SWEDES, SUNSHINE AND SURPRISE
The weather was amazing yesterday morning; completely flat sea and sunshine. Faldur was rented by 43 Swedes. I guided them. In Swedish. As it was sort of a special trip, we had organised a surprise for them and they had no idea before...
We went out and after a few minutes we came across a group of harbour porpoises. That is the only whale specie that also lives in Swedish waters (the Baltic sea) but there they are only a few individuals left. Many of them get stuck in fishing nets and drown, unfortunately. Now the Swedes onboard at least know what to look for when spending time in the archepelago back home.
We headed further north and came across a pod of fast-travelling white-beaked dolphins. Before we knew it, they had slowed down in speed, changed direction and approached us. It came to light that there were three mother dolphins with their calves. As they were bow riding we could see every detail of their bodies, thanks to the flat sea and sunshine. There we were, eye to eye with nature - on nature's conditions.
Puffin island was our next stop and we studied those funny little clowns of the ocean for some time. Any day now they will leave back out to the open sea for the winter, but yesterday they were still like mosquitoes in the air, chilling on the surface and guarding their nests. Captain Bessi switched off the engine and I told my fellow compatriots that "now you have experienced a part of the real Icelandic nature. The time has come for me to introduce you to something else very Icelandic". I went down the cabin and came up with hákarl - rotten shark - and Icelandic Brennivín - also called "the black death". All who wanted got to try this tough traditional Icelandic food; remains from the Viking's age. Nearly all passengers tried it; a mix of curiosity, disguistment and fascination.
My Swedes seemed to be very happy with our tour, and so were Bessi and I. The weather could not have been better, the spirit in the group was happy, we got to see the whales and puffins that we all came for and the trip was spiced with a surprise.
(LIA)
Bessi preparing hákarl before departure
A Swede got to taste something really Icelandic...
An amazing day, whales and surprise. What more can you ask for...?
