the future impact of the crab inva- fisheries another source of income, and seaweed. While frowned upon by many, for sion on the local marine life. WWF which by many is welcomed, as Or you can see them stride along Norwegian divers, this alien monster Norway and other environmental many costal fish stocks are heavily the sea bed, either single or in large of the deep is a delicacy and an groups have long raised their voices depleted. numbers. I must admit that the first exciting newcomer to their underwa- in concern for the impact on the time I saw a pile of 40-50 of these ter back yard. ■

45 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED WWW.CIA.GOV

factNorway file ANDREY BIZYUKIN, PHD MICHAEL SYMES PETER SYMES

History After two centuries of Viking raids Norway rejected joining the EU through a ref- MICHAEL ARVELUND, PHD SVETLANA MURASHKINA, PHD EDWIN MARCOW into the European continent, Christianity was erenda held in 1972 and 1994; Government: adopted by King Olav Tryggvason in the year constitutional monarchy 994. Over the next several decades, conver- market activity and government interven- sion of the Norwegian kingdom took place Geography Norway is located in northern tion. Key areas such as the vital petroleum until Norway was absorbed into a union with Europe and is bordered by Finland 727 km, sector are controlled by the government Denmark in 1397 that lasted for more than four Sweden 1,619 km and Russia 196 km. Two- through large-scale state enterprises. The

centuries. Sweden tried to cecede Norway in thirds of the country are covered by moun- country is richly endowed with natural LEIGH CUNNINGHAM MICHAEL AW GUNILD PAK SYMES 1814, but Norwegians resisted and adopted tains; Norway has one of most rugged and resources such as petroleum, hydropower, a new constitution. Sweden then invaded longest coastlines in world with some 50,000 fish, forests and minerals. With one-third Meet the people Norway, but finally agreed to let Norway keep islands off its fjord indented shoreline; It holds a of its exports being oil and gas, Norway is who bring you the stories its own constitution in exchange for accept- strategic location adjacent to sea lanes and highly dependent on its oil production and ing a union under a Swedish king. But rising air routes in North Atlantic; Terrain: Norway international oil prices. Only Saudi Arabia nationalism during the 19th century led to was shaped by glaciers which carved out fer- and Russia export more oil than Norway. a 1905 referendum, which won independ- tile valleys and fjords from high plateaus and While Norway opted to stay out of the ence for Norway. World War I saw heavy rugged mountains; Norway also has small, EU in1994, it still contributes a substantial losses for Norway in shipping, even though it scattered plains and arctic tundra in the north; amount to the EU budget. Privatization BUY ADS remained neutral. At the outset of World War Lowest point: Norwegian Sea 0 m; Highest has been encouraged by the government Support your magazine and get seen II, Norway proclaimed its neutrality again, point: Galdhopiggen 2,469 m; Coastline: and Norwegians worry about the day, but was nonetheless occupied for five years 25,148 km (includes mainland 2,650 km, as which will come in the next two decades, [email protected] by Nazi Germany (1940-1945). In 1949, neu- well as long fjords, numerous small islands, and when the oil and gas will start to run out; tel. 00 45 4695 0644 trality was finally abandoned when Norway minor indentations 22,498 km; length of island So, the country has been saving its oil- joined NATO. IN the 1960s, oil and gas were coastlines 58,133 km); Natural resources: petro- boosted budget surpluses in a Government discovered in adjacent waters, which boosted leum, natural gas, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, Petroleum Fund, which is invested abroad Norway’s economic fortunes. The country’s titanium, pyrites, nickel, fish, timber, hydropow- and now has now reached a valued of current focus remains on containing spend- er; Natural hazards: rockslides, avalanches; more than US$150 billion. The early part of ing on the extensive welfare system. Norway Environmental issues: water pollution; acid rain the new millenium saw lackluster growth continues to plan for the moment when petro- damaging forests and lakes and threatening of the country’s GDP, but growth picked up Web sites NONOY TAN YANN ST YVES JOHN COLLINS leum reserves become depleted. However, fish stocks; air pollution from vehicle emissions; by 2005. Industries: petroleum and gas, food Norway Tourism Capital: Oslo processing, shipbuilding, pulp and paper www.visitnorway.com products, metals, chemicals, timber, mining, Nordkapp Dykkesenter / North Cape Adventures Climate is temperate along the coast, textiles, fishing; Agriculture: barley, wheat, (47) 7847 2222 influenced by the North Atlantic Current; potatoes; pork, beef, veal, milk; fish www.nordkappopplevelser.no Norway has a colder interior with more pre- Lofoten Tourism cipitation and colder summers; the west coast Currency Norwegian Krone (NOK); www.lofoten-tourist.no

is rainy year-round Exchange rate: NOK per US dollar = 6.62; Aqualofoten MICHEL TAGLIATI DEB FUGITT DAN BEECHAM NOK per Euro = 7.97 www.aqualofoten.com Population 4,593,041 (July 2005 est.); Sørlandet Tourism Download Ethnic groups: Norwegian, Sami 20,000 Decompression Chamber www.sorlandet.com X-RAY MAG’s Haukeland Hospital One Ocean Economy A capitalist welfare state, Section for Hyperbaric Medicine www.oneocean.no MEDIA KIT Now! Norway has an economy that combines free N-5021 Haukeland, Norway, (47)55 97 39 75 SOURCE: www.cia.gov

SCOTT BENNETT SØREN RINKE KAI GARSEG 46 X-RAY MAG : 10 : 2006 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED