Picture Gallery

Den sjelden salpen Helicosalpa virgula er funnet i Norge. Den er så sjelden at selv forskere har sett få av dem i live.

The rare salp, Helicosalpa, has now been recorded north
to Norway. They are so rare that even researchers have only
seen a few of them alive. We have now published a scientific
article on the topic.

Only three species is known: Helicosalpa virgula, H. komaii and
H. younti. All three have been observed in the Pacific Ocean, but
in the Atlantic Ocean only H. virgula has been observed. .

We are looking for tissue samples, through citizen science:
1) If you see one, please take a picture of it.
2) Cut out a tissue sample (golf ball size), and put it in a clean
plastic bag in your home freezer.
3) Contact us.

Oseanografisk Museum i Monaco.

Oceanographic Museum of Monaco is a museum of marine sciences, and was inaugurated in 1910 by Prince Albert 1. The Prince was very interested in oceanography and made several cruises in the Mediterranean Sea but also to e.g. the Azores and Svalbard. The museum is built on a steep cliff, and just the architecture is worth a trip to the Principality of Monaco, the second-smallest country in the world. The famous Jacques-Yves Cousteau, also a diving pioneer, was a curator at the museum for many years (photo credit: HR/ Sea Snack Norway).

Dette er eggmassen til blekksprut, og er funnet i Nord-Øst Atlanteren. De er omtrent en meter i diameter og mange har en mørk strek i midten. Vi har mottatt over 100 observasjoner av slike geleballer.

These rare, huge gelatinous spheres have been recorded from the North East Atlantic Ocean, and are attributed to squid egg mass. They are about 1 meter in diameter, and many of them have a dark streak through the center. We are investigating these spheres, and have received around 100 observations, mostly from divers.

Recently tissue samples of four speres from Norwegian waters were DNA tested, showing they are made by Illex coindetii, or "southern shortfin squid" (In Norw., sørlig kortfinnet 10-armet blekksprut). The species was described by Vérany in 1839, so it took 180 years before their egg mass was identified.

Kajakktur til Nærøyfjorden i Gudvangen.
Kayak trip on the Nærøyfjord, Gudvangen, Norway.

Water. The element that won’t be denied.
Sweeping majestically across two thirds of our world.
Studding the surface in a swirling pattern of lakes, rivers, seas, and oceans.
Deeply moving and mysterious.
A vast fluid theatre challenging the adventurer within us.
It’s yours to accept. Don’t disappoint it.

Give it your respect and enjoy the experience.

See you out there !
- By Dan Trotter