Apneists UK Norway Arctic circle Orca Freediving Trip 2025
November 2025 marked a new achievement for Apneists UK: freediving in some of the most extreme conditions on the planet – in Skjervøy, a remote island above the arctic circle. In a trip unlike any other, we came face to face with the ocean’s unrivalled apex predator, the orca, alongside humpbacks and the elusive fin whale, in one of the harshest but most beautiful settings the planet has to offer. The learning curves were steep, but boy, I can’t wait to get back out there (more to follow on this).
If you’re interested in a freediving trip that is far from the norm and will challenge you like no other, keep reading to find out what we got up to.
Day one and two: Tromsø
In order to get close enough to the orcas, we had to head north – really north. We flew into Tromsø with just under 24 hours to spare before we had to leave for Skjervøy. This turned out to be a wonderful stop before we headed for the ocean, allowing us to soak in northern Norway’s beauty and adjust to the climate.
We spent our first evening exploring the town, sampling local delicacies (I opted for reindeer over whale, for obvious reasons) and trying not to break any bones skidding on iced-over footpaths. We then spent the next day on a road trip out into the mountains for a day of dogsledding which we thoroughly enjoyed. It was a chilly minus 22 degrees – a little taster of what was to come out on the water.
Once we’d finished up, it was time to pick up our car and embark on our 3-hour road trip to Skjervøy. On the way up, we were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights – something we hadn’t been expecting as the forecast for the weekend looked to be overcast most nights. It really is just as beautiful as they say it is, even reducing one of the group to tears (and no, it wasn’t just because of the cold!).
Day three: Skjervøy and our first orcas
After a much-needed rest, we were up and ready to receive our briefing before getting out on to the water. This is what we had all been waiting for – the group was a mix of excitement, nerves and anticipation. After an excitable rush to get ready (cue some of us falling over trying to get into 7mm wetsuits while others were humbled by the experience of getting into a dry suit for the first time), we were ready.
Against the backdrop of the Norwegian snow-covered mountains bathed in the pink glow of the weak sunlight, the steel blue waters of the Fjords beckoned us. We eagerly climbed aboard the speedboat, ready to catch our first glimpse of an orca. It wasn’t long until we stumbled upon a pod and readied ourselves to plunge in.
The water temperature was around 6-8 degrees celsius. One thing I can tell you for certain is that open water training in the UK is an absolute must to prepare for these kinds of temperatures, particularly exposure to cold water. We also quickly learned that the challenge wasn’t just the water temperature, but also the air temperature when we got back out. The air temperature hung at a crisp -5, with the wind chill making it feel as low as -25. We learnt the value of a dry robe and face bluff very, very quickly – and I can tell you for certain that some of the club will be asking Santa for properly waterproof gloves this year.
After getting back to shore and enjoying the warmth spreading back to our toes, we explored the town of Skjervøy and sampled some local delicacies. The first day ended on a high, although the whales were less interested in us than we had hoped. That’s nature for you, the encounter always has to be on the animal’s terms. Luckily, we didn’t know it yet, but day four was to be the best of them all.
Day four: whale bonanza
Waking up for our final day in Skjervøy and a determination to make the most of it, we geared up again, this time with some of us opting for drysuits to give them a go. We again boarded the boat with excitement and nerves, unaware of the bounty we were about to sail straight into. We’d barely been out the harbour for ten minutes before we came upon a pod of orcas herding herring into a bait ball. Complete with diving gulls, it really was a feeding frenzy. We were in a frenzy ourselves, clambering to get into position to jump in.
Once the action had passed, we got back on board to look for our next group of whales. We were lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the elusive fin whale from the surface – the second largest animal in the sea, and an incredibly fast animal at that. Our captain led us to a sheltered part of the fjord where the water was calm, and we were rewarded by another pod of hunting orcas. This time though, we were graced by a very curious humpback that came within metres of us, much to our delight.
Our last thoughts:
Completely elated, we returned back to shore for a quick turnaround to get us back to Tromsø for our flight home. Before we’d even left Skjervøy, I’d already taken down bookings for next year. This was a very special trip and although there was less freediving than we would usually do, I can’t recommend it enough. I’ll be heading back out in January 2026 (fully booked) and November 2026 (dates to follow). Get in touch if you have questions or are interested in joining us on a trip.
