BLUE WHALE SEASON HAS STARTED
Every year by the end of May a well-known excitement is spreading over the bay and harbour area of Húsavík. Any day now the first migrating blue whale might reach the waters of Skjálfandi Bay, likely staying for a short stop-over to feast on the plankton and krill which the bay has to offer – after all a blue needs about 5 tons of food a day whilst visiting its feeding grounds.
Already yesterday in the late afternoon rumours were spreading of the first blue whale being sighted, but it would take another hour until the sighting was confirmed. A massive blue whale was surfacing near the boats, showing itself from its best side. By the morning there was no more sight of the largest animal on earth - but just after noon it appeared again, delighting our guests and crew out in the bay!
Blue whales are the largest among the whales as they grow up to 30 metres long and weigh about 150 tons! Watching an animal of that size surfacing to breathe, watching it move along the surface before disappearing again in the depths of the ocean and maybe even getting to see its gigantic fluke is not only magical, but simply impossible to describe in words!
From now on and throughout June more and more individuals will pass by Iceland on their way up north towards their final feeding grounds near the arctic!
So don’t miss out on your chance of meeting the largest animal roaming planet earth!
- Sarah
PHOTO: Aksel Nordeng Bjarnason (head guide)
May we introduce: the first sighted blue whale is about to lift its majestic and giant tail before leaving to dive! The so-called fluke may grow up to 8 metres in diameter!
