If the sun doesn't set then you can actually go out on the water 24 hours a day to spot whales. In northern Iceland you can't, but you can almost. You can book an evening trip and they often don't come back until around midnight. The beauty of these trips is not only that it is quieter on the water but (with a little luck) also the light is much nicer and more atmospheric as shown in this picture.
In the picture we see a humpback but also numerous birds. The humpback is feasting on krill, small fish or plankton and the birds are following the whale to eat the scraps left behind.
The humpbacks come to northern Iceland for a period of about 7 months with the sole purpose of eating as much as possible before the migration period to southern tropical waters begins again. To reach these waters they sometimes swim more than 6,000 km.
The birds are Arctic Terns and if you found 6000km impressive you will be even more impressed by these lightweight birds. The Arctic Tern in fact has the longest migration of any species, flying over 70,000km per year. Often from one Arctic Circle to the other and back again. From summer to summer.
For me, the evening trips are the best. Of course you have to be a bit lucky because the weather in Iceland can change quite a bit but even then it is still a special experience.
Lived in Amsterdam, but decided in 2018 to pursue his dreams. Currently lives and works in Tonga where he works for a whale snorkeling operator. Favorite are mainly wildlife photography with a great passion for whales and tigers, as well as photographing people and "life". Can wait.. Read more…