Whales
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July 2006: Whale watching in Húsavík |
Whale watching is a popular activity in many places in Iceland - especially in Húsavík. We explored the bay of Skjálfandi - first stopping to see the puffins on the island of Lundey, then heading out to see the whales further to the west. Here, a Humpback whale breaks the surface of the water. |
Whale watching can often be more accurately described as "tail" watching. Here, a humpback whale flips his tail before making a dive for more food. |
The boat we took was a sailing schooner. We used the engine for most of the trip, but were able to sail most of the way back. Luckily we had good weather! |
I'm not sure which this is... perhaps a Minke whale? |
There are only a couple companies operating out of Húsavík, so it doesn't get too crowded. We mostly had the whales to ourselves... that is when they were cooperating. Whale watching involves a good bit of guessing, as you never know where the whale might resurface. |
The boat captain was a nice guy... and he had an honest-to-goodness captain's pipe to boot! |
Actually, I partially considered the whale watching an excuse to get out on the water and see new perspectives in Iceland. Here a sailboat moves beneath the steep seaside mountains of Víknafjöll. |
Where is it? There are a number of places to go whale watching in Iceland and elsewhere around the world. But in Iceland, Húsavík is a good choice. |
Before you go... For the Húsavík trips, there's not much point in booking a trip too far in advance. Wait until you get there, see how the weather is, and decide if/when you want to do it. |
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