Whales around the world
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.
Whale watching in Iceland
23 species or cetaceans have been known to frequent the surrounding oceans and seas of Iceland. Not including the numerous seabirds, seals and basking sharks. The abundance of food around our shores provides the marine life with excellent feeding grounds. Summer (May – August) is the peak season for seeing the most marine life but the winter months have also been very productive with the added bonus of beautiful snow capped mountains, sun setting skies and opportunities, from other tours, to see the incredible Northern Lights.
Whales around Iceland
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Read more...Northern bottlenose whales are found only in the North Atlantic and are the largest members of the beaked whale family Ziphiidae in the North Atlantic Ocean. They were last seen in Faxafloi Bay on one of our tours in 2008, usually observed in the north of Iceland. A defining characteristic of this species is the large bulbous forehead and the stubby beak is well defined and a pointed
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Read more...We used to see them occasionally when we first started operating out of Sandgerði but Faxaflói is too shallow but it is not impossible to see them when going from harbours on the other side of the Reykjanes.
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Read more...This species is endemic to the temperate waters of the North Atlantic Ocean, but is not seen often on our tours.
It can be easy to mistake Atlantic white-sided dolphins for the closely related and more commonly observed white-beaked dolphin but the former is somewhat smaller and the back, fluke, flippers, and dorsal fin being black while their belly is white.