Tuesday, 11 June 2024

Today we will be operating our Classic Whale Watching on our lovely vessel Eldey at 9:00, 11:00, 13:00, 15:00 and 17:00 and our Premium Whale Watching on Þruma at 10:00, 12:00, 14:00, 16:00 and 20:00.

• CLASSIC WHALE TOUR | 9:00, 11:00, 13:00, 15:00, 17:00
• PREMIUM WHALE TOUR | 10:00, 12:00, 14:00, 16:00, 20:00

Report from Eldey: We sailed out today with amazing sea conditions! The ocean was like a silk sheet so this will make spotting any wildlife easy! After about 30min of sailing we spotted our first minke whale! This was changed direction quite a bit but we all got a good view. Because we did not want to lose any time so close to the harbour we decided to head further out. Not long after another minke! This one was more elusive, so we once again headed on. After about an hour of sailing it seemed we reached a good spot as we saw yet another minke but also a pod of 6 white beaked dolphins! It was tricky to say how many individuals there were as they were taking turns coming up and some stayed much further than others. We did have one curious individual that would bow ride during the entire encounter and then had a few individuals that were jumping completely out of the water as well! As we were watching we spotted many more (4) minkes in the distance. It was a really nice encounter with lots of different behaviours seen by the dolphins. When time was up we sadly had to head back home.

- Anna Richter

Report from Hafsúlan: This morning we sailed out in a very calm and flat sea. The wind was very weak and we barely needed the big jackets! With perfect sea conditions, now we just needed encounters with our favorite animals to make it better. So off we went! And a few minutes after passing by Gróttar lighthouse, we spotted in this mirror-glass surface some dorsal fins coming up! These belonged to a pod of 10 white-beaked dolphins, that came very close and very calm and slow. There was even a calf amongst them and we had fun watching it trying to keep up with the adults. After a while, we continued our way and spotted another pod of 5 dolphins, bowriding with us! As we wanted to see what else the bay had to offer, we continued, and a couple of minutes later... another pod of 4 dolphins, quite close! We then went to another area with a few fishing boats. There, we spotted a minke whale, that was a bit tricky to follow. We tried to see it more times but we realised our time was running out so we started our way back home, already excited with the sightings of the tour, but still passing by another pod of dolphins in the distance!

- Alex Paumier

Report from Eldey : Conditions at sea today were exceptionally calm. The waters surrounding our boat felt like a giant ondulating mirror, only disrupted by a few birds here and there and the sihouettes of other ships in the distance. While the land was receiving a bright sun, moving towards the center of Faxaflói bay we entered a mild mist, though visibility remained optimal and conditions absolutely perfect to look for the animals. Once we had entered the very center of the bay, we found a very social pod of about 7 white-beaked dolphins of which some individuals quickly came closer to our boat for the greatest joy of our passengers. We stuck with the pod for a little while before saying goodbye and moving on with our journey. A minke whale was spotted in the distance but quickly disappeared. On our way back to the harbour, we stumbled across another pod of white-beaked dolphins, seemingly actively hunting! A behaviour we do not spot too often. It translated in a lot of splashes, bursts of speed and birds flying in close circles above the whole scene, probably hoping for their share of the feast. After observing them for a few moments, we finally brought our passengers back to Reykjavik after the most agreeable afternoon. 

- Olivia Garcia

Report from Hafsúlan: We sailed out in a sunny and peaceful day. The sea was flat so it could help us to detect any movement in the horizon. We started exploring the bay and without difficulties we spotted our first minke whale, it was feeding and even came very close of the boat. We decided to continue our way and we spotted another minke whale. A few minutes after, another minke appeared to the same zone... WE WERE SURROUNDED BY MINKEEES! We enjoyed the views during some time and then we decided to explore new areas. Next to a 2 zodiacs we spotted a pod of 5-10 white-beaked dolphins and they were very sociable and playful with us. It was beautiful because we saw a baby dolphin with his mum. After a while, we returned slowly to the harbor and we also had the opportunity to see another pod of white-beaked dolphins and 2 minke whales. The passengers seemed happy with the experience and the sightings during the tour, and so were we!

- Sergi Gonzalez

Report from Eldey: We had quite a tour this afternoon. The sea was calm and the weather was sunnier and warmer than what has been the usual over the past few weeks. As soon as we left the harbour, the guide started his initial breefing...But didn´t even have the time to finish it, since a group of 3 harbour porpoises, immediately took the spotlight! They stayed with us for a short moment, but only a few minutes after, we saw a 2nd species, a minke whale, surfacing up for air. We had multiple other sightings of minkes trhoughout the journey (about 5). And to finish, like a cherry on top of a cake, we had a 3rd species sighting, a group of around 6 to 8 white-beaked dolphins. It was quite a tour, with a lot of happy faces in the end!

-Ricardo Mendes

black-legged kittiwake, Northern fulmar, Atlantic puffin, black-backed gull, black guillemot, Artic tern, common guillemot, Northern gannet, herring gull, common gull