Bleik: Whale Watching by Speedboat with Puffins and Muffins

Bleik Canyon is the star here: a deep-water channel just offshore where sperm whales, orcas, pilot whales, and minke whales may gather to feed. You ride there in a small RIB with a maximum of 12 people, so the boat feels more nimble than a large sightseeing vessel and can get close to wildlife when conditions allow. The midnight sun gives the late departure a special glow.

I like two things right away: the chance to combine whales with thousands of puffins, sea eagles, and seals, and the careful preparation with warm flotation suits, boots, gloves, and life jackets. The main caution is simple: wildlife is wild. You may spend a long stretch sitting in open sea without a close whale sighting, and rough water can make some people seasick.

Key points to know before booking

• Bleik Canyon is the feeding ground: Sperm whales are the main target, with possible orcas, pilot whales, minke whales, dolphins, seals, and fin whales.
• A small RIB changes the feel: The boat carries no more than 12 people, making the ride fast, open, and personal, but also more exposed to wind and waves.
• Puffins are not an afterthought: The route usually includes bird watching, with puffin colonies and possible sea eagles and gannets.
• The 9 PM departure uses the midnight sun: Summer daylight lasts through the night, giving the water and cliffs a soft Arctic light.
• The trip lasts 210 minutes: That includes getting suited up before departure and tea, coffee, and muffins while you change afterward.
• The $199 price buys a full wildlife outing: You receive the boat trip, guide, warm gear, life jacket, photographs, and refreshments, but sightings cannot be guaranteed.

Why Bleik Canyon makes this tour different

Bleik sits on Andøya in Vesterålen, about a 10-minute drive from Andenes. The attraction is not simply the village or the boat ride. It is the underwater shape of the sea nearby.

Bleik Canyon reaches into deep water close to shore. That matters because whales do not need to travel far offshore before finding the fish that bring them here. Sperm whales are the headline species, but the area can also attract pilot whales, orcas, minke whales, Risso’s dolphins, fin whales, and other marine life.

I would think of this as a wildlife search rather than a fixed show. The skipper reads the water and looks for signs of animals. You may see a whale surface nearby, spend time with a pod of pilot whales, or watch an orca group pass close to the boat. On another outing, you may see the birds clearly but not the whales. That uncertainty is part of the deal, and it is worth understanding before paying $199.

The small boat helps the experience feel immediate. You are not looking across a crowded deck, and the RIB can move quickly between areas. At the same time, a smaller boat gives you less shelter. You need to be comfortable outdoors, in weather that may shift, for several hours.

Leaving Bleik Marina in a 12-person RIB

The meeting point is Bleik Marina, reached by following the beach road past Midnattsol Camping toward Smia Pub, then turning down to the marina and following the Puffin Safari sign. Look for the Green Gold of Norway sign, sometimes described locally as the Green Dragon.

Before you leave, the crew gets you into warm flotation suits and life jackets. Reports from the trip also describe gloves, boots, and goggles being provided. Bring warm clothing anyway, along with outdoor clothing and a change of clothes. The supplied gear protects you, but it does not make summer Arctic weather feel tropical.

The RIB carries a maximum of 12 people. That limit is one of the strongest reasons to choose this trip over a larger boat. You have a better chance of seeing around the people in front of you, and the skipper can keep the group together without the outing feeling like a mass operation.

There is one practical issue with a small, noisy RIB: it can be hard to hear. One person specifically noted that the guide’s commentary was difficult to catch from the back. If hearing every explanation matters to you, try to sit where you can see the guide and ask for key information to be repeated.

The ride itself is part of the attraction. The boat is described as steady, fast, and fun, but you should not confuse steady with smooth. Big waves are possible, and the open sea can feel lively. People with vertigo, heart or respiratory problems, recent surgery, back problems, or other medical conditions should not book without careful medical advice. The activity is not suitable for pregnant women, wheelchair users, people with mobility impairments, or anyone under 135 centimeters tall.

Searching Bleik Canyon for whales

Once the RIB reaches the canyon area, the pace usually changes. You may travel quickly for a while, then slow down and wait while the crew watches the surface.

Sperm whales are a good example of why patience matters. You may see a back and blow, then wait for another appearance. They can remain farther from the boat than you hope, especially when the sea is rough. One outing spent about an hour and a half waiting in open water and saw four sperm whales, a thrilling sight but not a close encounter. That is an honest picture of whale watching.

Orcas and pilot whales can create a more active encounter. Several trips had groups of orcas close to the RIB for long periods, while other outings found pilot whales, including young animals. A pod may travel alongside the boat, surface repeatedly, or disappear before returning. You should enjoy the behavior rather than measure the trip only by distance.

The crew’s approach matters. The guides and skippers are described as careful around the animals, with explanations about species and behavior during the search. Christina and Norbert have led trips, while Bekka and Katie have also served as guide and skipper. The exact crew depends on the departure, but English is the listed tour language.

Photos are included. That is useful because wildlife watching can make it hard to hold a camera steady, especially in a moving RIB. You can keep your attention on the water while the guide helps record the encounter. Still, treat the pictures as a bonus, not a guarantee of perfect close-up shots.

Puffins, eagles, and the bird-watching stop

The bird life gives this trip a second focus. Puffins are among the main targets, and the route can include a colony with very large numbers of birds around the cliffs and water. You might also see gannets, sea eagles, other seabirds, and harbor seals.

This part can save the day if the whales remain distant. One outing did not produce a whale sighting but found a large number of puffins and dolphins. Another saw thousands of puffins, several eagles, and pilot whales. The species list is never guaranteed, but the canyon’s food supply brings more than one kind of wildlife into view.

Puffins are fun to watch because they are active and compact. They fly low over the water, gather near the colony, and vanish beneath the surface after a quick plunge. I would bring binoculars only if they are small and secure, since anything loose on a RIB can become a problem. The guide’s photographs may be more useful than trying to manage a camera and binoculars in moving conditions.

The bird stop also gives the outing a better rhythm. You are not spending all 210 minutes staring at one patch of sea. The whale search, coastline, bird colony, and seal areas create several distinct parts, even though the exact order depends on wildlife and sea conditions.

The 10 AM and 9 PM departures

You can choose a 10 AM or 9 PM departure. Both offer the same listed duration, but the late trip has a special advantage during summer: the sun does not set.

The 9 PM outing can run beneath pale gold light, even when the clock says night. That makes the cliffs, open water, and birds look different from a daytime departure. It also gives you a memorable way to use the midnight sun, rather than simply noticing that the evening never becomes dark.

A late start may suit you if you want a quieter-feeling summer evening or need the daytime for driving around Andøya. The 10 AM departure may be easier if you prefer to be active earlier and have the rest of the day free. No departure guarantees calmer water or better sightings. Weather and animal movement decide that.

The tour begins and ends at Bleik Marina. The stated 3.5 hours include preparation before launch and hot drinks while changing afterward, so the time actually moving across the water is shorter than 210 minutes. That is not a weakness, but you should understand the timing when planning a connection or another activity.

Warm suits, safety, and comfort on open water

The protective clothing is important, not decorative. A RIB creates wind even on a calm day, and sitting on the water for several hours can feel cold. The warm flotation suit and life jacket provide protection, while boots, gloves, and goggles add comfort in spray and wind.

Wear outdoor clothing underneath. A change of clothes is sensible because spray or rain can still reach you. Tea, coffee, and muffins are served after the outing while you change, a small but welcome finish after time outside.

You need to be in reasonably good physical condition. Boarding and sitting in a RIB require more effort than stepping onto a large passenger boat. This trip is not suitable for people with claustrophobia, vertigo, mobility impairments, serious heart or respiratory conditions, recent surgeries, or other pre-existing medical conditions. The listed minimum height is 135 centimeters.

Sea sickness deserves a direct warning. One outing had big waves, and another left several people unwell during a long wait in open sea. If you are prone to motion sickness, plan carefully and ask a medical professional about suitable medication before the trip. The crew can manage the boat, but they cannot make rough water disappear.

Is $199 a fair price?

At $199 per person, this is not a cheap boat ride. It is a small-group, 3.5-hour wildlife outing with protective gear, a guide, photographs, and refreshments. Those inclusions make the price easier to understand, especially if you would otherwise need to rent warm clothing or pay separately for pictures.

The value also depends on how you define success. If you need a guaranteed close view of a whale, no wildlife tour can honestly promise that. If you value the whole setting, the fast RIB ride, the midnight sun, the puffins, and the chance of orcas or sperm whales, the price is more defensible.

I would compare it with the cost of a large boat tour only if you know what kind of outing you want. This trip trades indoor comfort for speed, a smaller group, and a closer connection to the water. You pay for access and attention, not certainty.

The strong rating of 4.7 from 326 bookings suggests that the operation usually delivers a good experience, but the individual outings show why you should read the conditions honestly. Some people see orcas for nearly the entire trip. Others see sperm whales at a distance, dolphins, puffins, and eagles. A good day can be extraordinary, but a successful trip does not require every species on the list.

Who will enjoy this RIB safari most?

I would recommend it to you if you enjoy wildlife watching, can handle cold and motion, and want a more active boat ride. It suits people who are happy to wait, scan the horizon, and accept that the most memorable moment may last only a few seconds.

It is especially appealing if you are staying near Andenes and want to reach Bleik without a long transfer. The 10-minute drive makes it practical to combine with a visit to other parts of Andøya, though you should leave enough time to find the marina and get ready.

Families need to check the 135-centimeter minimum height and the physical restrictions before booking. The open RIB is not suitable for every child or adult. Couples and small groups may appreciate the limited capacity, while photographers should remember that spray, movement, and changing light make this a challenging shooting platform.

I would skip it if you need indoor seating, dislike open water, or would be upset by a long search without a close whale sighting. A puffin and eagle trip with distant whales can still be worthwhile, but only if you accept nature on its own terms.

Should you book the Bleik whale safari?

Book this tour if the idea of racing into a deep-water canyon under the midnight sun sounds as appealing as the animals themselves. You get a serious chance at sperm whales, orcas, pilot whales, and minke whales, plus puffins and sea eagles, in a small boat with warm gear and a guide.

Before paying, choose your departure, pack proper outdoor clothing, and prepare for cold, noise, and waves. The best reason to book is not a promise of one perfect photograph. It is the mix of wild sea, Arctic light, fast travel, and the possibility of seeing several species in one remarkable outing.

FAQ

Where does the Bleik whale-watching tour begin?

The tour begins at Bleik Marina in Nordland County. Drive down the beach road at Midnattsol Camping, continue to Smia Pub, turn toward Bleik Marina, and follow the Puffin Safari sign. Look for the Green Gold of Norway sign.

How long does the experience last?

The full experience lasts 210 minutes, or about 3.5 hours. This includes getting ready in warm flotation suits before the boat trip and having tea, coffee, and muffins while changing afterward.

What wildlife might I see?

The area can offer sperm whales, pilot whales, orcas, minke whales, Risso’s dolphins, fin whales, puffins, sea eagles, gannets, and harbor seals. Sightings depend on the animals and sea conditions, so no species is guaranteed.

Are warm clothes and safety equipment provided?

Warm flotation suits and life jackets are included. Trip details and past outings also specify gloves, boots, and goggles. You should still bring warm clothing, outdoor clothing, and a change of clothes.

Is the tour suitable for everyone?

No. It is not suitable for pregnant women, wheelchair users, people with mobility impairments, back or heart problems, vertigo, respiratory issues, claustrophobia, recent surgeries, or other pre-existing medical conditions. Participants should be in acceptable physical shape and at least 135 centimeters tall.

What language is the tour offered in?

The tour is offered in English. A guide is onboard to explain the wildlife, and photographs are included after the trip.