Wednesday, 30 April 2025
Whales, Wings & Farewells – A Day on the Fjord
Today the fjord looked more like a lake—calm, peaceful, and cloaked in early spring light. With the temperature resting at 11°C, we set sail from the harbor, greeted right away by a charming group of eider ducks, bobbing on the water's surface. These are Iceland’s heaviest ducks, and their down is world-famous—prized for its insulating warmth and hand-harvested from nests once the birds have left. Eiders are true sea ducks, spending most of their lives on coastal waters, and today, they were a delightful welcome committee.
Among them, we were lucky enough to spot a Mandarin duck, a rare and colorful visitor in this part of the world. Native to East Asia, these birds are admired for their dazzling plumage—males especially, with their vibrant orange sails and blue-green backs. While not native to Iceland, occasional escapes from collections or wanderers from Europe make sightings like this a special treat.
As we sailed close to Hjalteyri, the calm waters suddenly came alive. The first blow appeared in the distance—it was a humpback whale. It surfaced several times before arching deeply for a dive, flashing its fluke as it disappeared into the depths. Not long after, another back broke the surface, but this time with a smaller, sleeker frame and a curved dorsal fin. A minke whale—noticeably smaller than the humpback, reaching about 11 meters and weighing up to 9 tons, compared to the humpback’s impressive 17 meters and 40-ton bulk. Unlike the humpback, the minke never shows its fluke when diving.
Then, a special moment—a second humpback blow, surfacing right beside a small group of harbour porpoises, the smallest cetaceans in our fjord. These shy, quick swimmers grow to just 1.5 meters in length, offering a dramatic size contrast to the giants around them. It was a rare treat to see both species side by side.
And then, as if the sea wanted to give us a show, the third humpback whale surfaced—not far from where we were watching. This one seemed to be feeding in shallower waters, arching its back without showing the fluke. Moments later, a fourth humpback emerged, this time closer to the surface with its mouth full of fish. As it came near, maybe out of curiosity—or maybe drawn by the abundance of fish—it gave us an unforgettable view of its enormous pectoral fins. A graceful gesture, almost like a farewell wave. Perhaps it was a goodbye for our colleague who is suddenly leaving Iceland. But we’re sure the whale, and this moment, will stay in her heart—as it will in ours.
We ended the tour with hearts full of wonder and quiet reflection. Tomorrow, we’ll be out again—hoping to meet our ocean friends once more.
Text & Picture: Lenka and Cheyenne
Departures of the day: 09:00 o’clock Classic Tour & 13:00 o’clock Express Tour