Computed at sea level; mountains shorten the visible sun.
The sun does not rise in Tromsø from 28 November 2027 to 14 January 2028 (computed at sea level).
69°39′N 018°57′E · TROMSØ · NOVEMBER 2027–MARCH 2028 · PROVISIONAL
Northern lights & whales under sail from Tromsø, winter 2027–28
The dark season, under the auroral oval, when the herring come in.
Figure: hours of sun in Tromsø through winter 2027–28, computed at sea level with the NOAA solar equations.
- Season
- November 2027–March 2028 · provisional
- Length
- 5–7 days · provisional
- Joins
- Tromsø, round trip
- Guests
- Up to 8
- Language
- Crew speak English & Spanish
- Dark sky
- 16.2 h on 21 Dec 2027
- No payment on this site
- Aurora and whales are likely in season, never guaranteed
Winter voyages sail from Tromsø, our home port, into the fjords and islands of Northern Norway, usually 20–40 nm a day in sheltered water. From late November 2027 to mid-January 2028 the sun never rises over Tromsø: midday is a few hours of blue twilight, and the nights are long enough for aurora. Tromsø sits under the auroral oval. Clear skies decide, and we move the boat to find them. From November to January, orcas and humpbacks follow the herring into the fjords north of Tromsø, and in whale season we plan the route around where the herring are that winter. Aurora and whales are likely in season, never guaranteed.
For 48 days, 28 November 2027 – 14 January 2028, the sun stays below Tromsø's sea-level horizon.
AI-generated film · aurora over an Arctic fjord
AI-generated film · humpback whale under the aurora, near Tromsø
AI-generated film · polar night over an Arctic fjord
AI-generated films. The aurora depends on the sky and the sun's activity, and whales on where the herring are, so they are never guaranteed. With whales we keep Norway's whale-safari rules: slow, quiet, parallel, never in the water with them.
The route
- Planned route
| Leg | nm | km | Waters | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tromsø to Skjervøy89 km · Northern Norway | 48 nm | 89 km | Northern Norway |
Great-circle distances between harbours; the sailed track is longer and weather-routed.
Stop by stop, with running totals
Tromsøhome port
Leg: 48 nm
Skjervøy
total 48 nm
Whales, when the herring are in
Orcas and humpbacks follow the herring into the fjords north of Tromsø, usually from November to January. The herring move from year to year: in December 2025 scientists found them in Kvænangen, Altafjorden and Sørøysundet. Whales are likely in season, never guaranteed.
We follow Norway's whale-safari rules: slow, quiet, parallel to the whales, and never in the water with them.
A sample plan
Example, not a schedule — weather and clear skies decide.
| D1 | Tromsø | Board in the afternoon, cabins, cold-weather safety briefing. After dark, a first aurora watch if the sky is clear. |
|---|---|---|
| D2 | Grøtsundet | North in sheltered water, usually 20–40 nm a day. Midday is blue twilight in December, real daylight again by February. |
| D3 | Skjervøy and Kvænangen | About 55–70 nm from Tromsø by sea, where the whales have mostly been in recent winters. In season we watch from the deck, slow and quiet; at night, deck watches for aurora. |
| D4 | Lyngen Alps | About 60 nm from Tromsø: mountains straight out of the sea. |
| D5 | Wherever the sky is clearest | We move the boat on the cloud forecast: clear skies decide, not the plan. |
| D6 | Tromsø | Disembark in the morning. |
The light
From late November 2027 to mid-January 2028 there is no sunrise in Tromsø, only a few hours of blue twilight around noon; by March 2028 the days are long again.
Show the numbers
| Month | Daylight | Twilight | Dark sky, sun below −12° |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Nov 2027 | 4.1 h | 5.8 h | 14.1 h |
| 15 Dec 2027 | 0.0 h | 7.9 h | 16.1 h |
| 15 Jan 2028 | 0.4 h | 8.4 h | 15.2 h |
| 15 Feb 2028 | 7.4 h | 4.6 h | 12.0 h |
| 15 Mar 2028 | 11.7 h | 4.4 h | 7.9 h |
- Early winter · Nov 2027–Jan 2028 Polar night in Tromsø: 4.4 h of civil twilight around noon on 21 December 2027, and long nights for aurora.
- Late winter · Feb–Mar 2028 The light returns: 5.1 h of daylight in Tromsø on 1 February 2028 and 11.7 h by 15 March 2028. The Lyngen Alps are about 60 nm away.
- Tromsø · January average Coastal Tromsø is milder than you think: around −3 °C in January, with the sea at about 4–5 °C.
Computed at sea level for 2027–28 with the NOAA solar equations (sun's centre at −0.833°); mountains shorten the visible sun by days.
Tonight's aurora forecast for TromsøMidnight sun calculator: any place, any date
What's included
Included05
- Your berth aboard
- All meals aboard
- Sailing instruction and a place in the watch system
- Safety equipment and briefings
- Sea time logged and signed by the skipper in your own logbook
Not included04
- Flights to and from the joining port
- Travel insurance with sailing and medical-evacuation cover (required)
- Hotels and meals ashore
- Personal clothing and kit (the list is in the dossier)
Final list in the dossier; any change is confirmed in writing before you commit.
Rules and safety
Norway in winter
Visit Tromsø, the regional tourist board · Norway: whale-safari regulation
- §1
Aurora
Aurora and clear skies are forecast, never promised. The region's tourist board puts it plainly: a clear sky decides, and there are never guarantees.
Source: visittromso.no · northern lights - §2
Whales
Norway's whale-safari regulation forbids disturbing whales, and boats keep at least 0.2 nm (370 m) from fishing vessels and their gear. Tromsø's guidelines add: under 5 knots within 300 m, approach in parallel (never head-on or from behind), and engine off or in neutral when whales come close. Nobody goes in the water with the whales.
Source: lovdata.no · FOR-2019-12-05-1651
Who it suits
Beginners welcome.
You'll be on deck in the cold and dark; the kit list is in the dossier.
Minimum age: in the dossier
Up to 8 guests.
Crew speak English and Spanish.
The boat
- Type
- Aluminium sailing yacht, built by CNB
- Length
- 23.5 m / 77 ft
- Sail number
- USA 42
- Guests
- Up to 8
- Ice protection
- Double hull, ice-plated bow and protected propeller
Crew questions.
Will I see the northern lights?
Tromsø sits under the auroral oval, and on 21 December 2027 the sky is dark for 16.2 h. But aurora needs activity and a clear sky. We move the boat on the cloud forecast; the aurora itself is never guaranteed.
When are the winter voyages?
From Tromsø, November 2027 to March 2028, with provisional dates.
Is it dark all day?
The sun doesn't rise from 28 November 2027 to 14 January 2028, but around noon there are a few hours of blue twilight (4.4 h on 21 December 2027). Computed at sea level; mountains shorten the visible sun.
Will we see whales?
Likely in season, never guaranteed. From November to January orcas and humpbacks follow the herring into the fjords north of Tromsø; the herring move every year (in December 2025 they were in Kvænangen, Altafjorden and Sørøysundet), so we plan the route around them. We follow Norway's whale-safari rules: slow, quiet, parallel to the whales, and never in the water with them.
How cold is it?
Around −3 °C in January on the coast, with the sea at about 4–5 °C. Wind makes it feel colder; the kit list is in the dossier.
