An intrepid team of four ORCA Marine Mammal Surveyors recently spent two weeks on board SAGA’s Spirit of Discovery around Iceland as part of ORCA's cetacean (whale, dolphin and porpoise) surveyor programme, and it is fair to say the weather wizards were smiling on us. We were treated to remarkably calm seas and sunshine for almost the entire voyage, setting the scene for an incredibly exciting trip.
Iceland isn’t just known for its epic waterfalls and geothermal wonders. It is a world-renowned location for the whale visitors each year, coming as part of their annual migration between feeding and breeding grounds to feast on the plentiful prey around the coast.
The cetaceans we encountered, however, were a little more elusive than we might have expected. While there were certainly sightings to enjoy, but whale numbers seemed lower than anticipated in some areas. As always, the ocean keeps us guessing, and it raises interesting questions about changing prey distributions and how marine species are responding to shifting environmental conditions.
That said, we did have some very special sightings that will stay with us all. The northern bottlenose whales were certainly on form, making a bid for the vessel like a pod of playful dolphins. Five animals were recorded surfing and cutting through the waves towards us, giving a great view of their incredible blunt foreheads and bottle-noses. We had several further sightings of this species, some of which were the first sighting of a whale for some of our guests, so those moments were exceptional.
Possibly unsurprisingly, the ORCA team also took advantage of being somewhere very special for whales, Akureyri in Eyjafjörður, and hopped on a whale watching boat to try our luck and flex our cameras. Here, we not only spotted some illusive harbour porpoise and a very relaxed minke whale; but also got to spend some time witnessing ‘Bob’ a well known local humpback whale, going about its business feeding and relaxing as we looked on. Bob was very accommodating, diving and lifting its tail fluke so we were able to get some photographs. These images have now been submitted to Happywhale, a platform where scientists are matching images of whales all over the world to track their movements via this non-invasive and highly effective method. ORCA have recently strengthened their partnership with Happywhale so it was great to be able to add this sighting to the database and we can keep track of the whale’s movements. Who knows, maybe it will be spotted again by another ORCA team. There’s something very special about seeing a known individual and having some of their story to tell of their epic journey across the ocean.
We’d been telling the guests all about the cues we look for to spot cetaceans and other marine creatures, one of which was the bird factor, where an active group of feeding birds can indicate food. And where there’s food, there’s whales! As we edged into Seyðisfjörður, we had a myriad of auks, terns and gulls feeding in the shallow waters and sure enough, a minke whale was feasting underneath, surfacing erratically as it worked its way criss-crossing across the fjord.
But. This trip had another special element that was a true blessing and sometimes, perhaps a curse. The midnight sun. Long after the clock said it was time for bed, the light lingered over the sea, acting like a siren calling us to keep watching despite our bodies telling us sleep was a necessity. We were usually very disciplined, if a little non-communicative at mealtimes when the sea was visible! But one night we couldn’t resist, with a sunset that made your jaw hit the floor, and minke whales putting on a show every few minutes as we slipped through the glassy waters from Reykjavik. The sky was still a vision at 1.30am when we finally called it a night. Surveying for whales in stunning weather is special enough; doing it beneath an endless sunset feels like something else entirely.
We were joined by a wonderful group of guests, some of which were familiar faces, whose enthusiasm for the marine environment made every aspect of the cruise even more enjoyable. Sharing the excitement of spotting a distant blow or scanning the horizon for fins never gets old and we had many other eyes helping us out, for which we are very grateful. Not every trip delivers the whales you hope for, but calm seas, great company, inspiring conservation stories and two weeks under the midnight sun was a dream we’d be happy to repeat. Thanks to SAGA for having us on board!
