Whale Watching Daily Diary – February 5th 2026

Morning tour

The sunrise lent a gorgeous pink light to the already beautiful landscape, and after only half an hour or so sailing on our whale watching tour, we saw a fin! Moving fast in the water, it looked like a white-beaked dolphin, but the dorsal fin was narrower, more pointed. Then we realised what it was – a common dolphin! They are really rare up here in Faxafloi, Iceland, so it was a real thrill to see it.

Then we headed between the islands and found the two humpback whales that we have been seeing a lot of during these last few months. They swam easily around the boat, giving everyone a great view of them, and frequently dived, showing their amazing tails. We were also joined by many, many seals. They were swimming around us and also lying out on the rocks, enjoying the unseasonal sunshine.

Afternoon Tour

This afternoon’s whale watching tour unfolded under exceptional conditions with a flat ocean, bright sun, and absolutely no wind. Visibility was perfect, making even distant sightings clear. A little bit far away from the coast, we spotted a minke whale, characteristically shy and elusive, keeping its distance but still offering good views as it surfaced calmly offshore.

Later, a small group of toothed cetaceans appeared far away, too distant to identify with certainty, possibly dolphins or porpoises. Closer to the coast, the two familiar humpback whales made an appearance, lifting their tails as they dived. To close the tour, we were surprised by a solitary common dolphin, a rare sight in Iceland as it lies outside its usual distribution range.

Guides: Lucky and Maria