Sunny and successful whale watching season in Húsavík
We had a fabulous whale watching season in Húsavík this summer that surprised us in many positive ways! Skjálfandi bay was the place to be, full of diverse wildlife and many surprising encounters!
Our team agreed we experienced the most excellent weather in the century, and sunglasses were essentials. We are pleased that the sightings were as impressive as the weather. Read more to find out!
Humpback whales – the giant ocean mammals
Skjálfandi bay welcomed so many humpback whales this summer, with more than 100 different individuals identified by the Húsavík Research Centre. Some humpies stayed for many weeks, some just for a few days, as they are constantly looking for food in their feeding ground. We were privileged to observe their lives and impressive feeding and diving techniques. Watching humpback whales fluke can’t get old, especially in these beautiful surroundings with Kinnarfjöll mountains in the background. That’s what we love to show our passengers. Some of the humpback whales were fantastic to watch in their playful mood, and we could even witness all the famous behaviours like breaching, lob-tailing and pectoral fin slapping. It never ceases to amaze us how full of surprises these creatures are!
Orcas, pilot whales, playful dolphins, whoa!
Seeing orcas in wild nature is a dream for many people. Therefore, we were very pleased to see more killer whales this season than we have had for many years before. Can you imagine the excitement onboard when spotting the first dorsal fin cutting through the surface? That’s something hard to put into words.
The diversity of wildlife in Húsavík is simply stunning. One day you are witnessing the staggering number of pilot whales roaming the bay and the day after you are amazed by the mighty blue whale!
Time for hot chocolate and cinnamon rolls!
Imagine sitting on the deck after a successful whale watching tour, the sun is shining, and you are enjoying freshly baked cinnamon buns and sipping hot chocolate when all of a sudden group of dolphins is trying to steal the show at the end of the tour. Oh, this happened so many times, and we love it. Jumping white-beaked dolphins are so much fun to watch!
The entire list of species spotted this season wouldn’t be complete without regular visitors such as minke whales, harbour porpoises and rather rare sperm whales and northern bottlenose whales!
Happy memories from Húsavík
It’s fair to say that mother nature gifted us a fantastic season to remember after a very challenging previous year. We already miss it and can’t wait to see all the beautiful marine wildlife in Húsavík again next year. Did you manage to photograph some beautiful animals? Share your moments with us!
Thank you for joining North Sailing
On behalf of the whole North Sailing family, we would like to thank all the passengers for making this season unforgettable and we’ll be looking forward to welcoming you to North Iceland in 2022.
