At 13:00 we left the Reykjavik harbour on a converted fishing boat, to set sail to see some whales. After a 45minute boat journey we were informed to look for Gannets (large seabirds) which feed on the same fish as the Minke Whales do, so after spotting the birds, we saw a whale. When the whales surface they create a still area of water called a footprint. Also, how arched their backs are when they surface, determines how deep they dive. They can hold their breath for up to 20 minutes at a time and can go much deeper than the bay which was only 30-40 meters deep. As the whales only surface for a few seconds, and with the tour guide constantly shouting different directions, the whales were pretty much impossible to get on camera. I thought that the best part of the whale watching trip was constantly trying to spot whales. Also the boat journey was great fun with everyone getting on really well having shared in a fantastic experience!
Aidan and Sam (Year 10)
[Minke Whale photo by Rachel]
