whale watching
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Following The Weather North: Holiday Weekend In And Around Húsavík
When Verslunarmannahelgi, aka Merchant’s Weekend, aka the last public holiday before Christmas, rolled around in the beginning of August, I did what most Icelanders do that weekend: followed the weather and got the hell out of town. While the capital was drowning…
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What the news?! There’s No Negotiations With These Humpbacks
Free whale watching in Hafnarfjörður Three humpback whales have been frequenting the harbour of Hafnarfjörður since mid-February. The Icelandic Marine & Freshwater Research Institute identified two of the whales as having previously been spotted back in 2021 — one in Ísafjörður and…
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Blue Skies and Lumbering Whales: Landlubber finds whale watching heaven
It was a cold, crisp November day. The sea was mostly still and, even rarer for Iceland in autumn, the sky almost completely blue. Hallgrímskirkja, lording over Reykjavík city, became smaller while the mountains, still largely bereft of snow, grew larger still.…
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Whaling Season Begins Today
Ships from Hvalur hf., Iceland’s only fin whaling company, are set to depart from Reykjavík Harbour today, marking the start of their first whaling season in four years. [su_pullquote]Summer Sale on T-Shirts in the Grapevine shop! We only have a chance to…
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Tourism Industry Unhappy With News Of Fin Whale Hunt Renewal
Yesterday’s news that Hvalur hf., Iceland’s last fin whaling company, would resume the hunt this summer after a three-year hiatus has not been well met by the tourism industry, Vísir reports. [su_pullquote]It’s the one year birthday of our wonderful little Geldingadalir eruption…
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Humpback Whale Spotted Very Close To Land
Jóhann Már Kristinsson, a producer in Iceland, was contacted by the whale watching team called Artic Sea Tours who took him out to see some humpback whales that have some particularly close to land. Í stuttu máli. Hnúfubakur að gefa allt í…
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Whale Watching Has Resumed In Húsavík
Good news for whale watching fans! Whale watching tours have now resumed in Húsavík, after a dead calm due to the pandemic. The owners of whale watching companies are relieved and excited – meanwhile, the local whales have not published their statement…
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Isolated Iceland: The Splendid Solitude Of The North
Northern Iceland—where landscape, sea and sky converge just south of the Arctic Circle—is as far north as many of us will ever get to travel. I recently based myself in the northern coastal town of Húsavík for a few days, exploring the…
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North: Whales Found Love In A Hopeless Place
Humpback whales have been settling in Eyjafjörður, in the Akureyri area, for the past months. The majestic creatures have been, oddly, staying in the north of the country instead of going south of the world. Scientists say their presence is in full…
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Húsavík Town Guide: Its All About The Views
When I first visited Húsavík in 2016 Northern Iceland felt like the edge of the world to me. Coming from a densely populated area in Germany—the city I grew up in had twice as many inhabitants as Iceland’s entire population—I had never…
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Man Arrested For Drunk Sailing Was Conducting Ferry
Update: The source for this news has updated its information to say that the man in question was conducting the ferry between Reykjavík harbour and Viðey; not a whale watching tour as previously reported. Last night, police reported they had arrested a…
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Scientist Bizarrely Blames Whale Watching For Beaching Of Whales
The Board of Whale Watching in Iceland has called for Sverrir Daníel Halldórsson of the Marine Research Institute (MRI) to retract his statement that whale watching may be to blame for recent occurrences of beached whales. Sverrir made his comments on RÚV,…
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Best Of Reykjanes 2019: Best Tour
The Reykjanes Peninsula is a gem of Iceland. Most visitors to Iceland have visited it, whether they know it or not, as Reykjanes is home to Keflavík International Airport; many will also visit the Blue Lagoon for a dip. But there’s much…
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Best Of North Iceland 2019: Best Tour
North Iceland is a bucket-list of must-experience majesty. As the capital of the north, Akureyri is Iceland’s second-largest city and provides a fantastic base from which to explore fjords, the Arctic Ocean, and the volcanic desert. Travelling to the northern tip of…
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Best Of The Westfjords 2019: Best Tour
The Westfjords lie entirely outside of the Ring Road’s loop, making them one of the more remote corners of Iceland. The roads are carved into an endless sequence of vast flat-topped mountains punctuated by tiny towns in narrow fjords. At the northern…
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Best Of North Iceland 2018: Best Tour
A five-hour drive away from the capital area, the North’s spectacular sights and vast unspoiled nature will amaze the most seasoned of travellers. Drive towards its coastline where the sun never sets and enjoy everything the North has to offer—from its many…
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The North Iceland Pentathlon: Where We’re Going, We Don’t Need Roads
In 1871, the famed poet and socialist William Morris decided to leave London behind for what the English then considered simply ‘the edge of the map.’ Morris and a few comrades packed their bags, caught a train, and set out for Iceland.…
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Whale Hunting Falling Behind, Whale Watching Thriving
Hunters of minke whales have so far not been able to land very many whales at all, and they are not optimistic that they will even meet their quota. Meanwhile, at least one whale watching company is having a great deal of…
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Welcome To Whaletown: A Day In The Northern Town Of Húsavík
After a five-hour night drive, and numerous failed attempts at napping, we arrive at our destination at last. The sun has just reached the peaks of the mountains, covering the bright blue bay in shimmering light and hitting the colourful rooftops and…
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Summon The Whales! In Search Of The Sea Giants
“I understand and acknowledge the risks I’m undertaking by choosing to participate in activities and assume all responsibility for exposing myself to these risks/dangers,” states the last sentence of the contract. I consider these words before signing. It’s a necessary step before…
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England: That Free Whale Watching Trip Still Stands
Grapevine has been informed that last week’s offer of a free whale watching trip to the English football team still stands, and is being extended. As reported, Húsavík whale watching company North Sailing put aside 23 tickets for a free whale watching…
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Icelandic Company Offering Free Whale Watching For Defeated English Team
When Iceland defeats England this Monday, the losing team can console themselves with a generous offer from the far north. The Guardian reports that North Sailing has 23 tickets for a free whale watching day trip – one for every member of…
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Icelandic Shops Refusing To Sell Whale Meat
A major grocery store chain has issued a statement saying they will no longer sell whale meat at their Húsavík outlets. 640 reports that Samkaup, which runs the Nettó and Krambúð grocery stores, has announced that they will no longer be selling…