Whale Diary

It was a beautiful day in Faxaflói bay. We encountered humpback whales (including the well-known individual Mr. Bubbles) breaching, tail slapping, peduncle throwing and feeding surfacing. We also saw white-beaked dolphins bow riding, jumping and interacting closely with the whales. Harbour porpoises passed briefly through the bay, and a wide range of seabirds were present.

It was a productive day at sea with calm to slightly choppier conditions and a mix of sunshine and light rain over the bay. We encountered multiple humpback whales showing relaxed surfacing, feeding behaviour, fluke dives and even breaching, alongside a rare and spectacular breaching minke whale. Overall sightings were spread across the bay, with repeated encounters.

We had mixed sunshine and light winds today in Reykjavík. We encountered harbour porpoises passing briefly through the bay, white-beaked dolphins playing around feeding whales and riding bow waves, and several humpback whales showing feeding behaviour, breaching, pec slaps, tail slaps and close approaches to the vessel. Atlantic puffins were also seen around the islands.

It was a rainy day at sea with occasional horizontal rain and generally low visibility, but rewarding sightings throughout. We encountered humpback whales travelling, feeding, resting at the surface (logging) and showing occasional fluke dives, fluke slaps and pectoral fin slapping. Despite the weather, encounters were varied and truly memorable.

It was a spectacular day at sea with glassy calm conditions and overcast skies. We encountered harbour porpoises passing quickly in small groups, minke whales travelling and feeding with brief but close surfacings, and humpback whales showing feeding behaviour with fluke dives and even breaching. Atlantic puffins were also seen around the islands on the return.

Today we had calm, flat conditions and cloudy skies. We encountered minke whales, white-beaked dolphins, harbour porpoises and humpback whales. These animals showed a wide range of behaviour, including coordinated feeding movements, bow-riding and powerful lunge feeding with striking surface displays. A fantastic day in Faxaflói bay!

Today offered beautiful whale watching conditions with calm seas and light winds throughout the day. We encountered multiple minke whales, several harbour porpoises and a playful pod of white-beaked dolphins. Highlights included close encounters with the minkes and dolphins approaching the boat, with some even leaping nearby. A wonderful day on the water with plenty of excellent sightings.

Today brought excellent whale watching conditions with calm seas and light winds throughout Faxaflói Bay. We encountered humpback whales, minke whales, white-beaked dolphins and numerous harbour porpoises. Highlights included beautiful fluke dives, close dolphin encounters and frequent porpoise sightings, making for a diverse and memorable day at sea.

A calm and beautiful morning on Faxaflói bay, where a group of 5 white-beaked dolphins came in close to investigate the boat, along with a brief glimpse of a shy harbour porpoise. In the afternoon, the sunshine continued and we found a humpback whale that started off calm before treating us to some impressive pectoral slapping. A lovely day out on the water!

A beautifully calm morning on Faxaflói bay, where we found a humpback whale that treated us to some pectoral slapping — a remarkable display to witness up close! In the afternoon, the flat calm conditions continued and we found another humpback whale with graceful fluke dives, returning to it later for an even better look, its whole body visible through the still water. A wonderful day of learning from and admiring these incredible animals!

A cloudy morning but a great one, as a pod of 5-7 white-beaked dolphins suddenly appeared right beside the boat, surfing the waves and socialising! In the afternoon the seas calmed and things got even better. A pod of 7-10 white-beaked dolphins, including a calf, were jumping and spinning all around us, and then three humpback whales appeared in the distance, one of them breaching and tail-throwing! An incredible afternoon out on Faxaflói bay!

A chilly but rewarding day on Faxaflói bay! This morning we spotted two humpback whales, with one earning the nickname "fluky-ful" from our captain for its consistent fluke dives. In the afternoon we found Chopper the humpback whale surfacing close to the boat, and in the evening Chopper was back again, this time lunge-feeding right next to us alongside a brief sighting of a minke whale. Three tours, three great results!

A windy and wavy morning out on Faxaflói bay, with plenty of birds but unfortunately no cetaceans to be found today. We gave all our guests complimentary tickets to try again another day. The afternoon tour was cancelled due to increasing winds — the safety and comfort of our passengers is always our top priority!
 

A sunny and dry morning out on Faxaflói bay! We found a pod of 6 white-beaked dolphins, including a mother and calf, who joined us twice during the tour, along with a minke whale passing through. In the afternoon, the waves had picked up a little and after a brief sighting of harbour porpoises, we couldn't find any more cetaceans. We gave all afternoon guests complimentary tickets to try their luck again another day. The sunny spell was lovely while it lasted!

A smooth morning out on the bay, where we found a group of harbour porpoises and then two humpback whales, surfacing and diving all around us. In the afternoon, the sunshine brought some beautiful rainbow blows from a humpback whale, which we were able to identify as Chopper — one of our regulars! We then spotted a second humpback whale in the distance before heading back to harbour. Always a treat to see a familiar face out on Faxaflói bay!

A classic Icelandic morning with sun and rain, and a lovely group of 7 white-beaked dolphins right out of the harbour, including 2 playful juveniles! In the afternoon, we headed out into a bit of wind and rain and found a large, calm humpback whale with some beautiful fluke dives. In the evening, we spotted 5-6 curious harbour porpoises and then a humpback whale feeding actively — treating us to a lunge, deep dives, and fluke dives getting closer each time. A full day out on Faxaflói bay!

A serene morning out on Faxaflói bay, where we first encountered a pod of 3 white-beaked dolphins, then a more playful pod of 7 leaping and socialising nearby. To top it off, a humpback whale appeared right in front of the boat! In the afternoon, we found a small group of white-beaked dolphins surfacing close to the boat, and a minke whale to finish things off nicely. A lovely day out on the water!

A fantastic calm morning with high visibility — we encountered an enormous group of 15-20 white-beaked dolphins jumping and feeding around the boat, then 10 more shortly after, and a humpback whale on the way back feeding in a frenzy of seabirds! In the afternoon, we spotted harbour porpoises, a humpback whale, and a pod of 11 white-beaked dolphins — but the true highlight was a tiny minke whale calf, no more than 3 metres long, who took a curious interest in our boat and spent time circling, swimming upside-down and blowing bubbles right beside us. In the captain's 13 years with Elding, he had seen this only four or five times — a truly unforgettable encounter!

A glorious sunny morning out on Faxaflói bay! We found a humpback whale feeding right next to the boat, treating us to some lovely fluke dives, and then spotted 5 white-beaked dolphins including a mom and calf jumping in the distance before coming in close for a great look. In the afternoon, we found a juvenile humpback whale with beautiful fluke dives, and on the way back a minke whale appeared right in front of the boat along with a small group of harbour porpoises. One of those days where Faxaflói just keeps on giving!

A lovely sunny morning out on Faxaflói bay, where we found a humpback whale treating us to some nice fluke dives before heading back to harbour. In the afternoon, the sunshine continued with a bit of a breeze, and this time we spotted not one but two humpback whales! They gave us some great close looks and beautiful fluke dives before we headed back with big smiles. A great day on the bay!