Yesterday felt like a Blue Day in Skjálfandi Bay. Seeing a blue whale is already a privilege. Meeting the largest animal ever known to live on Earth is something that never loses its magic. But yesterday was different.
A humpback whale with no name yet, but certainly one we won't forget. During one of our evening tours, this individual spent over 35 minutes breaching and chin slapping beneath the midnight sun. Why do whales breach? The truth is, we still don't know for sure.
May has already come to an end, and we feel lucky to have filled it with so many special moments out in Skjálfandi Bay. A month full of unforgettable experiences, many guests seeing whales for the very first time, others lucky enough to witness rare behaviors in wild nature, and some embracing the more challenging days of sailing in the North Atlantic.
Since the start of May, the bay has been growing more vibrant by the day. More and more humpback whales have arrived, and the sight of migratory birds on the water continuously increased. Among them is the Arctic tern—one of the most tireless wanderers on Earth.
After the first jumps of the season just recently, we had a day all about pectoral slapping the other day—a reminder of just how expressive and active humpback whales can be at times. Pectoral fins in whales are the evolutionary equivalent of the forelimbs of land mammals.
As the days fly by, the town becomes busier, brighter, and full of life. We’ve recently enjoyed several warm and sunny days, and at last it truly feels like summer is arriving. Around here, that means one thing: our high season is just around the corner.
Throughout the last month, thousands of puffins have been arriving back at Lundey (Puffin Island) after spending the winter far out at sea in the North Atlantic. Now the colony is full of activity as the birds prepare for the nesting season ahead.
The moment that so many passengers wait and dream for, the moment when one of these huge ocean giants suddenly launches out of the water in the most spectacular way imaginable. A breathtaking experience on its own.
Yesterday evening we had the pleasure of enjoying a beautiful concert here in Húsavík by local musician Ágúst. The church was filled with people of all ages, creating such a warm and special atmosphere.
The first weeks of the whale-watching season have already brought an exciting reminder of just how dynamic and far-reaching the lives of humpback whales are. Among the whales we’ve encountered so far are several known individuals—animals documented in previous years that have now returned once again to their feeding grounds in Northeast Iceland.
