Sunday, 1 August 2010

Tour at 17:00

We sailed out in beautiful weather, calm sea and sunshine from time to time creating beautiful light on the mountains around Reykjavík. We started the tour by sailing straight out to Faxaflói and had to search for a long time before we suddenly spotted a Minke Whale surfacing a little far away from us. We tried to approach it and could see it coming up to the surface quite a few times but unfortunately couldn't get closer than around 80 meters away from it. When we left this whale we found two more Minke Whales and they came up at the same time and even came really close to the boat so we could see them extremely well! Our patience therefore paid off and we had some very good sightings after the long search. On the way back we stopped in Puffin Island Akurey and saw a few puffins around the island, arctic terns, arctic skuas and gulls. Then on the way back to the harbour we could see schools of fish in the surface, kind of like boiling water, all around! All in all a very nice tour.

 

Tour at 14:00

We went first to the Puffin Island Akurey there were not so many Puffins on the island. But we got lucky and spotted some more out at the bay. We spotted a Minke Whale and stayed in the area. Suddenly we spotted more Minke Whales surfacing in the same direction.There were also many birds in the same area. We saw many diving Gannets. The Minke Whales surfaced allaround us and two times they came so close to the boat that we still saw it under the water surface. Really nice! When there were many birds gathering at the same place we also saw a Minke Whale surface feeding! We came really happy and satisfied back to the harbour after a really nice tour!!

 

Tour at 13:00

The weather was still very calm and we started the tour in Puffin Island Lundey. There were many puffins on Lundey and we could see them flying around and swimming on the surface. Then we headed out to Faxaflói and in around 50 minutes suddenly a Minke Whale popped up just in front of us! We could follow this whale for a long time and in the same area more whales came up, at one time there were probably 3 individuals around the boat. We could have them really close at times and had a very good look at them. A great tour!

 

Tour at 10:00

We stopped first at the Puffin Island Akurey many Puffins were flying above the island and some were sitting on the water surface. After this nice visit the headed out into the Faxaflói bay and we didnt got far when we spotted a Basking Shark. It was staying really close to the surface and we got really close we saw its open mouth under the surface and its whole body. Really nice start for our trip. We spotted a Minke Whale out at the bay and stayed with it almsot the whole time. It surfaced in 2 to 3 shallowed dives and went for a deeper one but never went really far so we easily spotted it again. It was a really nice Minke Whale and a really nice tour.

 

Tour at 9:00

We sailed out in cloudy but completely calm weather and started the tour in Puffin Island Akurey. There were quite many puffins on the island this morning and we could have a good look at them. Then we sailed out to Faxaflói and after sailing for about 40 minutes we spotted black backs coming up in front of us: A group of White Beaked Dolphins! They were really nice to watch and were quite many together and at times they came so close that we could see them under the surface. They even breached out of the water a few times showing their whole body. Then a little further we spotted a Minke Whale and this whale was also really nice to watch, coming close to the boat so we could hear the breathing and see the blowhole. An excellent sighting. We then headed back to Reykjavík after a beautiful tour in Faxflói.