The Otter

It’s early morning, 6 o’clock, mid of June, the sun is shining bright in the blue sky. Ole starts the engine of his boat, we are moving slowly out of the harbour with the opportunity to take photos in backlight situations of eagles and gulls. That’s the idea.

Suddenly he stops the motor before the bridge of Lauvsnes – OTTER: he is whispering.

Everyone stops the moving in the boat and looks into the direction, Ole pointed out. Beside the pylon of the bridge in the dark water, the head of an otter is visible for one, two seconds. Then he dives – nothing to see. We are sitting in the boat, quietly, observing the area meter by meter – then again Ole is whispers: OTTER!: At the bank between rough stones.

The otter’s head is looking curious at 40 meters distance between the stones to our boat. Ole starts the engine for two, three seconds, smoothly we are approach the bank – he stops the motor and we are drifting slowly between the pylons of the bridge directly to the place where the otter is…. 30 meters, 25 meters, 20 meters, 15 meters, 10 meters… the otter is observing us permanently, he moves slowly and curious between the stones in the bright sun and looks always to us… one, two, three minutes, it seems never-ending, the camera with the 300 mm lens is clicking, it seems that this noise is not interesting for the otter - then it’s enough for him, he takes a half fish out of his hide and disappears slowly between the stones into the dark water for a undisturbed otter breakfast.

A unique experience! Awesome!! These are challenges which happens only one in life. That’s Norway-nature from Ole.

Thanks for that and for many other photographic adventures, like the eagle owls, Ole!! See you next year for more.

Cheers,

Peer von Wahl, Germany