The Lofoten Islands, that's midnight sun and northern lights. Fish and sturdy boats. Grey/black mountains rise from the deep blue ocean high into the sky. At their feet there are small wooden fishing villages where cod dries on racks. Eagles circle above schools of herring, driven to the coast by killer whales. Otters on the rocks chew on the fish and crabs they just caught. The Norwegian archipelago the Lofoten, located above the Arctic Circle, is considered among the most beautiful archipelagos in the world. On this website photographer Eric Fokke shows why.

A dramatic start to the week. Skjaerbrygge in Stamsund was completely destroyed in a fire. The iconic building from 1845 was for a long time of great importance for the fisheries, in recent years for tourism and as a meeting point for residents. Many weddings have been celebrated in the restaurant with thick wooden beams. Not just a loss for Stamsund, but for the entire Lofoten Islands. Sad.