Whale Watching
The cool clear waters of the North Atlantic which encircle Iceland are teeming with whales of various types and sizes. There are many visitors who come to Iceland to enjoy whale watching from various towns around the country. The whale watching centres in the North are Dalvik and Húsavík, in the Midwest are Ólafsvík and Stykkishólmur on the Snæfellsnes peninsula, Höfn in the East and Keflavík and Sandgerði in the South West, both only a 30 minute drive from Reykjavík. Although whale watching in Iceland is a growing industry, it is still far from being over commercialised. They are generally small private companies which take groups of people out in their little boats. There are no other boats to be seen except those of the local fishermen. Apart from seeing the majestic whales, guests are treated to a variety of sea birds, seals, plus the midnight sun at the right time of year.
Whale watchers are treated to many species of whales. Most common are the Minke Whale and Dolphins, the latter frequently adding excitement to the trip by leaping near the boats and following them playfully around. It is not uncommon to see the huge Humpback whales, waving with their tails and occasionally breaching out of the water. Killer Whales are not uncommon, don't forget that Keiko, perhaps better known as Willy, is a born and bred Icelander. Other types you might run into are Sperm Whales (rare) and Pilot Whales. If you see the latter, chances are you will see them by the dozens as they tend to roam in large pods.