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Monday, 20 February 2023
Today we will be operating on our lovely vessel Eldey for the 13:00 Classic Whale Watching tours. Make sure to dress appropriately for the tours as it is always colder on sea than on land.
- CLASSIC WHALE TOUR | 9:00
- CLASSIC WHALE TOUR | 13:00
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.
CLASSIC WHALE TOUR | 13:00
Report from Eldey: Today we had four seasons in one day! We sailed out in windy conditions and I could see a huge grey cloud infront of us. As we approached it, it turned out to be a hail-cloud not a rain cloud! It did not last very long and we quickly made it out the other side and were now greeted by blue skies. After about an hour of sailing we reached Hafnarfjordur and we saw multiple blows in the distance. There were about 4 humpback whales in the area, 2 of which we saw very closely, and one of which was lunge feeding quite a bit! We stayed a bit but eventually headed back when time ran out. On the return journey, we sailed into more snow and then arrived at a sunny Reykjavik.
- Anna Richter
Bird species encountered today include:
Common guillemot, black headed gull, eider duck, Northern Fulmar, black legged kitiwake, great cormorant, greater and lesser black backed gulls, black guillemot, Northern gannet, razorbills
Wildlife encountered today:
The Humpback Whale is quite spectacular undergoing the longest migration of any mammal (5176miles/8334km one way), attracting females by singing to them and of course their energetic nature. On many occasions humpbacks have been seen breaching, tail slapping, fin slapping, blowing bubbles and spy hopping just to mention a few. The humpback is also one of the larger whales we encounter
Currently, we know of over 90 different species of Whales, dolphins and Porpoises collectively called cetaceans. These range from the largest animal that has ever lived on our planet the Blue Whale to the smallest the Hectors dolphin. They are found in every one of our oceans and even some of our rivers. Anyone that has been whale watching and seen these magnificent mammals up close can tell you that it is an experience never forgotten and a feeling of amazement and happiness not quite understood.
Seabirds are an important part of every whale watching tour and they often guide us to the whales. During the summer months the puffins make a spectacle of themselves as well as the gannets, fulmars, guillemots, skuas, arctic terns and many more. The winter birdlife is not so diverse but it is nice to see certain species in areas that you wouldn't normally see.