The trip by boat from Tromsø to East Greenland lasts 3 days, and the mallemuks have followed us all the way. They are fascinating birds. They don’t seem to spend much energy following us, it’s rare to see them flap their wings. Often they fly quite close to the surface of the water, and when the waves are high, they move along as if they were flying in a hilly landscape. I strongly suspect they are having fun.
I took the picture “Havblik” late in the evening when the sun is completely low and the water has calmed down. As usual, there are some catfish that brush past the boat, something could fall off. Suddenly I discover that the birds are reflected in the calm water. I look back – there are 4 more – the camera is ready. They move quickly, and I can hardly see the first one in the viewfinder. I catch the next one, but find that the camera’s autofocus doesn’t work – it can’t focus on the uniform water surface, and the bird is difficult to keep in focus. I quickly switch off the autofocus and focus manually – and it works. I catch the next 2 birds. Soon after a light breeze comes and ripples the water – it’s all over – but I have my picture.
