PADDLER 106
PADDLER 106
The island is the fourth largest in Norway , with about 1100 inhabitants . About 1000 live in the western part , and fewer than 100 live in the eastern part , and the two are not connected by any roads . Hasvik is the largest town , with an airport and ferry terminal . As with most coastal societies , the fishing industry is the largest employer . I enjoyed guiding and coaching on this island in 2018 and 2019 . During that , I got to explore the Western part of the island . With the village of Sørvær as a base camp , we had an excellent starting point for visiting nature reserves and the exposed waters on the west coast .
ANDOTTEN NATURE RESERVE
From the village of Sørvær , the Andotten nature reserve lies an hour ’ s paddle away . The reserve has a huge colony of Kittiwakes , and there are large numbers of cormorants , black guillemots and sea eagles . The nature reserve is located on a sea cliff , sometimes referred to as little Nordkapp due to its similar shape .
For sea kayakers , there are several exciting features to explore at this nature reserve . There are several large and small caves to explore , and these caves often inhabit birds , adding to the immersive experience with sound and smell .
The sea eagle population has recently increased here , while the kittiwake population has decreased . While there , we could see the eagles scaring hundreds of kittiwakes as they flew along the side of the cliff . There is a constant swirl and movement above , with thousands of birds flying around .