Atlantica - 01.05.2002, Síða 56

i-site WHALES❍
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The Moby Dick Dolphin and Whalespotting Company in Keflavík
pioneered whale watching in southeast Iceland, and is the only such com-
pany run by a woman. A 90-passenger, 160-tonne boat takes an ever-
increasing number of whalespotters out daily. Putting ecology first,
research has taken place on the boat since 1997, and the company spon-
sors reforestation on the southern peninsula.
Sailing from the harbour of Keflavík, the course is taken out to sea and the
excitement grows as passengers and crew look out for whales blowing or
lifting their gigantic tails out of the water. The boat trip takes approximate-
ly three hours, and the Moby Dick team are happy to pick you up at your
Reykjavík hotel. On the way home, weather-beaten sailors have the option
of indulging in a hot soak at the Blue Lagoon.
Moby Dick Dolphin and Whalespotting
Keflavík , tel: (+354) 421-7777 or e-mail hringur@ismennt.is
Elding Whale Watching offers a variety of exciting boat trips around the
Reykjanes peninsula. These range from daily whale-watching trips and
sea-fishing trips to exhilarating jet-ski trips. Perfect for action-minded
adventure seekers, the jet skis are for one to three people each and are
rented out with drysuits and life vests. And anyone who’s thinking of getting
in with the whales on their jet skis, take heed: no jet skis are rented out on
whale watching trips. Evening tours in the beautiful fjord of Hvalfjördur are
a romantic way to spend one of Iceland’s bright summer nights.
Elding Whale Watching
Tel: (+354) 555-3565, e-mail elding@islandia.is
Húnaströnd Whale Watching in Hafnarfjördur is rapidly gaining a rep-
utation as the most interesting choice for offshore nature watching in
Iceland. Located only a ten-minute drive from Reykjavík, it offers the Húni II
whale-watching boat, which is a 130-tonne oak vessel built in Iceland in
1963. Trips on Húni II in Faxaflói Bay take three to four hours, and during that
time you can observe beautiful landscapes, bird life and, of course, whales
and dolphins. Those worried about seasickness can take comfort in the fact
that the oak hull makes for a smoother ride for passengers than a steel hull.
Húni also offers sea-angling trips and sunset cruises.
Húnaströnd Whale Watching,
Skerseyrarvegur 2, 220 Hafnarfjördur, tel: (+354) 555-6310.
Hvalstödin Whale Watching Centre sets out from Reykjavík harbour and
offers whale-watching trips in Faxaflói Bay. In summertime, there are daily
trips every morning at 9 a.m. in the 150-passenger Hafsúla boat, which sails
at a speed of 24 miles per hour. Long distances are covered rapidly,
enabling its passengers to visit the areas where whales are most frequent-
ly sighted. If no whales or dolphins are spotted on a trip, the centre offers
another trip for free. Another popular option is special gourmet trips to the
Hvalfjördur fjord, where nets are put out to catch shellfish. The various del-
icacies, including scallops, mussels and sea urchins, are then enjoyed on
board with a refreshing glass of white wine.
Hvalstödin Whale Watching Centre,
101 Reykjavík, tel: (+354) 421-2660, gestur@islandia.is
Seatours, located on the beautiful Snæfellsnes peninsula, specialise in
nature cruises from the town of Stykkishólmur. The tours on offer range
from ecology cruises, to birdwatching trips and voyages to historical sites.
Seatours cruise amongst the islands of Breidafjördur fjord and stop for vis-
its to the islands of Flatey and Hrappsey. The whale-watching tours start off
in the pretty village of Ólafsvík, and stand out for the fact that on their sea
route there is nearly a 100 percent chance of spotting the world’s biggest
mammal, the blue whale. Seatours can arrange overnight accommodation
in the vicinity if you feel like exploring the magical Snæfellsnes peninsula.
Seatours,
340 Stykkishólmur, tel: (+354) 438-1450, eyjaferdir@islandia.is
54 A T L A N T I C A
Ecotourism is all the rage, as human beings desperately try to rekindle their smouldering relationship with the natural world. In
Iceland, harpoons have become an outdated tool (at least for now) as some seamen thrive on sailing tourists to within a hand’s
reach of the many whales populating the coastal waters.
Nothing beats the fresh North Atlantic breeze on a boat ride off the coast of Iceland, whilst witnessing one of earth's most mag-
nificent creatures. Seeing whales and dolphins up close in the wild is a breathtaking experience. Often coming up very close to the
boat, they peer at it with interest or play around it, and the larger specimens have a way of making us humans feel very small in
comparison. Atlantica had a look at the whale-watching trips available on the south coast of Iceland this summer.
Whale of a Time
Close encounters on the North Atlantic
PHOTOS PÁLL STEFÁNSSON
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