Whale Watching in Ólafsfjörður
On the morning of the 1.st of july the whale-watching trip from Ólafsfjörður proved to be a success. In beautyfull weather close to the impressive cliffs at the bay opening into Eyjafjörður the blow of a hump-back whale was visible. The spout blowing in the wind was just a small preview of what was to come. Passengers with captain Kristján and guide Jóhann enjoyed the presence of five hump-backs for the next two hours. That period was both a lesson and a spectacle. The whales demonstrated their identifying individual characteristics, furthermore their character. Ranging from a curious glance at the guests aboard the oak boat with a roll and flipper splashing, to the close swimming of a pair of them resembling an embrace between the two large animals. A few boat lengths away one of them lobtailed with a powerfull splash and the passengers waved good-bye.
On the evening of that same day a second trip into the bay was made with employees of the maritime museum in Siglufjörður. Clouds were gathering, winds picking up speed and increasing wave height followed by the dwindling hopes of the passengers. Then to everyone’s surprise an encounter with a curious hump-back surfacing so close to the boat that some guests let out a yell of amazement and perhaps shock. That whale demonstrated many of the amazing particular behavioral patterns typical in the hump-back. After enjoying about an hour’s company with that whale it started to rain and guests and crew returned to Ólafsfjörður with a smile on their faces.
Jóhann, guide.
