Whale Watching From Hauganes

OVERVIEW

Cruise into the nutrient-rich waters of Iceland’s longest fjord, looking for whales, dolphins and porpoises that feed there in abundance. After a scenic drive to Hauganes, you will board a wooden fishing boat and cruise into Eyjafjörður. Chances are, you will spot colonies of puffins nesting in the rocky cliffs. Still, the star attractions are whales. Species such as humpback, blue and minke whales frequent these waters to gorge on the abundant plankton and fish larvae carried in the coastal currents. It is a breathtaking sight to see humpback whales acrobatically breaching the water’s surface, waving their flukes up and down as they dive, and feeding to fatten up for their winter migration south. If blue whales – the world’s largest animals – surface to exhale, it will be quite the spectacle as the spray from their blowholes shoots about 30 feet into the air. You may also spot white-beaked dolphins and harbor porpoises.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Cruise in a wooden fishing boat from Hauganes through Eyjafjörður, the longest fjord in Iceland.
• Look for humpback, blue and minke whales feeding to fatten up for their winter migration south.
• Keep an eye out for white-beaked dolphins and harbor porpoises as well.
• Behold the spectacle of whales breaching the water’s surface.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.