Many people have asked if we are sisters - the manager's daughter Sylvía Dís Stefánsdóttir and I. We are not, but I understand why people think so... We look alike, we speak the same language (I practise my Icelandic on her) and we had a lot of fun when selling tickets together earlier today.
The bay was clear, the sea was calm and the sun was shining. It started like a good minke trip, but turned out to be an experience far greater than ever expected. Back then we had no idea what would meet us 40 minutes later on the other side of the bay .
It seems like the number of minkes on our tours increase day by day. One reason could be that they have the whole “sea food buffet” for themselves now, as the biggest ones (humpbacks and blue whales) obviously have taken a vacation from whale watching in Skjálfandi for some time.
During last weekend a local festival, Mærudagar (“Candy Days”) has been going on in Húsavík. This celebration, which is being held for the 15th year, attracts many people and over 6000 visitors celebrated the festival over the weekend.
As whale watching guides, it is interesting to travel around and try whale watching in different parts of the world. During our three months stay in India last winter, we therefore did not miss the chance to go searching for whales.
15:15 this afternoon, captain Hlynur and I went north and bumped into an amazing group of white-beaked dolphins. We sailed with them, some were jumping high while others were riding our bow waves. First one couple, and when they got bored another pair replaced them.
We survived the three days of what Icelandic people call Bræla - stormy weather. Yesterday when we entered the bay for the first time after the storm, we could see the whole way over to the mountains of Kin.
Today is Húsavík’s second day of stormy weather. Frustration! Nature is not cooperative. At all. The whales have to come up to the surface to breathe whatever the weather so they are probably out there, but it is nearly impossible for us to find them.
After this amazing encounter I have finally realised which my favourite whales are.At 15:15, Danni and I went out with captain Hlynur, entering Skjálfandi once again. Around Puffin island we saw the first dorsal fins.
Nature is unpredictable. During the second half of June we got used to watching minkes and smaller whales. The humps and blues were not too cooperative. Our theory is that there has not been enough of krill and plankton in the bay, which makes them search for food in other areas.
