Tony Butler Gallery

Trollfjord, Lofoten Islands, Norway

MS Finnmarken in Trillfjord

The Trollfjord stretches almost north to south between islands in the Lofoten archipelago off the northern coast of Norway.  We were on a Hurtigruten coastal cruise between Bergen and Kirkenes in the north, close to the border with Russia.  On the southbound journey, we transferred to a small boat alongside the MS Finnmarken.  The boat MS Orca, was from Lofoten Charterbat,  a family company from the town of Svolvær.  We  made our way down the fjord searching for white tailed eagles.  Almost immediately we were joined by a flock of herring and black backed gulls that were fed by the boatman.  Within minutes the first white tailed eagle appeared and a fish was thrown over the side.  With the engine stopped the boat drifted and we waited for the eagle to swoop in and take the fish.  The eagle was not always successful and this underlines the skill required to take fish, even dead ones, from the water.  In all we saw possibly 5 or 6 different eagles, the majority were immatures birds.  It take five years to reach maturity.