The
cool clear North Atlantic encircling Iceland is teeming with whales
of various sizes and types. Already thousands of tourists are
enjoying whale watching from various sites around the country.
The whale watching ports in the north are Dalvik and Húsavík,
in the Midwest are Ólafsvík and Stykkishólmur on Snæfellsnes peninsula,
Höfn in the east and the ports in the southwest are Keflavík and
Sandgerði only 30 minutes drive from the capital Reykjavík. The
locations say it all, that whales are all around the coastline.
And although whale watching in Iceland is of a growing scale,
it is still a far cry from being commercial. As a pastime it is
still exclusive and mostly done on small crafts. And the locations
are not swarming with other crafts full of tourists. Small groups
are taken out. There are no other boats except those of the local
fishermen and apart from sighting the majestic whales guest are
treated to a variety of sea birds, seals, plus a glimpse of the
midnight sun weather permitting.
Whale
watchers are treated to many species of whales. Most common are
the Mink whale and Porpoise, the latter frequently adding spice
to the trip by leaping near the boats and following them playfully
around. It is not uncommon to see the huge Humpback whales, waving
with their tails and if your lucky, they will leap, leaving you
with such breathtaking image that it in the minds eye never to
be forgotten. Killer whales are not uncommon, don't forget that
Keiko, perhaps better known as Willy, is a born and bread Icelander.
Other types you might run into are Sperm whales (rare) and Pilot
whales. If you see the latter, chances are you will see them by
the dozens as they tend to roam in large flocks.
The
cool clear North Atlantic encircling Iceland is teeming with whales
of various sizes and types. Already thousands of tourists are
enjoying whale watching from various sites around the country.
The whale watching ports in the north are Dalvik and Húsavík,
in the Midwest are Ólafsvík and Stykkishólmur on Snæfellsnes peninsula,
Höfn in the east and the ports in the southwest are Keflavík and
Sandgerði only 30 minutes drive from the capital Reykjavík. The
locations say it all, that whales are all around the coastline.
And although whale watching in Iceland is of a growing scale,
it is still a far cry from being commercial. As a pastime it is
still exclusive and mostly done on small crafts. And the locations
are not swarming with other crafts full of tourists. Small groups
are taken out. There are no other boats except those of the local
fishermen and apart from sighting the majestic whales guest are
treated to a variety of sea birds, seals, plus a glimpse of the
midnight sun weather permitting.
Whale
watchers are treated to many species of whales. Most common are
the Mink whale and Porpoise, the latter frequently adding spice
to the trip by leaping near the boats and following them playfully
around. It is not uncommon to see the huge Humpback whales, waving
with their tails and if your lucky, they will leap, leaving you
with such breathtaking image that it in the minds eye never to
be forgotten. Killer whales are not uncommon, don't forget that
Keiko, perhaps better known as Willy, is a born and bread Icelander.
Other types you might run into are Sperm whales (rare) and Pilot
whales. If you see the latter, chances are you will see them by
the dozens as they tend to roam in large flocks.
Snjófell
Travel
