Wherever there are whales, watching them at work and play is a popular attraction, but one that usually involves a sometimes choppy boat trip. But on one remote Norwegian island there’s a plan to keep the whales and skip the boat.
A new attraction, a building whose curve is meant to suggest a whale, will open in 2022, with cafes and exhibits inside and a viewing deck on the stone-paved roof. It’s expected to add to the annual 50,000 visitors the island, 300 km north of the Arctic Circle, sees annually.
The waters off the northwestern shore of Andøya are a thousand meters deep and well-stocked with squid, a favorite food for sperm whales. That’s already made Andenes, on the island, a popular spot for watchers. Because the whales come in so close to shore to feed, planners believe, many visitors will prefer it to the boats.
Sounds good – but I suppose you still have to brave the choppy waters to get to the island in the first place.