Monday, 19 July 2021

Monday, 19 July 2021

✔ CLASSIC WHALE TOUR ON SCHEDULE | 09:00 

Report from Elding : The sea was very nice today, flat with just a bit of swell, cloudy but no wind. Days like this the bay has a silver colour making the spotting very easy. We headed to an area where whales were seen during the previous day. In the way we found a minke whale. We felt like we would find more so we continued and we arrived in an area with many birds, puffins everywhere. First we saw a pod of 8 white beaked dolphins that came to see us. They showed us several types of behaviour, they were feeding and porpoising fast in the water, coming bow riding a bit and clearly friendly with our boat, then socializing together caressing and getting very close of each other, then jumping with splashes and feeding again. It was wonderful. We also found a humpback whale in the same area that was very relaxed, probably resting. We could observe it for a while and it gave us two very nice fluke dives. Meanwhile they were other minke whales around us further away. We also saw the first baby guillemots of the season, which are probably the cutest living creatures. During the way back we saw a group of 4-5 harbour porpoises, 2 other minke whales. Perfect tour.

- Miquel Pons

✔ PREMIUM WHALE TOUR  ON SCHEDULE | 10:00

Report from Þruma: Amazing conditions greeted us this morning as hardly any wind blew and the sea was beautifully calm. As always on such days, we left the harbour full of optimism for the day ahead as we couldn't ask for better wildlife viewing conditions. We encountered four separate cetacean species, beginning with a pod of 6-8 white-beaked dolphins that had a recent new addition to their pod with a mother and calf amongst the group. The calf was extremely young as it had a darker complexion and the dorsal fin which is rigid in adults, was very flexible when the calf surfaced. Although they had such a young member in the pod, all the dolphins came close and rode in the pressure waves of the bow, allowing for an amazing up close view of the newborn. We followed this by finding a very curious minke whale shortly after. It must be the same small individual that has interacted with the boats in previous days and it continued to display such strong curiosity. The minke came close on many occasions, circling our boat within 10metres. Harbour porpoises were seen next as we made our way to our key searching area. A small pod consisting of 5-6 individuals made for easy watching in the flat seas. Finally, we finished by watching a humpback whale surfaced multiple times, lifting its fluke whilst performing a deep dive.

- Mike Smith

✔ CLASSIC WHALE TOUR ON SCHEDULE | 13:00 

Report from Eldey: Sunny in the bay and flat seas. That's what we got as a start for our tour today. People were excited to look for the animals as they approached the guiding box of our vessel at the top deck. One of our passengers spotted a minke whale and after some blows we could not find the individual again. As we kept going we managed to find a humpback whale which was taking some deep dives and showing us its fluke. It was lovely as it approached our vessel a few times. It did not seem to be disturbed by us at all. After some time with the animal we decided to explore some other areas where we encountered a pod of 3-4 white beaked dolphins. It was a great tour. One of my top 5 this season at least.

- Jorge Pascual

✔ PREMIUM WHALE TOUR ON SCHEDULE | 14:00 

Report from Þruma: Another incredible tour occurred this afternoon. The fantastic conditions continued into the afternoon and we knew the bay was bursting with life earlier so we were very eager to go out once again. This tour began by watching a humpback whale come to the surface a few times, before lifting its large tail very high for a deep dive. The whale was known for performing very long dives at this time so we decided to further our search. Next a different pod of 4-5 white-beaked dolphins were seen, gracefully moving through the still waters. The swam side by side, surfacing in synchrony. The dolphins were happy keeping to themselves and after nice views from a short distance we headed towards a large flock of feeding seabirds. Under the birds were 4-5 minke whales feeding over a scattered area. The minke showed the speed and power, creating a large splash when at the surface.

- Mike Smith

✔ MIDNIGHT WHALE TOUR ON SCHEDULE | 20:30 

Report from Elding: What a tour. Possibly my best tour as a guide. Again, the amazing conditions persisted and we left the harbour almost expecting to see wildlife due to the days events. It did not take us long to find the small, curious minke whale that has been residing in Faxafloi for a couple of weeks and once again, the whale came within touching distance of the boat repeatedly. Over and over the young whale circled the ship, lifting its head as if it was spying on the passengers that watched with amazement. The whale happily moved about our stationary boat for over 30 minutes. It was incredible. After such an encounter, we didn't expect to match it, let alone potentially experiencing something better but... an energetic humpback whale had other plans. We could see the whale breaching continuously as we approached and we first saw the whale from a large distance and the behaviour never stopped. Breach after breach for our entire time with the whale. When it did decide to pause briefly, it switched to pectoral fin slapping. Rolling onto its side and back, raising its tremendous fins high from the ocean before slapping them back with an almighty thud. We watched in silence, other than the sounds of the whale crashing against the sea and the occasional deep guttural call as it took a breath. When we ran out of time and journeyed home, the whale continued to breach until it disappeared from sight.

- Mike Smith

Bird Species ID´d today: Northern Gannet, Atlantic Puffin, 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. 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.