<i> NARRATOR: In a faraway place,</i> <i> there's a magical time</i> <i> when the sun never sets.</i> (roar) <i> Now, way up north,</i> <i> take a giant leap...</i> ♪ ♪ <i> ...and swoop through
Scandinavia's Arctic Circle</i> <i> for a season of sunshiny days.</i> <i> Norway.</i> <i> Sweden.</i> <i> Finland.</i> <i> But be quick.</i> <i> The light, bright magic
doesn't last long...</i> (hiss) <i> ...at the top of the world.</i> ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <i> Svalbard Archipelago.</i> <i> This is inside
the Arctic Circle</i> <i> and as far north
as Norway gets.</i> <i> It's the kind of place
most people think of</i> <i> when they hear "Arctic."</i> ♪ ♪ <i> Svalbard is a cluster
of extraordinary islands</i> <i> and icebergs full of life.</i> ♪ ♪ <i> Female walrus have
migrated north,</i> <i> preferring to chase the thick
ice that they love so much.</i> <i> But the males stay here</i> <i> and look for places to hang out
for summer.</i> <i> Kicking back in Svalbard</i> <i> has its disadvantages
for the males.</i> <i> They're exposed to predators.</i> <i> Polar bears.</i> (roar) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <i> This one has already
killed a walrus.</i> <i> He'll eat as much as 20% of
his body weight in a sitting.</i> <i> Then, once it's done, time
again to look for fresh meat.</i> <i> Polar bears hold the title</i> <i> as the world's largest
land predators.</i> <i> But in reality, they track
their food on water--</i> <i> frozen water.</i> <i> They use the ice as a platform
from which to hunt.</i> <i> Jumping from ice floe
to ice floe.</i> <i> Now that most of the day
has sunshine,</i> <i> their ice is getting thin.</i> (groaning) <i> They can shake off a quick dip</i> <i> in the freezing water
without fuss.</i> <i> So walrus and seals
are right to worry</i> <i> when there's a bear around.</i> <i> They have just one consolation.</i> <i> Polar bears don't rest
in winter like other bears.</i> <i> But in summer, they may fast
for months at a time.</i> <i> This is how summer plays out</i> <i> in this northernmost
outpost of Norway.</i> <i> But travel south,</i> <i> and there's more to the Arctic
than you know.</i> <i> Svalbard is an outpost
of Norway</i> <i> in the country's far north.</i> <i> But the Arctic Circle
is much more,</i> <i> an invisible line that rings
the top of the globe</i> <i> at 66 degrees,
33 minutes north.</i> <i> The Scandinavia section covers
about 150,000 square miles.</i> <i> And it's topped by
the North Cape Monument,</i> <i> the northernmost point
of mainland Europe.</i> <i> This is the end of the earth.</i> <i> The North Cape Monument sits
atop a 1,000-foot-high plateau</i> <i> and looks out to where</i> <i> the Atlantic meets
the Arctic Ocean.</i> ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <i> Everywhere in the Arctic Circle</i> <i> just had at least a month
of perpetual darkness.</i> <i> But in February
the light returns.</i> <i> And now you can see
the northernmost points</i> <i> of Scandinavia's mainland.</i> <i> At the very bottom
of the Arctic Circle,</i> <i> spring has already cleared
the snow from the peaks.</i> <i> Here in Norway,
the Arctic becomes...</i> <i> a hiker's paradise.</i> ♪ ♪ <i> This is
the Lofoten Archipelago.</i> <i> Several hundred remote islands.</i> ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <i> Cliffs to the north are
an annual summer retreat</i> <i> for one of the strangest
creatures in the Arctic.</i> (squawking) <i> Around 160,000 puffins
vacation here</i> <i> for a couple of months
every year.</i> <i> Summer is the puffins'
breeding season,</i> <i> when they get
to know each other.</i> <i> They build nests
in rock crevices</i> <i> and in holes among the stones.</i> <i> And of course, fill up on fish.</i> ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <i> They are capable flyers,
and even better swimmers.</i> <i> And puffins are one
of the few birds</i> <i> that can hold many fish
in their beaks at once.</i> <i> Their raspy tongues give them
just the right kind of grip</i> <i> so they can bring back
fresh fish for their young.</i> <i> Puffins usually mate for life,</i> <i> and both parents will share
the responsibility</i> <i> of caring for their young.</i> <i> Similar to penguins,</i> <i> the flightless birds
of the other pole.</i> <i> But despite their similar
colors, they are not related.</i> <i> The puffins' bright-colored
bills match their feet.</i> <i> But only during
the mating season.</i> <i> Before summer is done, they'll
shed that colorful outer layer</i> <i> and head back out to sea with
smaller, dull-colored beaks.</i> <i> While they don't mind
chatting up a storm now...</i> (squawking) <i> ...once at sea they remain
perfectly silent.</i> <i> Meanwhile, some of the fish
they like to hunt</i> <i> have their own summer plans.</i> ♪ ♪ <i> Millions head inland</i> <i> along the great waterways
of Scandinavia's Arctic.</i> ♪ ♪ <i> They return from the ocean
and charge upstream.</i> <i> Among them, grayling.</i> <i> These are relics
of the last Ice Age,</i> <i> and they perform an annual
ritual of frenzied egg-laying.</i> <i> Here, two males flank a female.</i> <i> And both try to fertilize
her eggs at the same time.</i> ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <i> The volume of life in these
pristine waters during summer</i> <i> attracts fishermen
from all over Scandinavia.</i> ♪ ♪ <i> The Tana River is
one of the few places</i> <i> where they can still use nets.</i> <i> Sometimes following
the traditional methods</i> <i> of the Sami people who've lived
here for at least 2,000 years.</i> ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <i> Around the world,</i> <i> summer signals a time
for water sports.</i> <i> And the Arctic Circle
is no different.</i> <i> The potential thrills outweigh
the chills for Arctic surfers.</i> ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <i> The waves roll in
all the way from Greenland.</i> <i> It's the most reliable surf
in Northern Europe.</i> <i> And that makes it a magnet
for die-hard board riders</i> <i> like local Tommy Olsen
and his son.</i> TOMMY OLSEN: You have
these point breaks, which in surfing terms
is like really good. The wave breaks all the time
on the same spot. Normally have, like, one or two, but here you have,
like, three point breaks and also a beach break. <i> NARRATOR: The Gulf Stream
keeps this Arctic water</i> <i> between 46 and 58 degrees
year round.</i> <i> But the air temperature can
easily dip below freezing.</i> ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <i> For Tommy, the chill and
the challenge is worth it.</i> TOMMY: It is quite unique. You know, the waves are
really world-class waves. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ But the thing is the backdrop,
the scenery, is it's really different
from other surf spots. <i> NARRATOR: People have come
from all over the world</i> <i> to surf here since the '60s,</i> <i> and Lofoten has the world's
northernmost surf schools.</i> <i> There are two of them in town.</i> <i> The surfers ride as long as
there are waves and light.</i> ♪ ♪ <i> And up here, the sun in summer
can shine 24 hours a day.</i> ♪ ♪ <i> This endless summer makes up
for that time of year</i> <i> when the lights
once again go off.</i> <i> Ice and cold take over the land
as early as August.</i> (creaking) ♪ ♪ (creaking) <i> The days get shorter;</i> <i> 15 minutes less light
every day.</i> <i> And that makes what
Arctic surfers do next</i> <i> even more amazing.</i> <i> NARRATOR: Arctic surfers still
find their way to the waves</i> <i> even as summer wanes.</i> <i> Now at night they can be guided</i> <i> by the beguiling green
of the northern lights.</i> <i> It's the kind of magic you can
only find near the poles.</i> ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <i> On the ground
the Arctic Circle is marked</i> <i> by little more than
an occasional road,</i> <i> and this visitor's center
that stays open</i> <i> until the beginning of October.</i> <i> When the roads and paths
become clogged with snow,</i> <i> and the trees become
ice sculptures,</i> <i> it's time to release
the hounds.</i> (barking) (barking) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <i> Dog sledding is popular
across Scandinavia,</i> <i> and races are
the Arctic Circle's Grand Prix.</i> (growl) <i> Perhaps even more grueling.</i> <i> Some of the events cover
more than 700 miles</i> <i> and last for five or six days.</i> <i> Training for such marathons</i> <i> begins as soon as
the snow sets in,</i> <i> even if it's still
technically summer.</i> ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <i> Eight dogs to a sled,
and they run as smooth as silk.</i> ♪ ♪ <i> This mode of transport
has been around</i> <i> for at least 1,000 years.</i> <i> Roald Amundsen,
the Norwegian explorer</i> <i> who became the first person
to reach the South Pole,</i> <i> achieved his epic journey</i> <i> thanks to such hard-working
canine companions.</i> ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (howling) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <i> When it's all done, the reward
is a release from the harness.</i> ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <i> The only mush now is dinner.</i> ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <i> The sled drivers are
a diverse group.</i> <i> But the dogs must be built
for Arctic extremes.</i> ♪ ♪ <i> So much so, that these breeds
happily live</i> <i> in their outdoor kennels
year round,</i> <i> no matter the weather.</i> ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <i> The wild animals
in the Arctic Circle</i> <i> don't have the luxury
of a kennel.</i> <i> And in this world of white,
they stand out.</i> ♪ ♪ <i> An orderly line of reindeer
heads north</i> <i> at the end of summer.</i> ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <i> As they roam, they look for
patches of lichen or moss</i> <i> to dig up from beneath
the Arctic snow.</i> (snow crunching) (snow crunching) <i> The sun may look like
it's setting.</i> <i> But up here in early autumn,
this is what passes for midday.</i> ♪ ♪ <i> In about a month,
the sun won't rise at all.</i> <i> And this whole wonderland</i> <i> will plunge into
a month of darkness.</i> <i> Before that happens,
there's work to do.</i> (engine roaring) <i> NARRATOR: The Sami people
of northern Norway</i> <i> have herded reindeer here
for at least 1,000 years.</i> ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ MAN: It's not so much of a job,
it's more like a lifestyle. Herding the reindeers,
you get like a deep connection to the nature and
a respect for the nature. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <i> NARRATOR: Now with the help
of machines and dogs,</i> <i> they give the animals a nudge
in the right direction,</i> <i> through temperatures
of minus 40 degrees.</i> MAN: Somehow the reindeer
actually doesn't even mind the cold weather. The reindeer has
a special kind of hair. It's like a pipe
that has holes in it, and it insulates much better than other types of hair
on other animals. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <i> NARRATOR: All summer</i> <i> the reindeer have been
free to graze.</i> <i> Now the Sami round them up
for a twice-annual check-up.</i> <i> They've covered 20 miles today</i> <i> to get this sea of antlers
into a corral.</i> <i> And now they're nearly there.</i> ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ MAN: When we start moving the
reindeer herd to the corrals, a lot of family members and
friends come and help us. <i> NARRATOR:
It looks like midnight,</i> <i> but it's only around
5:00 in the afternoon.</i> <i> As the reindeer
run in a circle,</i> <i> the herders size them up</i> <i> and separate them
into different groups.</i> <i> Some will get veterinary care.</i> <i> Some will get ear tags
or collars for tracking.</i> <i> Others will be sectioned off
for market.</i> <i> Reindeer skin, horns and bone
are all important products</i> <i> for the Sami people,</i> <i> and they've traditionally
depended on them for survival.</i> ♪ ♪ <i> And the story goes,</i> <i> there's another traditional use
for reindeer.</i> ♪ ♪ <i> Reindeer sleds in this part
of Finland lead to one place.</i> <i> A tiny hamlet
famous for one resident.</i> ♪ ♪ <i> This is Santa Village,</i> <i> with everything Christmas
inside, including Santa.</i> <i> It's a tourist not-so-hot spot,
open all year round,</i> <i> for those who just
can't wait for December.</i> <i> Finding a warm place to stay
after summer</i> <i> can be a challenge.</i> <i> But since 2008,
there's been the option</i> <i> of the now world famous
30-room-large snow hotel.</i> ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <i> Starting in early September,</i> <i> artists rebuild
the accommodations</i> <i> by packing snow into blocks.</i> ♪ ♪ <i> They have supersized the idea
of a traditional igloo.</i> <i> The cocktails at this bar
are all served chilled.</i> <i> Dining area.</i> <i> Bedrooms.</i> <i> Even a chapel.</i> <i> All sheltered from
the outer elements</i> <i> and kept at a relatively
toasty temperature</i> <i> just a few degrees
below freezing.</i> <i> These are the creature comforts
of the Arctic Circle.</i> <i> But outside, it's more
about the creatures.</i> <i> They have their own
ways of coping</i> <i> with the chill of autumn.</i> <i> And some of them are
downright deadly.</i> (hiss) <i> NARRATOR: Up in
the Arctic Circle,</i> <i> lynx seem to welcome
the early snow.</i> <i> And they are well built for it.</i> <i> Their long legs
and wide webbed feet</i> <i> allow them to move quickly
across the powder.</i> ♪ ♪ <i> And it takes more
than a light snow</i> <i> to chill them through
that thick fur.</i> ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <i> By autumn, the spring kittens
are big enough</i> <i> to keep up with mom.</i> ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <i> But make no mistake about
who's still in charge.</i> (hiss) <i> Especially when Mom's found
a scrap of squirrel.</i> ♪ ♪ <i> They've spent their summer
being nurtured by her.</i> <i> But no more.</i> ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (hiss) <i> That's lynx for
"Wait your turn, Junior."</i> <i> One day these twins
will be just as assertive</i> <i> with their own young.</i> <i> Until then, they can practice
fighting with each other.</i> ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <i> These kittens are fully weaned,</i> <i> but may stay with their mother
for another year.</i> <i> When they finally
head out without her,</i> <i> they may stick close
for a few months,</i> <i> working together across
the Arctic landscape,</i> <i> and even up the trees.</i> ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <i> Eventually, though,
they'll separate entirely</i> <i> and lead the solitary life
of a lone predator,</i> <i> searching for food
in the wild north.</i> <i> If they become
very good hunters,</i> <i> there are plenty of
menu options out here.</i> ♪ ♪ <i> Reindeer shelter
among the trees.</i> <i> Summer was easy pickings.</i> <i> Now they must search hard for
new places to rest or graze.</i> ♪ ♪ <i> When they catch a sniff
of danger, they have a plan.</i> ♪ ♪ <i> They use a nearby frozen-over
river like a freeway.</i> <i> They are able to move fast
through the terrain.</i> <i> And just as well.</i> <i> They run for a reason.</i> (wolf howls) <i> Not far behind,
a small pack of Arctic wolves.</i> <i> Wolves are the second largest
predator in Western Europe.</i> <i> Only bears are bigger.</i> ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <i> Packs can be 30-strong.</i> <i> Three is small.</i> <i> But that's more than enough
to take down a straggler.</i> <i> The young and the weak
are their specialty.</i> <i> Wolves can easily cover
12 miles a day.</i> <i> And the reindeer have
made it easier for them,</i> <i> creating trails
through the snow.</i> <i> As they go,
they mark their territory</i> <i> with urine and sometimes feces.</i> <i> For wolves, this is a form
of communication:</i> <i> "Interlopers beware."</i> <i> Today the reindeer
have the upper hand.</i> <i> And the pace of the chase
is not worth it.</i> <i> Summer was good
to this wolf pack trio.</i> <i> No need to push it just yet.</i> <i> The wolves take a break.</i> (whining) ♪ ♪ <i> They are fearsome
Arctic predators.</i> <i> And even the giants up here</i> <i> must try to stay
out of their way.</i> <i> NARRATOR: This moose mother
and her year-old calf</i> <i> search for food in
Norway's Arctic Circle.</i> ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <i> Their cloven hooves
spread widely</i> <i> to support them
over the soft snow.</i> <i> Those long legs can carry them
through rough terrain.</i> <i> Yet they can move
as quietly as a cat.</i> <i> It's an extraordinary
achievement for their size,</i> <i> but important in helping them
to avoid predators.</i> <i> Summer is over and
the pasture is buried.</i> <i> But there's plenty of light
and still a lot to dine on.</i> <i> They live on lichen
that grows on trees.</i> ♪ ♪ <i> If they can, they'll also
stretch their powerful necks</i> <i> upwards to grab pine needles.</i> <i> But it's the nibbling
of the nether regions</i> <i> that got them their name.</i> <i> "Moose" is derived
from "moosh,"</i> <i> a Native American word</i> <i> that means
"stripper and eater of bark."</i> ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <i> Vacation time is over.</i> <i> But there's still
a couple of months</i> <i> before the creatures
of the Arctic Circle</i> <i> are plunged into darkness.</i> <i> They must work with
what light they have left.</i> <i> Every week, the days grow
shorter by more than an hour.</i> ♪ ♪ <i> White-tailed eagles were
nearly pushed to extinction</i> <i> throughout the region.</i> <i> But they've been able to keep
a toehold along the coast.</i> ♪ ♪ <i> Norway has the highest density</i> <i> of white-tailed eagles
in Europe.</i> ♪ ♪ <i> With good light,
it's a fish-finding frenzy.</i> ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <i> Not all the fish here
are such hard work.</i> ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <i> Eco-safari guides like
Trygve Steen serve up the sushi</i> <i> as fishermen have done here
for hundreds of years.</i> <i> Visitors can get a close look</i> <i> at some of this area's
300 nesting couples.</i> ♪ ♪ TRYGVE STEEN:
It's a majestic bird, indeed. Also an unpredictable bird. They are able to make
their own choices. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (squawking) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <i> NARRATOR: Some of
the white-tailed eagles</i> <i> from Lofoten have been
captured and relocated</i> <i> to bolster populations</i> <i> elsewhere in Europe
and the U.K.</i> <i> That's helped spread the word</i> <i> and made this area
a hot spot for bird-watchers.</i> ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <i> The fish they snatch
are herring.</i> <i> And Norway is famous for
the millions of herring</i> <i> that migrate through here
every autumn.</i> <i> Fishing trawlers wait for them.</i> <i> So, too, age-old predators.</i> <i> The birds signal
the catch is good.</i> <i> Soon enough, around the boat...</i> <i> giants.</i> <i> Humpback whales come in
to take their share.</i> <i> The fishermen tighten their
nets to haul in their catch.</i> <i> But inevitably
some herring escape.</i> <i> And the humpbacks swoop by
to collect them.</i> <i> Each of these giants can be
more than 50 feet long</i> <i> and weigh up to 40 tons.</i> <i> And they can eat
a ton of food a day.</i> <i> Sometimes large amounts of the
tiniest creatures, like krill.</i> <i> Other times, like here,
scraps of herring do just fine.</i> ♪ ♪ <i> This feast is too rich for just
one whale species to enjoy.</i> ♪ ♪ <i> The fjords of Norway plunge
steep and deep into the sea.</i> <i> So orca don't mind
coming in close to land.</i> <i> They stand out in a crowd
with pectoral fins</i> <i> that can be more than
six feet high.</i> <i> These social creatures can
travel in pods up to 30 strong.</i> ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <i> They join their humpback
cousins for the feast.</i> <i> And if two mammal species</i> <i> swimming for their supper here
isn't enough, don't worry.</i> <i> Here comes a third.</i> <i> NARRATOR: While the rest
of Scandinavia</i> <i> may be hunkered down preparing
for winter and its darkness,</i> <i> the sea is where you can
still find a hearty meal.</i> <i> The Gulf Stream keeps
the water around the fjords</i> <i> virtually ice-free.</i> <i> That's what brings in the fish
and the divers.</i> BORJAN DYRENES: We're really,
really, really lucky to live in this place
on the earth. We have the Gulf current
hitting the shore here. The water is constantly between
15 and 6 degrees Celsius, and the nutrition of the water
here, it has a really rich life, both for mammals and for fish. <i> NARRATOR: Borjan Dyrenes
and his dive buddies</i> <i> use modern gear and can stay
in the water for a few hours</i> <i> without getting too cold.</i> <i> They seek out flatfish,
pollack, haddock,</i> <i> and especially cod.</i> BORJAN: We're planning each dive
before we go into the water. What kind of fish
do we want to look for? Everything, like, in the sea
comes really close to you, especially when
you're a freediver. ♪ ♪ <i> NARRATOR: Freedivers
don't use tanks,</i> <i> but can hold their breath for
several minutes at a time.</i> BORJAN: You have to keep
all your senses open, because the fish senses you,
you know, and your excitement. And it triggers
all your instincts when you go in the water. ♪ ♪ <i> NARRATOR: In the 1960s,
there was a push</i> <i> to make spearfishing
an Olympic sport.</i> <i> That failed, but the fish here
continue to attract divers.</i> BORJAN: You can catch fish
all year here, and there's probably
plenty enough fish to feed my whole family and the neighbors and
their neighbors again. So I shoot a lot of fish here and I give them away
to my neighbors, I give them away to my family. Yeah. It's really nice,
really nice. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <i> NARRATOR: The biggest fish
come to the lower regions</i> <i> of the Arctic Circle in winter.</i> <i> But one of
the strangest-looking species</i> <i> never leaves,
no matter how dark it gets.</i> ♪ ♪ <i> The vibrant Atlantic wolffish,
or sea wolf,</i> <i> resembles an eel,</i> <i> with one long fin
down its back.</i> <i> But its real magic
is on the inside.</i> <i> The wolffish produces a kind
of antifreeze for its blood</i> <i> so it can live in the icy
Arctic all year round,</i> <i> even now in the depths
of winter.</i> <i> It dines on shellfish
and starfish and the like,</i> <i> which it can rip into
with savage teeth.</i> <i> They are one of the few fish</i> <i> to have both parents
care for their eggs.</i> <i> They guard them for several
months until they hatch.</i> <i> Their home here in the
Arctic Circle is also unique.</i> <i> It's the world's largest known
cold water reef.</i> <i> With all this color, it's hard
to believe it's been dark</i> <i> up top for more than
two months.</i> <i> Except perhaps for
the returning shimmer</i> <i> of the northern lights.</i> ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ <i> Then, once again,
a glimmer of sunlight.</i> <i> And warmth starts
to melt the snow.</i> <i> These extremes of
the Arctic Circle</i> <i> force humans...</i> <i> and creatures...</i> <i> ...to toughen up.</i> <i> They must adapt
to conditions...</i> <i> ...and embrace hardship.</i> <i> But once a year, like magic...</i> (creaking) <i> The veil of darkness lifts
throughout the region.</i> (creaking) <i> The ice melts away.</i> <i> And the Arctic has
come full circle.</i> (creaking) <i> Time again to decide how to
spend your summer vacation.</i> ♪ ♪ <i> Holidays in the Arctic
are short.</i> <i> But that's why they
may be more prized here</i> <i> than anywhere else
on the planet.</i> ♪ ♪ Captioned by
Side Door Media Services
