Humpback Whale in Breidafjördur on February 20, 2019
We finally got to go out on sea again today, and found two species in Breidafjördur! First we came across a humpback whale, whose blow we could see from afar. This individual was lifting up the fluke repeatedly. Later on in the trip, we then spotted a group of about 7 white-beaked dolphins that we got some really nice looks at.
Whales in Iceland in February
You might have heard that baleen whales are migratory. This means they do not live the whole year around Iceland. During summer, they come to Iceland mainly to feed. Late in autumn they migrate to sub-tropical waters for mating and birthing.
This is correct for the majority but luckily not for all of them. As this humpback whale we saw today clearly demonstrates, there are always some baleen whales that stay over winter in Iceland. The whales that stay here are typically those who are still too young to reproduce or too old. Sometimes a whale simply wants to take a year off or did not feed enough during summer to sustain for the entire migration. So that means there is definitely always a chance to see humpback whales in Iceland in February.
Whales in Snaefellsnes in February
Luckily there are not only baleen whales around Snaefellsnes. White-Beaked dolphins live for example all year around in Icelandic waters. Plus, there is always the chance to see toothed-whales such as orcas and sperm whales on our winter whale watching tour from Grundarfjordur.
