Friday, 27 June 2025

Today we set sail under a sky that was half-cloudy, half-sunny—typical unpredictable Icelandic weather! By the afternoon, the clouds had thickened and brought a light rain, but that didn’t stop the magic.

As we sailed out near Svalbarðseyri, our captain spotted the first dorsal fin calmly breaking the surface. It was a resting humpback whale. We had a beautiful sighting—watching it breathe gently and float just beneath the surface. The turquoise glow of its huge white pectoral fins was clearly visible, helping us track where the whale would surface next. These fins are the largest among all cetaceans, and seeing them just below the water was truly special.

We spent some quality time with this peaceful whale before spotting another spout farther out—a second humpback! This one was definitely on the hunt for food. We watched as it showed us its striking white fluke while preparing for a deep dive—classic feeding behavior.

As we made a loop closer to Hjalteyri, we were lucky to spot a minke whale feeding near the surface! This was an incredible sight, as the whale’s feeding behavior allowed us to see half of its body above water—an exciting and rare view of this usually elusive species.

On our afternoon tour, we were thrilled to encounter the same two humpback whales again. The first, which had been resting earlier, was now slowly traveling north at a calm, steady pace. The second humpback surprised and delighted us by breaching—showing its entire body as it leapt out of the water! After the acrobatic display, it returned to foraging behavior, likely still on the search for food.

What an unforgettable day! Calm seas, beautiful sightings, and amazing whale behavior—from resting and traveling to feeding and breaching. Nature gave us a show to remember.

Text & Pictures: Lenka & Gisela

Departures for the day: Classic - 0900, 1300,1400, 1700 & 2030 O’clock, Express-1000