Set sail from Húsavík, often referred to as the Whale Capital of Iceland, and experience the wild beauty of Skjálfandi Bay with Friends of Moby Dick, a local family-run whale-watching company with deep roots in Húsavík and a lifelong connection to the sea.
Your adventure begins at our office in the heart of the harbour, where you’ll check in, meet your guide and receive a short welcome and safety briefing. We’ll get dresses in a warm flotation suit before taking the short walk to Vinur, our fast and comfortable whale-watching boat.
Breathe in the fresh, salty North Atlantic air as we head into Skjálfandi Bay, surrounded by spectacular scenery and the Kinnarfjöll mountains. The bay is a rich marine ecosystem, with abundant krill and other food attracting whales here to feed.
Skjálfandi is open to the ocean and the whales are completely wild. They come and go as they please, with some staying in the area for longer periods and others migrating through. Every tour is different.
Finding the whales is part of the adventure. Our captain and guides scan the horizon for blows, splashes and other signs of activity, using their experience and knowledge of the bay. Even a flock of seabirds gathering at the surface can be a clue that something is feeding below.
Humpback and minke whales are among our most frequent visitors, while white-beaked dolphins, blue whales, fin whales, sei whales, harbor porpoises and other species may also appear. The bay is also alive with seabirds, including puffins, Arctic terns, northern gannets and fulmars, and occasionally we encounter seals. Puffins are seasonal and are generally seen from spring until around mid-August.
Throughout the journey, our guides share their knowledge of the whales, wildlife and ecosystem of Skjálfandi.
When the North Atlantic air gets a little too fresh, step inside Vinur’s spacious heated indoor area with comfortable seating, tables, windows and two toilets. Multiple outdoor viewing areas let you be outside when the action happens and warm up indoors between sightings. Vinur’s speed also allows us to explore further into the bay when wildlife is farther away.
After approximately three hours exploring Skjálfandi, we return to Húsavík harbour with hopefully some great memories and a new appreciation for the wildlife of the North Atlantic.
No two trips are the same and that is the beauty of watching wildlife.
