HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2013
At Gentle Giants we are now busy planning and preparing to make the upcoming season even better than the previous one. But before leaving last year behind, we would like to share with you some of our top memories from the season 2013.
Click the embedded links to see the articles.
The biggest thing literarily spoken, the blue whale, broke its arrival record this year – again. Our passengers and crew got to encounter the world’s biggest animal earlier in the season than ever before. Read about one of Sarah’s April blue whale encounters here.
Blue whale which visited us in April. Photo: Sarah
In May, except for an increase in the number of both staff and tourists, we also increased our dock with an extension about the same size as the original one. Finally all our boats got space to stay together. See the adventure of getting the 20 metre, 35 ton dock extension in place here.
Manoeuvring the dock extension in place. Photo: Lia
On the longest day of the year, 21st June, happened what I would consider last summer’s biggest event within GG: our second RIB, Amma Kibba, arrived.
This brand new, blue beauty with 2 X 400 horse powers can - just like its “little sister” Amma Sigga - give its passengers an unforgettable thrilling experience of speed, and in the next moment peacefully float around a whale area without making a sound.
The fact that you on board our RIBs are on sea level all the time, takes the experience to a higher level - both while going fast and while cruising around the whales. This is an opportunity not offered by any other operator in our area.
Amma Kibba on her first day by us. Irresistible blue beauty with power! Photo: Lia
For me personally 24th June was the biggest day of the summer - and of my life so far - when Daniel and I (both working for GG) got married. Never before has reality felt so dreamlike!
It all happened in the unspoiled nature of the paradise-like area called Naustavík, located in the mountains on the other side of Skjálfandi Bay. We shipped our guests across on board GG’s oak boat Sylvía and Amma Sigga.
It was a perfect evening among family and friends (including GG crew), with a sun kissed civil ceremony, toothsome grill, wedding cake in the abandoned house, bonfire on the beach, troubadour sing-along and dancing until midnight when the sun did not set...
See photos and read more about our big day here.
Us getting married in Naustavík. Photo: Emme MacDonald.
In July we had a very rare visitor in our bay; the blue/fin hybrid whale. It was big as a blue whale and had parts of its body coloured like one, though the dorsal fin looked more like a fin whale's, as well as the darker areas of its body. Learn more about the extremely unique whale here.
The blue/fin whale hybrid. Photo: Elin Lilja
Every once in a while there are people on board celebrating their birthday or are on honeymoon, but in August we experienced something very special when a man proposed to his girlfriend during a tour. Find out how it happened here.
The couple which got engaged on board during a whale watching trip with us. Photo: Lia
The lower season, September and October, were good whale watching months and more passengers boarded our boats than ever before during this period.
Breaching white-beaked dolphin. Photo: Elin Lilja
Giant thanks to our passengers and co-operators for this wonderful summer 2013, as well as all our great staff for yet another wonderful year together, and not at least all the wild whales for being around and keeping up our success rate of about 98%.
Now we are ready to leave the past behind and put all our focus on making the upcoming season even better than the previous one. We hope that you want to follow us!
All the best on behalf of the GG staff,
Lia