Monday, 4 July 2011

Tour at 20:30

WHAT A TOUR!!, the sunset was one of the best, stunningly beautiful. We started at Akurey saw the Puffins then we saw a Minke Whale really close to land. If you were standing on land at Grótta you would of been able to see this Minke Whale. Then we saw a pod of Harbour Porpoises. At least 6-8 individuals with a couple of calves really interacting with the boat. Swimming around us, rolling, surfing the wakes from the boat. So often you could see them just beneath the waters surface just 5-10 meters from our boat. Next we saw another Minke Whale that we stayed with for a little while and it surfaced a couple of times 30-40 meters from us. We started to head back after this and it wasn't long before we saw another pod of Harbour Porpoises again really interactive. One of the most memorable tours.

 

Tour at 14:00

We didn't do the Puffin Island at the start of the tour but we went there at the end. There was not as may Puffins on this encounter as on previous tours but it was really nice to see the ones that were there. The Whales were a little bit more difficult at the start of the tour but later on we found one Minke Whale that was FANTASTIC!! Surfaced many times, sometimes you could see it just beneath the waters surface and whereabouts it was going to surface. It also was surfing in the waves and on occasion came within 20 meters from our boat. REALLY great Minke. There were at least 4-5 Minke Whales we saw on this tour but one was the star!

 

Tout at 13:00

Data missing

 

Tour at 10:00

We headed straight out to Akurey to see the puffins. We saw thousands of puffins sitting on the surface around the island and flying around it, very nice start of the tour. Then only 5 minutes later we spotted a minke whale!!! So close to land! It came up 4-5 times before swimming away, what a nice start of the tour! Then we searched for some time further out in the bay. There was a lot of food in the area for the whales and the birds so we scanned the area slowly. And it paid off! Suddenly we were surrounded by 6 minke whales! Great tour!

 

Tour at 09:00

Report from Hafúlan: In nice weather, calm sea and cloudy we headed out to Faxaflói to find the whales. We stopped for a few minutes close to the puffin island Lundey and spotted many puffins. Out in the bay we found about 3-5 minke whales. The first one and the last one were the best ones. They surfaced many times and very close. The whales in between were diving for a long time so it was very difficult to get close to them and follow them. All together very nice tour.

Report from Elding: Really nice sea conditions and luckily the rain stayed away. We started at Akurey and there were so many Puffins flying around and sitting on the waters surface. Then once we got out into Faxaflói it wasn't long before we found the Whales. The first sign we saw was a flock of feeding seabirds and once again they showed us to the whale. There were at least 5-8 Minke Whales on this tour. Some on occasion coming within 20-30 meters. It is really exciting when they surface so close unexpectedly. Also at one point in the tour we saw a couple of Gannets doing their spectacular diving sequences.

 

Birds seen on tour: Puffins, fulmars, black backed gulls, guillemots, fulmars, gulls, arctic terns, gannets, Razorbills, Kittiwakes, Arctic Skuas.