Thermal shock experiment: part 2

I landed in Bodø around 4 pm, and the sky was already dark. I had

Cormorants in Lofoten

 crossed that great threshold, the Arctic circle. Making my way to the hotel, I remarked to myself how much Bodø resembled other Norwegian cities, with shops and white wooden houses lining the waterfront. I felt at home.

Friends, I am participating in a workshop titled Arctic Frontiers: Emerging Leaders. It's designed to introduce early-career professionals with connections to the Arctic to some of the multi-sector issues in this region. There are participants from business, industry, government, humanities, and science.

To be honest, one of the most valuable aspects of the workshop for me is speaking to the other participants. In our group are two politicians who work to build up infrastructure and public services in high-north communities. There is a social scientist studying how people view the Arctic, a program manager for an oil company, and two participants from indigenous Arctic nations. Each of these people view the Arctic completely differently from me, and it has been so valuable to hear their perspectives. We are an eclectic but insightful mix.

Fishing with a view

Our journey took us from Bodø to Lofoten, a series of islands on the western coast of Norway with some of the richest cod fishing grounds in the world. We road Hurtigruten, the famous Norwegian coastal steamer, and along the way, we talked about fishing, aquaculture, and the economic needs of northern communities. We also went fishing ourselves in Lofoten to make the experience more grounded.

I had never been to Lofoten before, and I must say, it is gorgeous. Lofoten is similar to my home in Cape Cod in that both areas are overrun by tourists in the summer. Now that it is winter, the towns are quiet, leaving us to experience nature undistributed. In the dim blue light of the afternoon, I was grateful for the mountains around me.

There's more to come as we continue to head north. Stay tuned.