If you've been following underwater photographers on social media this winter, you may have noticed an exodus from tropical climes in January and early February to the Arctic latitudes of Northern Norway.

The chance to see and shoot orcas feeding on herring in their natural habitat was the lure for an increasing number of photographers (and tourists, too) to spend prolonged periods in water that hovers around the 39 degrees F mark (downright balmy compared to the air temperatures, which plunge to 5 degrees).

Underwater photographer Tony Wu was one of the photographers who stuck around longest this season, spending more than three weeks aboard the expedition sailboat Barba, a private Norwegian vessel that based out of Hamn i Senja (where tourists can also depart for daytrips to see the orcas).

Orcas aren't the only whales showing up for the feast. Humpbacks and even fin whales also converge every winter in Andfjord to gorge on the migratory over-wintering herring.

And if you've ever wondered what it feels like to come eye to eye with the ocean's apex predators as they amass skittish schools of millions of herring into a bait ball and eat them, one by one, Wu sums it up well.

"You can see that animal asking itself what are you, what are you doing, why can't you swim well?" he begins, in this video (above) by Norway's Dagens Naeringsliv TV that will make you want to book next winter's trip to Norway now.

See more of Wu's orca and humpback photos from Northern Norway and other outtakes from the expedition here, including an insane video of Barba's captain freediving with a subwing behind his sailboat while the orcas come in for a closer look.

(Video: Dagens Naeringsliv TV)

Interested in Orcas? Check out these fun facts and photos.