Sunday, 18 August 2024

• CLASSIC WHALE TOUR | 09:00, 11:00, 13:00, 19:00
• CLASSIC WHALE TOUR | 15:00, 17:00
• PREMIUM WHALE TOUR | 10:00, 12:00, 14:00
• PREMIUM WHALE TOUR | 16:00

Report from Eldey: The day began with a crisp, cold breeze, but the sun was shining brightly, making the chilly weather more bearable. As we sailed out into the bay, the excitement was palpable, and it didn't take long for nature to reward us. Just 20 minutes into our journey, we spotted a blow on the horizon. As we drew closer, we were thrilled to see our first humpback whale of the day. It surfaced gracefully, and we spent some time observing it as it moved through the water. However, as more boats began to arrive, we decided to leave, not wanting to overcrowd the whale.

Continuing our exploration around the islands just outside of Reykjavik, our patience paid off once again. We found another humpback whale, this one fluking gently, its tail rising and falling with each dive. As the morning moved on, we began our journey back to the harbor, but the sea had one more surprise for us. In the distance, another blow caught our attention, and as we approached, we recognized the familiar tail—it was David Jones, a whale we had encountered before. Seeing David Jones again was a special moment, and we watched as he fluked a few more times before we reluctantly turned back towards Reykjavik. The day was a perfect blend of sunshine, cold air, and unforgettable encounters with these magnificent creatures.

-Maria Ernesto

Report from Hafsula: We set off into the wind making it quite cold but nothing we can't handle. Just like yesterday the whales were not too far away from the harbour. After about 25 minutes we spotted a big blow ahead of us from a humpback whale. This was the first of 6 humpbacks we would see across this tour. We got to see many fluke dives and one even rolled a couple times so we got to see a huge pectoral fin. At one point we were in an area with 4 fairly close to each other along with many plunge diving Northern gannets. In this area we also had a minke whale come very close to our boat. It looked like quite a big minke. We then headed home into the sun after a great morning.

- Rob Hyman

Report from Eldey : when we left the harbour a mild swell was still present together with a cold northern wind, but the weather rapidly improved, to our great pleasure. Like yesterday, we only had to travel slightly west to the islands to find our first humpback whale. On the way, we also briefly spotted a minke whale, and the another one mid tour. The humpback, like all the others we spotted that day, was probably feeding into the water column, regularly deep diving and shallow diving, changing directions frequently. We then spotted four other humpbacks within the same area, all presenting the same behaviour, and we had heaps of gorgeous fluke dives to watch ! Two of the whales even decided to surface pretty close to our boat. We finally headed back under a beautiful sun and flat seas. 

Olivia Garcia

Report from Eldey- Once again, we sailed in very windy conditions, but the afternoon was beautifully sunny. We were thrilled that just a few minutes into our journey, we spotted a humpback whale feeding, moving its fin, and performing lunges. This was our first encounter, and it filled us with joy.

After 25 minutes of sailing further, we continued our watch. Suddenly, at the 12 o'clock position, we witnessed a slow and awe-inspiring breach. It caught us completely by surprise, leaving us speechless with happiness. After this majestic display, the whale took a long dive, and we continued sailing, admiring the breathtaking views near Hvalfjörður (Whale Bay).

As we neared Hvalfjörður (Whale Bay), we were stunned once more to see another breach just 60 meters from us from another humpback whale. The sight was incredible, and soon after, we saw another whale tail-slapping for a good minute. Despite the strong winds, every moment was worth it.

All too soon, our time was up, and we began our slow journey back to Reykjavík, leaving behind a beautiful sunset, a sight that never fails to amaze during the midnight tour. Happy memories were made on this tour, and everyone seemed to be smiling as we headed home.

Claudia Albir

northern gannet, Atlantic puffin, northern fulmar, eider duck, arctic tern, arctic skua, greylag goose, great black backed gull, lesser black backed gull, herring gull, black headed gull, black legged kittiwake, common guillemot, black guillemot