Well, you’ve seen some of the pictures so now a few words. We set out with very low expectations as whilst we had a beautiful cloudless sky the solar activity forecast was ‘quiet’. Turns out Arctic Guide Services (AGS) weren’t expecting anything significant either but that didn’t stop them filling two coaches & sending them out to see what could be found.
After about 30 minutes we pulled into a lay-by and wandered a short way into the snow field. Whilst nothing happened there we did get to try out cameras using the advice the AGS guide had given us on settings. I have to say it was very useful advice as whilst I knew the principles I’d never have started off with a 15 second exposure & the results were great. My £12 tripod/monopod gizmo from Amazon worked a treat as did the camera as long as you kept it’s battery warm. Tricky in the conditions. The deep snow meant feet got cold very quickly & after 45 minutes or do people drifted back to the bus. The mood was not great. Very cold feet, no sign of TNL & two whining kids playing linked DS games across the seats behind us didn’t fill me with joy. Dad would have loved it. Not.
Another 30 minutes in the bus brought us to the coast where there was the other AGS bus was already parked. The guide told us there was already a small level of activity but to be honest I couldn’t see it at first. Then I was able to make out a gray smudge in the sky & for the want of something to do took a shot. Immediately it was obvious that the cameras make everything greener than you see yourself and from then on we spent 2.5 hours @ -11c taking pictures, lying on the ground trying to take it all in and generally being amazed. At one point there was a complete arc across our heads from one horizon to thge other. No way to photograph it but etched into the mind.
On the way back we were told we’d seen the 4th or 5th best display so far this year. I can’t imagine what those ‘better’ nights must have been like to beat what we saw.