Have you just booked your tour with Húsavík Adventures and are now wondering what will happen that day? Then this post is for you!
What to wear and bring on your whale watching tour
Of course, we are in the North-Eastern part of Iceland, around 40 km from the Arctic Circle, so you can expect cold sea temperatures—yes, even in summer!
What does this mean for your tour? Dress warmly, think layers: waterproof shoes, warm socks, a thick sweater and/or jacket, and don’t forget your hats and gloves! Still, sunglasses and sunscreen are recommended for a sunny day. 😊
For our two-hour tours, you only need to bring your necessities, like your phone or camera, to capture the wildlife. And, if you are interested in birdwatching and have your own binoculars, bring them!
Before departure from Húsavík harbour
Thirty minutes before the start of your tour, you should walk into our ticket office to collect your physical ticket for the tour – look for the big whale tail, and you will know where our office is.
Now that you have your ticket, you should go to the Húsavík Adventures dressing room, where you will get an overall to wear for the tour. This is also where you will meet your guide, who will accompany you for the rest of your experience. Our team of guides is made up of enthusiastic biologists and naturalists who specialise in sharing their knowledge and passion for whales, puffins, and the incredible sea life of Skjálfandi Bay. We all come from different countries and are super happy to welcome all of our passengers.
The guide will lead you to one of our RIBs, where you will meet one of our amazing and skilful captains, and you will be informed about safety on board. Don’t worry, no accidents have ever happened! 😉
The whale watching tour begins!
We cannot anticipate what will happen during your two hours at sea, as every trip is different, but we can give you a little teaser.
If you join us between mid-April and mid-August, our puffin season, the first stop will typically be Lundey, the puffin island. Here, you will observe these charismatic birds flying around their nests and learn about their lives and breeding behaviour. You will have a good view of the island from the RIB boat with plenty of puffin burrows. Lots of puffins will be flying around us, and if you are lucky, you might also see some of them sitting close to us on the water!
Searching for whales in Skjálfandi Bay starts
Our most common cetacean species are humpback whales, minke whales and white-beaked dolphins, but you might have the chance to see one of our occasional visitors as well since our bay attracts a variety of species. Our captains know how to approach these animals well and will make sure that both you and the whales have an excellent experience. Make the most of it, take your videos and photos, but don’t forget to take a moment to be immersed in the nature around you. Remember, our expert guides are with you; don’t hesitate to ask them any of your questions!
The most beautiful thing about whale watching is seeing these animals in their habitat, displaying their natural behaviour.
Sometimes, it can look like this:
But many times, it looks more like this:
And all of these behaviours are incredible to witness!
We can’t wait to meet you and welcome you on our tour.
See you in Húsavík 😊