Tour at 17:00
Report from Eldey: When we left the harbour in the evening the wind was quite strong but the sun was up so it still felt great to be outside and breath the fresh air. This time we had to sail far out to encounter our first wildlife. When we reached an area with hundreds of seabirds feeding we were very optimistic to also spot some whales and dolphins in the area. But this time we were wrong. After spending some time watching a great diversity of birds we decided to head further out. Again we found an area with big flocks of birds. And this time we were luckier - there were at least 3 minke whales in the area. Although they were the most of the time very elusive, showing only quick surfacings, one of them surfaced three times close to us in front of the vessel, so that most of us could see its body in all its elegance. Unfortunately, we had to leave this animal shortly after, since we had a very long way back home. But on some days we need to be patient and wait until the very last moment to see these beautiful animals.
- Nicole Koestner
Tour at 14:00
Report from Hafsulan: This tour proved that it is good to always stay optimistic and see the glass as half full. We started out in heavy rain and wind gusting in our faces. Fortunately, this is Iceland, where the weather never stays one way for long. So within an hour, we were in the sunshine and in an area with a couple smaller flocks of birds. We saw a minke whale surface just once and briefly. Of course, knowing it was in the area we decided to stay and wait for it a while. Our patience was rewarded - after a few difficult and quick surfaces, it decided to swim around the boat! It surfaced on our left, in front and then on our right, only about 20m away from us. That minke whale definitely proved how unpredictable they can be!
- Sabrina Voswinkel
Tour at 13:00
Report from Eldey: It was a wonderful flat sea on sailing out today, there was a little rain but lucky for us it was not to last too long. There was a lot of bird life out in the bay today, feeding in huge flocks which made finding them and the cetaceans a little easier. While observing a rather large flock of feeding seabirds a minke whale popped up. This animal surfaced a few times before it went for a longer dive. Two harbour porpoises also sprang up from the surf and swam right under the boat. After spotting another flock of birds in the distance more minke whales were spotted bringing up their grey/ black bodies as they surfaced. Throughout the tour we must have seen at least 6 different minkes, some were easier to watch than others but still lovely to see.
- Tess Hudson
Tour at 10:00
Report from Hafsulan: What an amazing day to celebrate the independence day of Iceland. It was a fantastic tour! But let's start from the beginning... This morning we were a little bit skeptical because the weather wasn't in its best moment, a light rain was the welcoming for our passengers and as soon as we started the tour the intensity of the storm increased, so it didn't seem that we were going to have a nice tour, though. However, everything can change in a matter of seconds in Iceland And indeed it did. Sun appeared and it brought a lot of seabirds flying around. As far as we knew, seabirds meant food available and we are using them as indicators of cetacean's presence and this time our perceptions were in the right direction. Suddenly, a minke whale popped-up and it didn't come alone, it seemed that they were everywhere! At least 6 individuals were surfacing now and then, here and there, close and far from the ship, it was a frenetic minke-moment! In the middle of this craziness, few harbour porpoises appeared just in front of the boat! We couldn't ask for anything else. When the time arrived, we decided to come back after more than 30 minutes of amusement with our minkes. It was hard to let them go because they were crossing in front of the boat all the time, it looked like they have enjoyed our company. So far so good we returned to the port, full of joy and good feeling. It was a fantastic morning for whale watching.
-Rodrigo A. Martinez Catalan
Tour at 9:00
Report from Eldey: Today we left the harbour in true Icelandic weather - light rain and a fresh breeze. However, the sea was calm, so that we had a relaxed time on board. Before we even reached our main sighting area, we could already tell that there was a lot going on in the bay today, as there were many big flocks of hundreds of birds feeding. And underneath the very first flock we already spotted our first minke whale. As this individual went for a very long dive when we got closer, we decided to head further out. And just a few flocks of birds further we found the perfect spot. We stopped the propellers and stayed in between several flocks of birds. And we did not have to wait long and found ourselves looking at several minke whales surfacing close and far away. So, you just had to look into one direction and wait and you could be certain one of these beauties would show up. Every time a great experience to see this bay so filled with life.
- Nicole Koestner
Birds seen on todays tours: black-legged kittiwake, atlantic puffin, northern gannet, northern fulmar, common guillemot, lesser black-backed gull, great black-backed gull, razorbill, arctic skua, manx shearwater and leach's storm petrel.
Status: RUNNING
We are sailing out from the Old Harbour in Reykjavik today at Iceland's national day. There is little wind today so the sea conditions are good. For those sensitive to motion sickness we do provide seasickness tablets to take before the tour, free of charge! For any further information please contact our ticket office at elding@elding.is or by phone at +354 519 5000.
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