Aksels videoblogg

Aksel's video blog

Hello! I'm Aksel, 22 years old from Stavanger. Currently studying in Trondheim, with perhaps Norway's best diving location a drive away. I have been actively diving for the past six years, and as soon as I have the opportunity I jump in!

The experiences I have underwater are simply so wonderful that I wanted to share them with more people. That's why I've now started to cut these videos together, I hope you like them!

Every winter, there is a window where huge fish can be shot in an unusual type of spearfishing. We gave it a go!

"Pipe diving" refers to spearfishing around pipes where discarded water from land-based fish farms are flushed out to sea. Bits of food attract shoals of coalfish, and all the noise attracts bigger predators. 20kg cods can come within range, as well as other beasts.

With fish generally diving deeper during winter, this is a great way to harvest fresh sea food. The meat of anything but the coalfish is superb!

In this video, there was generally little food in the water. The reason for the cloud coming out of the pipes is that fresh water from the pipe mixes with salt water.
We talked with several local workers, who told us that better filtration was mandatory in the later years.
This is great for the environment, but also means that "pipe diving" might be a thing of the past.

Halibuts are not easy to find, and sometimes you have to use weeks to get one on the spear. On a work trip earlier this fall, I joined Martin for a dive in the northern part of Norway, and it was our only chance to get one.

My previous attempts are of course included, enjoy!

In the beginning of September, the world spearfishing championship was hosted in Spain, and I was representing Norway.

We had a couple of days with scouting before the competition, but the conditions shifted to the extent that we had to relearn pretty much everything. Also I've never dived south of Norway before, definitely not an advantage.

Still, competitions like this are a great way to gather new insights into the sport, and meet old and new friends. Had an absolute blast, and its a memory I'll think of for years to come.

Hope you enjoy it!

Vast kelp forests, lots of fish on the sonar, and nothing but ocean around makes for a perfect day.

It's extremely rare the weather allows people to travel to these islands and shallows, so chances are we're the first to find what lies beneath the surface here.

Check out the video to see what the day brought!

Somewhere during the recording of the voiceover I caught the flu, bonus points if you can find the exact moment;)

The archipelago right next to Norway's deepest fjord, Sognefjorden, with the Atlantic Ocean straight in from the west is truly beautiful. A two-day spearfishing trip here, with a boat to take us wherever we want is bound to be good!

Promising bridges, deep drops, reefs and tidal currents are waiting, luckily with some local know-how. High seawater temperatures make it surprisingly difficult to find fish, but persistence pays off!

An invitation to spend a day at sea with great people, with a feast later, is not something to decline. Beautiful scenery, fish, a deep sea monster (ish) and more are waiting:)

Thanks for everyone who joined!


This legendary location is known throughout Norway as challenging, but rewarding. Several record fish have been shot here, including the national record of a 12.2kg pollack, and cods well above 10kg!

Despite its potential, this tidal current requires hard work to master.
After multiple trips here over the years, with no catch, the dream of pulling a big cod up from the current stayed alive. Last week, it finally came true!

My biggest "what the actual f*ck" moment from my diving career so far, is waiting at the very end.

When the sea warms up for the summer season, the sea explodes with life! Even though the winter visibility is long gone, it is exciting to once again spearfish for the curious pollock!

Combining the dive trip with some camping in the beautiful Norwegian scenery definitely gave the weekend that extra touch:)

Vlog style video.

This time we went spearfishing during the night, only using pole spears! The darkness adds a level of challenge, but we catch some delicious fish and have an unforgettable encounter with a friendly squid.

A dive so fun, it was even worth changing in -15°C!

As always, the Norwegian waters keep on giving:)


Join us on an exciting winter spearfishing adventure here in Norway, as we attempt to catch enough food to feed a party of 40! Along the way, we encounter some mouth-watering delicacy crabs, the first fish school in months, and some massive fish.

But it's not all fun, and there's at least one proper heartbreaking moment waiting. Will we manage to feed the hungry crowd?

During the dark and cold winter months, diving might not seem like the go-to activity. However, it definitely should be! Beautiful light and visibility over 20 meters is one thing, the amazing catches you can get another.

In the video there's flatfish all over from a few dives down south, and huge wolffish and cods towards the north! Hope you enjoy!

Crystal clear water and all the scallops you can dream of?

Sounds like the perfect motivation to get in the water, even though winter is closing in here in Norway. Getting my first ling on the spear was a nice bonus! Hitra never disappoints :)

See all the videos from Aksel Ørstavik on YouTube.

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