At just over 60 feet long and 15 feet across, Sæborg is a mid-sized member of Husavik’s fleet of wooden whale watching tour boats. Bijzonder een Zwitser die in Schotland met zeereizen zijn geld verdiend. Take a look at the forecast just before leaving for your tour. That’s why regular visitors include humpback, minke, and blue whales, along with dolphins and porpoises. Advance reservations are a very good idea if you are traveling in June, July, or August. Architecture buffs will want to take a look at Husavik’s unusual wooden church. We see a handful of whales near our boat, and can see many more breaching humpbacks traveling away from us in the distance. It was very calm for most of my tour, but it was already a lot windier by the time we got back to Husavik – which meant North Sailing’s schooner was sailing along beautifully.). Refunds are also available should you need to cancel your reservation completely. If you are interested in other images or images for commercial use, please contact me about availability. Don’t get me wrong, being on a tall ship is lots of fun and you’ll likely see whales. There are other things to do in Husavik Although I don’t recommend visiting Husavik as a day-trip from Reykjavik, Gentle Giants offers that option. Home to over 2 million seabirds including 500,000 Atlantic Puffins, the reserve is regarded as one of Newfoundland’s best whale watching sites. No matter what boat you book, if you are at all subject to motion sickness, take an effective medication to prevent nausea BEFORE you board. Lundey, one of Skjalfandi Bay's pearls, is the home of about 200,000 puffins during their breeding season – a spectacular sight. But you can also book a flight from Reykjavik (RKV) to Akureyri (AEY) yourself. Because Skjalfandi Bay has a healthy, thriving ecosystem, there is plenty of food available for whales. Whales don’t care what the weather is like. For example, whale watching options are limited on the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. The Icelandic Whale Watching Association (IceWhale) promotes whale watching, research, and conservation. It lacks the charm and heritage of wooden boats, but offers a bit more comfort and security in unpleasant weather. If you think you might have to cancel, read the terms very carefully before booking. If you suffer from motion sickness, take your medication before you head to the dock. You can enjoy the beautiful views around Reykjavik and the surrounding areas on the way – so don’t forget your camera! Advance reservations are a very good idea if you are traveling in June, July, or August. But, again, in Husavik you are very likely to see a whale on any type of boat. Booking directly helps both these small businesses and the local economy in general. There are tons of third-party online booking platforms that offer whale watching tours with these same companies. At the beginning and end of winter they offer northern lights tours out of Husavik. And it’s a pleasant drive through the Icelandic countryside. Gentle Giants whale watching in Husavik will arrange flights from Reykjavik for whale watchers. Husavik offers a tour for every taste Show more... But the area attracts other whales too. How comfortable do you want (or need) to be on your whale watching trip? Thus, all of their tours use traditional boats that have been carefully restored and converted to carry passengers. Check the weather We visited Husavik on the second day of our Ring Road tour, having spent our first night in the Sagafjord area. However, all offer a few spots where you can get out of the wind. Another family-owned operation, Gentle Giants offers scheduled and private tours on a fleet that includes a couple of traditional oak fishing boats (like the one I was on with North Sailing), rigid inflatable (RIB) speedboats, and a fiberglass fishing boat. Keep reading or jump ahead to the info you need most: Watching puffins and whales on Iceland’s north coast. You’ll be a comfortable distance from the water and the boat’s motion will be more consistent than that of a schooner or RIB boat. And, in order to offer silent tours, one fishing boat and one schooner have hybrid electric motors. I took a puffin and whale watching tour in Husavik in June, 2018. It lacks the charm and heritage of wooden boats, but offers a bit more comfort and security in unpleasant weather. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Next we head out in search of the whales. Refunds are also available should you need to cancel your reservation completely. There are places to buy fuel along the way, but check your gauge before you start out because it can be a long distance between gas stations. And, with the exception of Husavik Adventures, all are members of IceWhale itself. Husavik is an ideal stop for travelers driving along Iceland’s Ring Road (Highway 1).  Weather and road conditions permitting, it’s possible to get there from Reykjavik in under six hours. Even so, viewing birds on the island is harder than I anticipated. However, with very limited exceptions, refunds are not available for cancellations within 24 hours of your tour. However, different species move through in different seasons. Thvera (Þverá) in Laxardalur is part of both the National Museum of Iceland and a proposed UNESCO listing that includes a number of turf houses, farm buildings, and churches in Iceland. Or check my dream trip, a week exploring east Greenland aboard a traditional sailing ship. In general, motorized oak fishing boats and sailing ships offer the greatest degree of comfort for most people. If a whale surfaces near you, you can look it straight in the eye. If tourism is still down next year, prices may drop some, but don’t expect big discounts. However, with very limited exceptions, refunds are not available for cancellations within 24 hours of your tour. There is regular bus service between Reykjavik and Husavik via Akureyri. Gentle Giants’ association with a range of responsible tourism and whale watching groups also seems to indicate a sincere commitment – even as photos on their website tell a different story. Blue whales, the largest whales on the planet, are also regular visitors to Skjalfandi Bay, but don’t seem to make themselves visible to whale watchers as often. This gives you time to go whale watching, hike around Myvatan, and watch the water roar over Godafoss. And, of course, Iceland’s weather tends to be unpredictable, so don’t be surprised if the forecast turns out to be wrong. The museum exhibits 11 whale skeletons, including a blue whale. At first glance, you may think that the Atlantic puffin is a pint-size penguin. Not looking down on them from the deck of a boat. Some tickets may include a discount at the Whale Museum or a local café or shop. Besides the usual whale watching and puffin tours, they also offer fishing, sea kayaking, and a variety of other activities. Het is een fijne trip. I went whale watching on a repurposed oak fishing boat. There is also a fabulous looking historic turf farmstead near Husavik. These highly maneuverable speedboats quickly zip to wherever whales are sighted. Because there are so many puffins here, we watch a lot of them take off and land on the sea. Expect to pay at least $75 USD in 2021 for a standard tour on an oak fishing boat. During our more than thirty years of operation we have had the great pleasure of taking over 1 million people, from around the world, to see whales in the Gulf of Maine. They look cold, but not dangerous or scary.) Husavik is an ideal stop for travelers driving along Iceland’s Ring Road (Highway 1).  Weather and road conditions permitting, it’s possible to get there from Reykjavik in under six hours. Iceland doesn’t have a lot of regulations in place when it comes to whale watching. (An Audubon Book) Paperback – September 1, 1992 by Ron Hirschi (Author) › Visit Amazon's Ron Hirschi Page. While I loved my tour with North Sailing, there are other options. That means whale watchers on bigger boats have a much better view of whales farther from the boat. Just outside town, the GeoSea baths sound wonderful. I have no idea how many passengers are on our tour, but I am quite sure it’s not 70. If you want to explore more of Iceland’s Arctic coast and islands, consider North Sailing’s three-day sailing adventure on their hybrid electric schooner. Guaranteed to see Puffins - Whales and Eagles with luck !� 90 minute trip to the Ascrib Island to visit the Puffin breeding colonies and the resident seals (common seals and grey seals). Instead, it uses two custom RIB speedboats that seat 12 passengers each. By the time I arrive at the harbor, the sun is already well above the horizon, if hidden by clouds. However, it’s unclear to me whether or not it is ever actually open to the public. However, keep in mind that all tours in Husavik use boats with open decks and travel through fairly open water (Skjalfandi is a very large bay). And, because they only seat 12 passengers, there shouldn’t be anyone blocking your view! Some of these links may provide a small commission to me (at no cost to you) if you use them to make a purchase. Whale Safari’s custom-made RIB boats allow you to get closer to the whales and puffins than any other tour can offer. All four whale watching tour companies claim to follow IceWhale’s code of conduct. De Puffins zijn ver weg dus hebt wel een echte zoomlens nodig. That makes a waterproof bag for your camera and/or phone essential when touring on a RIB boat, but it’s a good idea on any kind of boat. Because it is so close to the Ring Road, you can take a break from driving for a whale watching tour and then continue on your way. That includes travelers with mobility limitations and families with very small children – at least in good weather. Puffins, Whales, and Screech: Solo in Newfoundland Elizabeth Verwey Solo Traveler October 17, 2017 My Dad was a deck boy when he sailed around this cape and wrote a limerick about the capes of the world. Follow. And, since whales will swim up to boats of any size, it’s not a given that more whales will come near a RIB boat then a larger one. The Husavik Whale Museum is a natural addition to any whale watching tour. However, if you are traveling Iceland’s Ring Road, Husavik is the best place to go whale watching. Whales & Puffins Tour from Reykjavik. Just don’t expect a refund. Tours from nearby Akureyri operate in Eyjafjord (a long, sheltered fjord) where the water is generally calm. Family-run North Sailing began Husavik’s first whale watching tours in 1995. I went whale watching on a repurposed oak fishing boat. You can explore beautiful natural and historical sights with a variety of cruises available through Bar Harbor Whale Watch Company! Where is the best whale watching in Iceland? No matter how pleasant the weather seems, it will be colder than you expect. CategoriesEurope, IcelandTagssailing and cruising, Your email address will not be published. Touring on a RIB boat is ideal for thrill seekers and photographers. A few short specialty tours may be less. (Several whale watching companies own other businesses as well, so they may offer discounts to encourage visits to all of their businesses.) But there are a few things you can do to increase the odds of having a great tour. How much does whale watching cost? While I’m always up for a road trip, it is possible to reach Husavik from Reykjavik by bus and air, as well as by automobile. The adorable puffins live only a short boat ride away from the Old Harbour in Reykjavík. And don’t forget warm gloves and a hat or ear muffs! While most companies will provide foul weather clothing, dressing warmly is still essential. All tours include a professional naturalist. No matter which whale watching tour you book, they will do everything they can to make your tour a success. Tour participants have also been able to view Harbor Seals, Minke whales, Northern Gannets, and Storm Petrels. On the other hand, RIB boats have a separate seat for every passenger. That let me book a morning tour on a day predicted to be dry and calm in the morning, with increasing wind as the day went on. If you really want to see a whale up close and at eye level, RIB (rigid inflatable) speedboats are the way to go. 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