Sea Kayaking & Living in Norway’s Far North, with Joachim Larssen
5-minute read
What’s it like to live and sea kayak in the far north of Norway? Aqua Bound Ambassador Joachim Larssen is based there. He tells us about life there in this blog, as well as some of his cross-country sea kayaking adventures around the world.
Several of our brand ambassadors are Norwegian, including Joachim (known as Shibby Traveler on his social channels). With a rugged coastline of more than 100,000 kilometers (including its 1,000 fjords and tens of thousands of islands), Norway is an amazing sea kayaking destination.
Living and Kayaking in Norway’s Far North
Joachim has lived and kayaked in several regions of Norway. He moved to Nordreisa in 2026, where he’s establishing a wilderness camp to host adventurous visitors.
He said about this area, “The best part [of Norway] is the north. I have seen it all now and have moved to the area I believe is the most beautiful. It's an area with low tourist visits, so you get it to yourself, which is something I really like! It's also one of the best areas in Norway to see whales and orcas in the winter.”
He continued, “The scenery is amazing with the white-tipped mountains going down to the fjords. There are fewer houses and people, so you can have all the islands to yourself. When you do camp close to a house [Norway’s Allemannsretten or “right to roam” ethic], you’re more likely to get invited in for coffee, food and even a place to sleep and shower.”
As a “cross-country” sea kayaker, Joachim has paddled thousands of kilometers, and not just in his native Norway. His first cross-country kayak adventure was along the coast of Thailand. One thing that makes northern Norway unique for kayakers, though, is its tidal range with very strong currents.
“In the south, you just pull the kayak in a little and you’re fine,” he said. “But up here, if you come in on high tide and wake up on low tide, you might have hundreds of meters difference if you want to get back on the water. Often it’s best to do 12-hour laps since the hardest part is getting to and from the sea.
“But a stronger tide gives better speed if done correctly. And in the summer you have about three months of midnight sun, so you don’t need to think about night and day. You just kayak until you’re tired and sleep until you’re rested.”
What Joachim Envisions with the Wilderness Camp
Joachim was pursuing a different goal when he encountered the Nordreisa area. He said, “During my ‘kayaking the fjords of Norway’ project, I found the place I have dreamt of! So I stopped there, and I will start building my paradise there over the next year.”
[His goal was to kayak Norway’s ten longest fjords, which he still plans to complete one day. He has two left.]
He has many ideas of what he’d like to do with the wilderness camp, and is learning as he goes. He has permission for land use as well as permission to take trees down to use for the buildings.
“I just bought a sawmill,” he said, “so I’ll start by making my own timber. Then I’ll build domes, stands for tipis, a chicken house and a greenhouse to start with. I’ve never done any of this before!”
He’ll also start collecting more kayaks and equipment so he’s able to take guests out on the water. There are many options near where the base camp will be, including the stunning Lyngenfjord.
“I believe our creator will help out, so I don’t really worry about getting the money. I’ll just keep working towards my goals and pray/manifest my dreams just as I do on all my adventures,” said Joachim.
Previous Sea Kayaking Adventures and an Upcoming Film
Joachim’s kayaking passion was sparked in his first long-distance trip along Thailand’s west coast. Since then, he’s kayaked the length of Norway to the Russian border and back, a 6,400-kilometer trip that took him 230 days. His next trip was from Oslofjord to the Finnish border, “navigating the challenges of the northern wilderness with its infamous bugs.”
During the 2020 global pandemic, he pursued his formal training while home in Norway and became a certified kayak instructor.
Joachim loves the challenge of these marathon paddling trips. He also loves the close proximity to the sea and the life within it. He’s had encounters with whales, porpoises and sharks, including a memorable one with a beluga whale known as Hvaldmimir.
“When I am filming him, he suddenly snaps the camera out of my hands and lets it fall down to the ocean floor before he picks it up and returns it for a scratch on the back.”
That encounter is part of a documentary film being made by Olaf Rudolfsen that highlights Joachim’s sea kayak adventures. The film is called The Whale Whisperer. We don’t have a release date yet, but you can watch a few trailers here in either Norwegian or English.
All photos courtesy of Joachim Larssen.
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