Whale Watching Akureyri brings you close to the giants of the sea

Few people can claim more experience in the Icelandic travel industry than Sara Sigmundsdóttir. As a teenager, she started working in the family business, the whale-watching company Elding. Fast-forward to today, Sara is running Elding’s sister company, Whale Watching Akureyri, and has a captain’s license. It is safe that Sara knows everything there is to know about whale-watching in the fjord of Eyjafjörður. The fjord is remarkable for many reasons. My hometown of Akureyri is there (remarkable indeed!), and the fjord has an abundance of whales, especially humpback whales. Both Elding and Whale Watching Akureyri are partners of Stuck in Iceland. Sign up for the free and exclusive newsletter. You will receive a discount code that gives you 10% percent off their acclaimed tours when you book online.

The outdoor sea captain guides you to the wonders of Eyjafjordur Fjord.

Sara is also outdoors-loving and loves venturing with her family to the many beautiful places in and around Akureyri. She just returned from the Sigló Freeride event, which includes snowboarding, skiing, and dancing! So I am delighted she took the time to tell me more about whale watching in Akureyri and her favorite places and activities.

Hey Sara, thank you so much for taking the time to interview me. Please tell me more about your journey with Elding and Whale Watching Akureyri

Hey, yeah, of course. I started going on tours when I was around seven on our boats in Reykjavík, as that is when my family started Elding in Reykjavík. I was helping around as a deckhand around thirteen, serving coffee and refreshments. Looking back, it is a bit funny as I spent much of my time being seasick, but I was stubborn and pushed through.

I moved to our ticket office around sixteen, and from there, I worked in sales and marketing management, promoting our company in Iceland and at different trade shows. 2016 we opened a new whale-watching company in Akureyri, North Iceland. At that point, I came up North to help with the start-up and setting up the office there. At some point there, I thought spending more time on the boat again would be fun, so I signed up for captain school. In 2017, I finished my license for the smaller ships and moved up north. From there on, I worked full time for the Whale Watching Akureyri company as a captain and office manager. In 2018, we merged with another whale-watching company, and I became CEO. I have the pleasure of managing our team, and we put a lot of effort into team building; we are like a small family that keeps growing.

You are a certified sea captain. What is it like to pilot a whale-watching boat?

I still spend a lot of my time in the summer on the boats, and I enjoy it, as I get to spend more time on the water with my colleagues and, of course, the whales. It’s a lot of fun to pilot a whale-watching boat, but there are a lot of things to think about; first and foremost is the safety of the passengers, the weather (I guess like many others in weather depending traveling, I spend a lot of my waking hours going over weather forecasts), and then, of course, the whales. We operate in the whales’ natural habitat and on their home ground, and we need to respect that, so how you maneuver the boats around them is crucial. We follow a strict code of conduct regarding how you approach the animals. I am now finishing my higher-level captain license, and from then on, I can start piloting our bigger boats!

What can those who join Whale Watching Akureyri expect on their tour?

Whale-watching from Akureyri is a great activity. Firstly, we sail in the longest fjord in Iceland, Eyjafjörður. If you ask me, this is the most beautiful fjord in Iceland, with stunning mountains on each side of the fjord. We start from the bottom of the fjord in the South and work North. We never know where, when, or if we will encounter any cetaceans. However, we see whales on 98% of our tours.

The whales of Eyjafjordur Fjord

Our most common species is the Humpback Whale. You can also expect to see Minke Whales, Harbour Porpoises and White-Beaked Dolphins. Sometimes, we even have other species coming into the fjord! We offer two tours: bigger vessels with inside and outside areas and our RIB boats for more action. A lot of effort is put into the quality of our guidance. We have highly trained naturalists who will tell you about the marine life and the area. Oh, and our guides take photos on the tours that you can get sent free of charge, so you can skip your camera and enjoy the moment.

Can you tell me why there are so many whales in Eyjafjordur?

The Fjord is a great place for whales to feed; it’s full of nutrition. The mix of freshwater rivers and north ocean currents makes a perfect area for plankton and fish larvae. This winter, we have had a lot of herring in the fjord as well, and Humpback Whales have stayed close to Akureyri the whole winter, feeding on a buffet of herring!

What rules have Whale Watching Akureyri about approaching the whales?

Not disturbing the whales in their habitat is essential. 
As there is no law in Iceland about how to approach whales, most of the whale-watching companies in Iceland are a part of IceWhale, an NGO formed by the whale-watching companies, where we have set a Code of Conduct on how to behave around the whales. This includes how fast you can go, how close you can get, and no head-on approaches. You can read about the Code of Conduct and our own stricter guidelines on our website. Our mission is to safely show our passengers the whales without disturbing them or negatively affecting our environment!

Sustainable travel is emerging as a key trend, so please tell me what you think about this critical issue.

Sustainable travel is all about respecting the environment while still having an enjoyable time.  We do all we can to minimize the negative impact of our operations on our surroundings. We reduce waste onboard and ensure we’re not disturbing the incredible whales that are the cornerstone of our business. But it’s not just about what happens on the water; we’re big on education, too. Our guides aren’t just there to point out the whales (although they’re pretty good at that, too).  They’re mainly there to share their passion for marine conservation. They teach our guests the importance of protecting these incredible creatures and their habitats. Together, we believe in making waves for a better world. We’re all about having a whale of a time while keeping our oceans happy and healthy!

What is the best way to prepare for a whale-watching tour?

First and foremost, dress warm! Bring sturdy shoes, hats, and gloves. Sunscreen and sunglasses are also essential on sunny days. We do provide overalls for those who like them. Bring a camera if you want to capture the moments, but we also offer our guests photos of the whales from the tour free of charge. This allows our guests to enjoy the moment.

Akureyri is becoming a popular destination; why do you think that is?

Akureyri is a mountain town with heart-shaped traffic lights. What more do you need? Akureyri has everything you might want. It is just the right size, has nice cafés, restaurants, a fantastic swimming pool, and nature is just at your doorstep. In winter, it takes 7 minutes to go to the ski resort; in summer, you can go hiking all around. I love the closeness to the sea; you can see the beautiful fjords from the mountaintops.

Can you tell me about our favorite places and activities?

That is a difficult question, as there are many things to do. In winter, a perfect day for me would be in a ski area snowboarding or in the backcountry split boarding. After snowboarding, I would go to a lovely café for lunch in Café Lyst or the Botanical Gardens in Akureyri.  If I were in the Dalvík area, I would go to have the best fish soup in the world at Gísli, Eiríkur, Helgi. Afterward, I would head to Hjalteyri to soak in the hot tub by the ocean (and perhaps spot whales from there). In summer, I am, of course, working a bit more. Still, evening activities would be going to Hjalteyri for some paddle boarding and hot tub after, mountain biking in Kjarnaskógur woods, or hiking up Súlur just above Akureyri.

What advice would you give to those visiting Iceland for the first time?

The biggest mistake I see people make is planning too much in too short a time.I understand that travelers want to see everything Iceland has to offer. However, this would require a few months off your schedule or even more. I have not even seen everything Iceland has to offer yet! So, if you are tight on time, pick an area you want to focus on and stay there for most of your trip. Get to know the place and the people!