Guide · Sperm whales

Sperm whale watching at Andenes, Norway, over the Bleik Canyon

A deep canyon cuts in towards the outer coast of Andøya, and the largest toothed whales on Earth hunt in it. Here is what makes sperm whale watching at Andenes, Norway, and next door in Bleik, so different from anywhere else on the coast.

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Editorial team, bleikwhalewatching.comUpdated October 20, 2026Read time: 7 min44 sources

Bookable here: the tour Bleik speedboat whale watching with puffins 4.7 (400 reviews) 3.5 hoursMax. 12 guests on the RIBFlotation suit, tea, coffee and muffins from$201per person Check availabilityFree to cancel until 24 hrs ahead

Quick answer

01The canyon: Bleiksdjupet lies about 20 km northwest of Bleik and is close to 1,000 m deep.¹
02The whales: Every sperm whale reaching the Norwegian coast is a mature male.²
03All year: Visit Vesterålen calls the sperm whale a permanent resident of Bleiksdjupet.³
04Summer trips: Whale safaris leave Andenes and Stø from May to September.⁴
05From Bleik: A 3.5-hour RIB trip from Bleik Marina, from $201.

A canyon that runs up to the coast

Off the outer side of Andøya the seabed does something unusual. Store norske leksikon places Bleiksdjupet, the deepest submarine canyon in Europe, about 20 km northwest of Bleik and gives it a depth of nearly 1,000 m.¹ At its inner end, the Hestdjupet trench, the continental shelf is narrower than anywhere else along the Norwegian coast and drops away to more than 1,000 m.⁵

That geography is the whole story of whale watching here. The same encyclopaedia names the waters off Andøya as the heart of whale safari tourism in Northern Norway, because the shelf edge sits so near land that the ride out to feeding sperm whales stays short.⁶ Elsewhere you would sail for hours to reach water this deep. Here the deep ocean is almost on the doorstep of the beach.

Bleik sits right on that doorstep. The speedboat trip this site recommends leaves from Bleik Marina, a 10-minute drive from Andenes, and heads out over the canyon in a RIB with no more than 12 guests. Visit Vesterålen says the summer whale safaris from the region head for Bleiksegga, where the sperm whale is the main species.⁴

One dive cycle

What you watch between two dives

Surfacing

A blow on the horizon

The spout leans forward at about 45 degrees, which marks the species from afar.⁷
At the surface

Breathing and resting

Sperm whales lie at the surface for a long time after each dive.⁸
Before the dive

Back arches, tail up

The flukes rise clear of the water just before the whale goes down.⁹
Down below

Hunting squid

Feeding dives average about 600 metres and often last around 45 minutes.¹⁰
Long dives

Deeper still

Dives of up to 90 minutes are not unusual.¹¹

Who comes here: lone males from the south

The sperm whales you meet off Andøya are a select group. According to Tore Haug of the Institute of Marine Research, writing in Store norske leksikon, every animal that reaches the Norwegian coast is a sexually mature male that did not find a place among the females.² Females and young whales stay in tropical and subtropical seas between roughly 40 degrees north and 40 degrees south, while grown males roam to high latitudes.¹²

These bachelors are big. A male can reach 18 metres and weigh 45 to 50 tonnes, while females seldom pass 12 metres.¹³ The Institute of Marine Research puts the stock in the Norwegian Sea at a little over 6,000 animals.¹⁴ Seen from a small boat, the long, wrinkled back rolling at the surface looks more like a drifting log than an animal, until the blow appears.

They are not passing through for a week. Visit Vesterålen describes the sperm whale as a permanent resident that spends the whole year in the deep channels of Bleiksdjupet off Andenes.³ That is a different pattern from the orcas and humpbacks of the winter fjords further north, which follow the herring and come and go with it.

Size check

Maximum length of the whales seen off Andøya

Upper lengths from the Institute of Marine Research and Store norske leksikon.¹⁵ ¹³ ¹⁶ ¹⁷ ¹⁸ ¹⁹ ²⁰

Field guide

The species named on the Bleik listing

Species	Size	In Norwegian waters
Sperm whale	males to 18 m	males only, all year in the canyon
Long-finned pilot whale	males 5 to 6 m	mainly in summer
Orca	males about 9 m	large gatherings in Troms from November to February
Minke whale	up to 9 m	dives of up to about 5 minutes
Fin whale	up to 22 m	tied to the shelf edge
Risso's dolphin	3.6 to 4 m	seen only now and then

Sizes and seasons from the Institute of Marine Research, Store norske leksikon and Visit Vesterålen.¹³ ³ ¹⁹ ²¹ ²² ²³ ¹⁵ ²⁴ ²⁵ ²⁰

Three ways to meet them

Sperm whale trips around the canyon

Speedboat

Bleik speedboat

RIB from Bleik Marina

Group: max. 12 guests
Duration: 3.5 hrs
Suit: flotation suit lent

See the trip

Andenes: Responsible Whale Watching with Classic Catamaran

Whale Pass

Andenes catamaran

From Andenes harbour

Duration: 4 hrs
On board: heated indoor seating
No whales: free rebooking

See the trip

Exhibition entry

Andenes with exhibition

M/S Reine and whale centre

Duration: 4 hrs
Check-in: 45 min before
Extra: whale exhibition

See the trip

Before a deep dive, sperm whales arch their backs and raise their tails out of the water so that their flukes are visible.

NAMMCO (North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission)Source 9

The rhythm of a dive

Sperm whale watching has its own clock. A feeding dive averages about 600 metres down and often lasts around 45 minutes.¹⁰ The animals can probably reach 3,000 metres, and dives of up to 90 minutes are not rare.¹¹ NAMMCO counts them among the deepest divers in the animal kingdom, hunting at 1,000 m or more as a matter of routine.²⁶

Between dives the whale rests at the surface to breathe, and it stays there a long time, which is exactly why the species suits a whale safari so well.⁸ Watch for the blow first. The blowhole sits at the front left of the head, so the spout slants forward at about 45 degrees instead of rising straight up.⁷ Your guide will often read the angle before you see the body.

Then comes the moment everyone waits for. Just before diving again, the whale arches its back and lifts its tail clear of the water, showing the flukes.⁹ After that the sea goes quiet, and the boat moves on to look for another animal that has just come up. Patience is part of the trip: the next surfacing is a matter of minutes for one whale and much longer for another.

Map

Bleik, the canyon coast and the way to Andøya

The village and its bird island, the town at the tip of Andøya, the roads and ferries in, and the winter whale coast further north.

Map of northern Andøya with Bleik, the island of Bleiksøya, Andenes and Andøya airport — Bleik and Andenes

Map of Vesterålen and Lofoten with Bleik, Andenes, Gryllefjord on Senja, Sortland, Svolvær and Evenes airport — Vesterålen and the routes in

Map of Northern Norway from Svolvær and Andenes north-east to Tromsø and Skjervøy — Northern Norway's whale coasts

1
Bleik
A fishing village on the north-west side of Andøya; the speedboat trip this site recommends leaves from Bleik Marina, a 10-minute drive from Andenes.²⁷
In Google Maps ↗
2
Andenes
The administrative centre of Andøy at the island's northern tip, and the harbour of the Andenes whale boats.²⁸
In Google Maps ↗
3
Bleiksøya
The bird cliff off Bleik, a nature reserve where going ashore is banned from 15 April to 31 July.²⁹ ³⁰
In Google Maps ↗
4
Andøya Airport
About one kilometre from Andenes; Avinor lists Widerøe as its only airline.³¹ ³²
In Google Maps ↗
5
Gryllefjord
The Senja end of the summer ferry to Andenes; the 2026 sailing season runs until 27 September.³³ ³⁴
In Google Maps ↗
6
Sortland
Starting point of a guided drive along the Andøya Scenic Route that can call at Bleik.
In Google Maps ↗
7
Svolvær
Start of a 14-hour coach day trip to whale watching in Andenes, with a photo stop in Bleik.
In Google Maps ↗
8
Evenes Airport
Harstad/Narvik airport, where Avinor lists 5 airlines.³⁵
In Google Maps ↗
9
Tromsø
Winter whale trips head north from here towards Skjervøy and Kvænangen.³⁶
10
Skjervøy
Since 2017 orcas and humpbacks have gathered in the Kvænangen area, including the fjords around Skjervøy, to feed on herring.³⁷

Open the map in Google Maps

Price check

Price a sperm whale trip for your group

Pick a trip and the number of people.

Bleik speedboatMax. 12 guestsfrom $201 Andenes catamaranWhale Passfrom $174 Andenes with exhibitionWhale centre entryfrom $179

People 2

Total from$402

per participant from $201

Check availabilityfree cancellation

Each total starts from the lowest GetYourGuide price of that trip and is shown in the currency you pick, using the European Central Bank rate; the booking page has the final sum.

Video

A day on the water with a whale guide in Vesterålen

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What a sperm whale hunts in the dark

Down in the canyon the whales are after squid. Squid of every size are the favourite food, and in Norwegian waters they also take fish such as redfish and lumpsucker.³⁸ All of that happens far below the light, so what you see from the boat is only the pause between meals.

Their speed tells you something too. Sperm whales live for at least 50 years and are slow swimmers, probably unable to go faster than 7 to 8 knots.³⁹ A RIB can keep a respectful distance and still follow a resting whale at the surface without any chase.

History gives the encounter some weight. NAMMCO notes that the species was once hunted hard for its spermaceti oil and is now a common sight for whale watchers, naming Vesterålen as one of the places to see it.⁴⁰ Few animals have gone from target to tourist attraction so completely, and the guides on these trips like to tell that story while the boat drifts and waits.

Other whales and dolphins on a canyon trip

The sperm whale is the reason for the trip, but not the only animal on the list. The Bleik listing names pilot whales, orcas and minke whales, with Risso's dolphins and fin whales on occasion, and puffins, eagles, gannets and harbor seals on the way. What turns up on a given day is up to the sea.

Long-finned pilot whales are mostly a summer animal in Norwegian waters, found from western Norway right up to the southern edge of Svalbard.²¹ Fin whales, the second-largest of all, are especially linked to the shelf edge from Northern Norway to Spitsbergen, the very edge that runs close to Andøya.²⁴ Risso's dolphins appear only now and then along this coast.²⁵

A pod of pilot whales can be the highlight of a whole trip: they travel in groups, surface often and are easy to follow. Orcas are a matter of luck in summer. Treat any of them as a bonus and the sperm whale as the steady attraction of the canyon, and you will judge the day fairly whatever swims past.

A protected sea and the rules on the water

The canyon now sits inside a large protected area. The Norwegian government has created the Andfjorden marine protected area, which stretches from the coast out to the open ocean where Bleiksdjupet passes 1,000 metres.⁴¹ At 1,848.5 km2 it is the largest marine protected area Norway has created so far.⁴²

Whale safaris also have their own regulation. Norwegian law forbids running a whale safari in any way that contributes to disturbing the whales in their natural habitat.⁴³ Visit Tromsø adds guidelines for its own region further north, such as slowing to under 5 knots within 300 m of a whale and approaching from the side and slightly behind.⁴⁴

For you on the boat, that means the skipper decides how close to go and for how long. A good crew explains what it is doing and why, and keeping its distance is worth more than a few extra metres of view. A whale that is left undisturbed tends to stay at the surface longer, and a calm approach usually gives the best views.

How to see a sperm whale from Bleik

Timing matters more than anything else. Visit Vesterålen gives May to September as the summer whale safari season from Andenes and Stø.⁴ The Bleik listing itself calls its trip summer whale watching and shows the exact dates in its booking calendar; it lists departures at 10:00 and 21:00 from Bleik Marina.

The trip takes 3.5 hours including time to change into the warm flotation suits on shore and a cup of tea or coffee afterwards. It costs from $201, with free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead. Keep a camera with a fast shutter ready from the moment the guide points out a blow, because the fluke shot comes only once per dive.

No trip can promise a whale, and this one does not either: its own inclusion line speaks of high chances to see whales, puffins and more wildlife. Wind and swell decide how far out a small boat can go. If the sea is rough on your first day, a second date later in your stay is the most reliable way to improve your odds.

Pick your date

A seat on the speedboat to the canyon

Max. 12 guests, a warm suit, a guide on board, and free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead.

Check datesfrom $201 · free cancellation possible 4.7 · 400 checked reviews

You ask,we answer.

Why are there sperm whales so close to Andøya?

The deep canyon reaches in towards land. At Hestdjupet the shelf is narrower than anywhere else on the Norwegian coast and falls away beyond 1,000 m.⁵

Are the sperm whales off Andenes males or females?

Males only. The animals that reach the Norwegian coast are sexually mature males; females stay between about 40 degrees north and 40 degrees south.² ¹²

How long does a sperm whale stay under water?

Often around 45 minutes. Feeding dives average about 600 metres, and dives of up to 90 minutes are not unusual.¹⁰ ¹¹

How big is a sperm whale?

A male can reach 18 metres. Males weigh 45 to 50 tonnes; females rarely grow beyond 12 metres.¹³

When will I see the tail?

Right before a deep dive. The whale arches its back and lifts its flukes out of the water just before it goes down.⁹

Can you see sperm whales in winter too?

They live here all year. Visit Vesterålen describes the sperm whale as a permanent resident of Bleiksdjupet; the Bleik trip itself runs in summer.³

Is a sighting guaranteed?

No. The Bleik listing speaks of high chances, not a promise, and sea conditions decide how far out the boat can go.

Sources

Evidence for this guide

1
Store norske leksikonAndfjorden
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2
Store norske leksikon (author: Tore Haug, Institute of Marine Research)spermhval
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3
Visit Vesterålen (official destination company)Whale safari during winter
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4
Visit Vesterålen (official destination company)Whale Safari in Vesterålen
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5
Store norske leksikonHestdjupet
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Store norske leksikon (author: Tore Haug, Institute of Marine Research)spermhval
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7
Store norske leksikon (author: Tore Haug, Institute of Marine Research)spermhval
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8
Store norske leksikon (author: Tore Haug, Institute of Marine Research)spermhval
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9
NAMMCO (North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission)Sperm whale
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10
Store norske leksikon (author: Tore Haug, Institute of Marine Research)spermhval
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Store norske leksikon (author: Tore Haug, Institute of Marine Research)spermhval
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Store norske leksikon (author: Tore Haug, Institute of Marine Research)spermhval
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13
Store norske leksikon (author: Tore Haug, Institute of Marine Research)spermhval
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14
Havforskningsinstituttet (Institute of Marine Research)Spermhval
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15
Institute of Marine ResearchFin whale
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16
Store norske leksikon (author: Tore Haug, Institute of Marine Research)knølhval
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17
Institute of Marine ResearchKiller whale
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18
Institute of Marine ResearchMinke whale
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19
Store norske leksikon (author: Tore Haug, Institute of Marine Research)grindhval
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20
Store norske leksikon (author: Tore Haug, Institute of Marine Research)rissodelfin
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21
Store norske leksikon (author: Tore Haug, Institute of Marine Research)grindhval
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22
Store norske leksikon (author: Tore Haug, Institute of Marine Research)spekkhogger
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23
Institute of Marine ResearchMinke whale
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24
Institute of Marine ResearchFin whale
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25
Store norske leksikon (author: Tore Haug, Institute of Marine Research)rissodelfin
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26
NAMMCO (North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission)Sperm whale
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27
Store norske leksikonBleik
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28
Store norske leksikonAndenes - tettsted i Andøy
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29
Store norske leksikonBleik
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30
Lovdata (Klima- og miljødepartementet)Forskrift om Bleiksøya naturreservat, Andøy kommune, Nordland (FOR-2002-12-06-1469)
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31
Store norske leksikonAndøya lufthavn, Andenes
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32
AvinorAndøya lufthavn Andenes - Flyplassinformasjon fra Avinor
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33
Store norske leksikonNasjonale turistveger
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34
Svipper (Troms fylkeskommune public transport)New summer prices on the ferries (published 12.06.2026)
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35
AvinorHarstad/Narvik lufthavn - Flyplassinformasjon fra Avinor
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36
Visit Tromsø (official destination company)Whale watching in Tromsø
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37
Visit Tromsø (official destination company)Whale watching in Tromsø
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38
Store norske leksikon (author: Tore Haug, Institute of Marine Research)spermhval
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39
Store norske leksikon (author: Tore Haug, Institute of Marine Research)spermhval
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40
NAMMCO (North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission)Sperm whale
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41
Statsforvalteren i Nordland (County Governor of Nordland)Norges største marine verneområde opprettet
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42
Statsforvalteren i Nordland (County Governor of Nordland)Norges største marine verneområde opprettet
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43
Lovdata (Nærings- og fiskeridepartementet)Forskrift om utøvelse av hvalsafari (FOR-2019-12-05-1651)
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44
Visit Tromsø (official destination company)Guidelines for whale watching in Tromsø
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