The view from the M/S Lofoten on the journey from Bod to Svolvaer in Norway, Sept. 8, 2014. Please click to enlarge. (Photo: Tom Yulsman)

Greetings from Norways spectacular Lofoten Islands,one of the crown jewels of our planets biodiversity: an environment above the Arctic Circle where coral reefs actually thrive, seabirds by the millions roost, and Orcas, humpbacks, and sperm wales not to mention humans feast on teeming stocks of fish.

This biodiversity has been described as an Arctic Amazon rainforest and Great Barrier Reef all in one.

Im here to help lead a field trip thats part of a climate change communication course organized by a colleague atOslo and Akershus University Collegeof Applied Sciences.Ill have more to say about this special place in coming days. In the meantime, I thought Id post this ImaGeo postcard.

I photographed the scene up top as our Hurtigruten ship, the M/S Lofoten, was steaming out into Vestfjorden, a wide bight of water separating the Lofoten archipelago from the Salten district of Norway. (For a map, click here.)

Tommy Edvardsen, Chief Officer of the M/S Lofoten, on the bridge. (Photograph: Tom Yulsman)

The ship, built in 1964, is worth commenting on. Shes still got the original engine, which according to the crew may be distinguished in a remarkable way: among engines for which records have been kept, the M/S Lofotens may well be the longest operating engine on Earth 300,000 hours in all.

Moreover, as shes plied the waters between Bergen in the south and Kirkenes in the north, shestraveled a distance equivalent to the moon and back eight times,according to Tommy Edvardsen, Chief Officer of the ship. (Thats him at the helm in the photo at right.)

Im writing this from the town of Svolvaer, where Ill be staying for the next few days while Im helping with the course. When I get a chance, Ill share some of what Ive learned about this remarkable place, along with more photographs. So I hope youll check back for more.

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Postcard from Norway's Magical Lofoten Islands A Biodiversity Hotspot to Rival the Amazon