Wednesday, 3rd August 2025

Eyjafjörður Whale Watching Report

Today the fjord reminded us who’s boss: grey skies, rain, wind, and a choppy sea that made sure everyone on the RIB boats got thoroughly soaked and everyone on the bigger boats relativly wet. Luckily, our passengers were true adventurers; wet, smiling, and ready for whatever surprises nature had in store.

And surprises there were! South of Hjalteyri, along the west coast, we encountered our first humpback whale, soon followed by a couple more. They were sneaky today, surfacing unpredictably and keeping us waiting in the rain, but patience paid off. One whale breached right next to us, an unforgettable moment when 30 tons of whale muscle launched out of the water. Another showed off lunge feeding, charging upwards through the surface with its mouth wide open to scoop up fish.

Perhaps the most curious sight was a whale spyhopping, lifting a third of its body vertically out of the water as if to take a good look at us. Scientists believe humpbacks use this behaviour to observe their surroundings above the surface. Whether it was checking us out or just stretching, it was a beautiful reminder of how intelligent and playful these animals can be.

While we were waiting for the humpbacks to resurface, two harbour porpoises appeared just beside the boat. They stayed only for a few seconds, but we were lucky that everyone managed to see them.

Although seabirds are slowly disappearing from the land in Iceland, the fjords are still alive with their presence. Today we have spotted black-headed gulls, black-legged kittiwakes, northern fulmars, common guillemots, razorbills, and even a majestic northern gannet.

So yes, the weather was rough, but the whales and birds gave us more than enough magic to warm the day.

Text & Pictures: Sergio & Gema

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