The Humback whale
One of the whale species to be seen during summer time in Skjalfandi Bay is the majestic Humpback whale. In the past years the sightings of Humbacks has increased. Now it is one of he most likely to be seen whale during our tours.
The Humpback is a baleen whale, which means that he has baleens to filter his food out of the water, instead of teeth. With a length up to 17 meters and a weight up to 40 tons, it is one of the larger whales, in our waters only dwarfed by the Fin whale and the mighty Blue Whale. After being almost extinct due to whaling, the Humbpack is a success story of the whale protection with increasing numbers worldwide.
The reason why the Humpback is in our waters during Summer time is for the sole purpose of feeding. Especially here in Skjalfandi Bay there is a lot of food to be found for the whales, for a number of reasons, for example fresh water flowing into the Bay from a glacial river and one coming from the famous Lake Myvatn. These rivers together with currents from the open Sea wash a lot of sediments into the Bay and creating excellent conditions for the various fish and plankton the whales are feeding on.
Humpback whales are known for travelling very long distances between there mating- and feeding waters.Usually in early Spring, the Humpbacks are arriving here in Skjalfandi Bay, some of them coming from there breeding waters as far way as the Caribbean.
In late Autumn most of the whales are leaving our Bay for there long journey back. They are also known to be rather easy to observe.
Humbpacks are very visible throughout whale watching tours, becuase they lift there flukes when they dive and more often than other whales breach out of the water.
From the beginning North Sailing has worked together with the whale research program here in the Bay. The Researchers are frequently guests on our boats for taking ID-picture and study the behave of the whales. In the last few years, the Researchers have been able to put GPS transmitters on a few Humpback whales, to follow there migration routes.
You can use these Links to follow up the GPS project and for more information.
Also som photos taken from our boats in Skjalfandi bay.
HÞ.
http://www.hafro.is/hvalamerki/60007.html
Found'em!
There he blows…!
Approaching slowly
The Fluke of a Humpback
A rare sight of a Humpback feeding on the surface
Breaching!
There he is again!
And one´s more!!
