SYLVÍA CELEBRATING 40TH BIRTHDAY
Even though our whale watching season has finished, there are still many things going on around Gentle Giants. During the winter time, when boats do not sail, they undergo annual maintenance. Especially oak boats need a lot of care. However this year, our oak boat Sylvía will get a special beauty treatment: for her 40th birthday she expects a real makeover.
In 2007, oak boat Sylvía joined the Gentle Giants fleet. Ever since, she has taken out uncountable whale watchers on our GG1 Whale Watching tour to experience the wildlife of Skjálfandi Bay. Being able to carry up to 60 passengers at a time, she is the perfect whale watching boat for individual travellers, couples, families and even groups. The high front makes her look very proud, crossing Skjálfandi Bay with self confidence in search for whales.
Sylvía with passengers experiencing the wildlife of Skjálfandi Bay. Photo: Sarah Arndt.
However, Sylvía's history started long before her career as a traditional whale watching boat. She was built in Akureyri (NE Iceland) in 1976 and served as a fishing boat for many years. Changing owners several times, she has been sailing under numerous names as for example Reykjaborg, Harpa and Björgvin.
Sylvía in the years before, serving as a fishing vessel under the name Harpa. Photo: Hafþór Hreiðarsson.
Still a fishing boat in 2007, Sylvía was refurbished within a few weeks only after she had been bought by Gentle Giants Whale Watching. On 7th July 2007, she arrived to her new home harbour Húsavík and started serving as a whale watching boat together with oak boat Faldur (2002) and Athena (2005). Sylvía is named after the manager's daughter, Sylvía Dís Stefánsdóttir.
07/07/07 when Sylvía sailed into Húsavík harbour for the first time with a new purpose. On board are guides Daniel and Jesse. Photo: Stefán Guðmundsson.
Sylvía finished her 10th whale watching season a few weeks ago to undergo some maintenance. But it is not only about an annual beauty treatment: For her 40th birthday she will be fully renovated – from the outside as well as from the inside – to allow our passengers an even better experience out at sea.
Hence, the focus will be for example on the seating areas for our passengers around the boat, to make the inside more spacious as well as some significant changes on the viewing platform up on the wheelhouse roof. Only two years ago, Sylvía already got a new and modern engine update whilst last year, the wooden panels casing the boat were exchanged.
The photos above show the current interior and exterior renovation on Sylvía with captain Hallgrímur in charge. Photos: Miroslav Cibul'a.
We are proud of our oak boat Sylvía and look forward to welcome whale watchers aboard this beauty for many more years to come!