SKJÁLFANDI BAY REPLETE OF LIFE
Is it clear that Skjálfandi bay is a heaven for life. In late spring the water starts to get warm, the ice is melting and all the nutrients appear on the sea surface. Consequently, plankton, krill and small fishes, which especially baleen whales feed on, are coming up. We often spot big groups of birds mainly arctic terns, fulmars and kittiwakes fishing close to the mountains together with minke whales and humpack whales. Some humpacks seem to demonstrate their happiness by breaching, fluking or rolling themselves on to the surface while they feed themselves.
Fin whales are the second biggest animal on the planet. They can be close identified by their asymmetrical jaw colour pattern (white right side and grey left side). They usually occur offshore waters but it seems that they are also interested in the well-known fishing grounds in the bay during this season. The other day we could see one fin whale very close to the boat and a couple of blue whales swimming in the same area.
The number of encounters with killer whales has been increasing since June started. At least one family of 20-30 individuals was found in the last week. They are an opportunistic species so they normally spend few hours or days scanning the bay before they leave somewhere else.
The sperm whales tend to stay in waters where they can dive up to more than 1500km down looking for their favourite prey, the giant squid. But occasionally they visit less deep areas looking for other preys. Males are more frequent in high latitudes, while the females and the “school grounds” of sperm whales, forming by females and juveniles, prefer lower latitudes warm and safer waters. The other day we could see the first group of five sperms whales visiting the bay.
It is an incredible experience to be surrounded by these magnificent giants. It is just an evidence of the good environmental status in the bay and the well-preserved areas in Skjálfandi.
- Belén, guide.
Blue whale in Skjálfandi Bay the other day.
Photo: guide Sarah Arndt
