Saturday, 3 July 2021
✔ CLASSIC WHALE TOUR ON SCHEDULE | 09:00
Report from Elding: Today was very sunny, with almost no wind. The sea was as calm as it can possibly be. So perfect conditions for a whale watching tour. If there was a bit of fog in the beginning we soon had a perfect visibility. After looking a bit we quickly found a first minke whale. It was a very nice and close sighting. During the tour we will be able to see at least 2-3 other minke whale. We went further out and found very quickly the same humpback whale that we saw yesterday. The animal was very easy to approach, first relaxing at the surface , then slowly swimming and diving. It surfaced several time at a few meters of our boat. Other boats were coming so we decide to leave the animal. We found a nice pod of 6-7 white beaked dolphins. There were not very interested by our boat but we could still see them well. We came back under a wonderful sun.
- Miquel Pons
✔ PREMIUM WHALE AND PUFFIN TOUR ON SCHEDULE | 10:00
Report from Þruma RIB: Incredible morning once again. Perfect wind and sea state, with a beautiful blue sky which provided ideal spotting conditions. Not long after heading out, we encountered the same humpback whale from yesterdays tour which remarkably, was exhibiting the same inquisitive behaviour. The whale was already gaining attention from other boats so we kept our distance and watched from afar. Once the larger boats vacated the area, we slowly approached, turned the engines off and waited. The whale came straight towards the boat, surveying its surroundings. Motionless, the whale stared at us from a 5 metre distance, before swinging its fins and carefully moving around the stern, lifting its tail, head and pectoral fins on many occasions. After our allotted time came to an end, we went in search elsewhere in the bay and found many minke whales. We observed several minke surfacing sequences and splashes as some individuals fed on the abundant prey species.
- Mike Smith
✔ CLASSIC WHALE TOUR ON SCHEDULE | 13:00
Report from Elding : This afternoon was sunny but once we were out in the bay we saw that it was very different than this morning. Wind was picking up and there was a thick fog everywhere. It was very challenging to spot the whales in those conditions but we manage to find a first minke whale that we could see from quite close. We tried to follow the marine mammal but it rapidly disappeared into the fog. We continue searching in an other area and found an other minke whale. Like the first one it quickly dived and never showed itself again. We were still looking for it when a pod of 5-7 white beaked dolphins showed up. There were visibly feeding and were not interested by out boat but we still could follow them a bit and have a look at them. We went back until Reykjavik appeared through the mist.
- Miquel Pons
✔ PREMIUM WHALE AND PUFFIN TOUR ON SCHEDULE | 14:00
Report from Þruma RIB: Conditions took a turn for the worse as thick fog rolled in from the ocean and wind stirred a small wave. the change in weather meant that spotting had become more challenging. After searching for some time we came across the path of 6-7 white beaked dolphins that split to form two separate groups. They were difficult to follow as their movements were unpredictable. On occasion they darted in around the bow, playing in the waves before changing course and surfacing in a new locations all within 50 metres of the vessel. The behaviour looked curious but cautious. After 15 minutes or so of difficult dolphins, we checked some other areas with no luck. We offered complimentary tickets due to the change in conditions and difficult animals.
- Mike Smith
✔ MIDNIGHT SUN/CLASSIC WHALE TOUR ON SCHEDULE | 20:30
Report from Elding: The day was still sunny even if the sun started to be lower, bringing a lovely light on Reykjavik. The sea was perfectly calm. We started in the same thick mist than this afternoon. The captain tried to sail south to avoid this fog and to find a better visibility. It was a smart move, we escaped the mist and could admire a beautiful bay. We found 3 minke whales during this tour that we could observe surfacing many times. We were helped by flocks of birds to spot the whales. We went back closer to Reykjavik and find a pod of 10 white beaked dolphins, with 4 calves. It was so heartwarming to see that. We came back to Reykjavik under a very nice sunset.
- Miquel Pons
Bird Species ID´d today: Northern Gannet, Atlantic Puffin, Manx Shearwater, Common Guillemot, Arctic tern, Arctic skua, Northern Fulmar, Kittiwake, Eider Duck, great-black backed gull, lesser black-backed gull, herring gull.
Today we will be operating on Þruma RIB for our 10:00 Premium tour and our lovely vessel Elding for the 09:00 and 13:00 Classic tour, but also at 20:30 for the Midnight tour. Make sure to dress appropriately for the tours as it is always colder on sea than on land. Join us by booking online or contact us directly for more information (elding@elding.is / +354 519 5000).
COVID-19: Keep in mind that passengers and crew are asked to ensure their own hygiene and safety at all times. Washing hands thoroughly with soap and using a hand sanitiser is advised. Masks are not mandatory but are recommended in areas where keeping distance from others is not possible.
