Day 11
1 Sep 2015
Husavik whale watching, Exploration Museum, Godafoss Waterfall, Akureyri & Sundlaug (of course)
First Stop
Drove: 55 km
Husavik. As soon as you reach Husavik, there are ample marketing signboards to guide you there. You will have 2 (if I am not mistaken) offices from different companies providing more or less the same offering. I went for Gentle Giants as its marketing material was more cool.
We were looking forward to this activity and took the 0930 trip and made there just in the nick of time. The company Gentle Giants (link) boasts a high success rate of seeing whales and has been around for generations. Not cheap - EUR250 for the 4 of us for 3 hours. You will be given warm coveralls and they have nice proper ones even for kids. We did not book for the trip. The office is easy to find.
We boarded the old oak boat Silvya which was used for whale hunting that has been refurbished. Its a very small boat for whale hunting I thought....
The boat took us out to sea where we saw a few whales surface and then dive. Before they dive, you can see their iconic tails and they disappear. The whales will go deep into the water do a certain maneuver and re-surface and will repeat this ritual a few times which is explained in a handy booklet.
Apparently, the whales hang around Husavik for some reason and a few other locations explained by the guide, but I was too engrossed in taking the photos to absorb the information.
I would recommend to go for the rib rubber boats (aka Zodiac boats) as they are much more agile and able to reach the whales faster, albeit more expensive. The thought of going on the nostalgic old oak boat sort of blinded my decision. But, it was a unique experience to be on the boat nonetheless.
At the end of the trip, you will be served with hot chocolate and a local Icelandic traditional twisted doughnut 'kleina' while the oak boat slowly makes it way back to the harbour. Nice.
This and the glacier walk were the highlights of my trip. So were the boiling sulphur, the nice clean campsite, staying in a campervan, chilling out at Sundlaugs, seeing the Auroras.....hahahaha soooooo many highlights to mention!
Figure: The oak boats are nostalgic to be on and were refurbished from a whale killing instrument to a preservation initiative. To see the whales in close proximity, I would recommend to go for the more expensive Zodiac boats.
Figures: You will be nice and warm in the overalls provided and the booklet gives helpful information on the whales' behaviour.
Figure: this is what makes your every dollar spent worth it. To see the whales surface and then dive again.
Figure: Source from the Gentle Giant's website. (link)
Went back to the campervan for coffee and the awesome rugbraud...
Exploration Museum
Drove: 0 km
While strolling in Husavik, we saw this tracked vehicle that looked like a bus and turned out to be a museum. The Exploration Museum celebrates the explorative nature of Icelanders going back to her early formation days. Upon closer inspection of the tracked vehicle, it is a snowmobile/bus built by the Canadian Bombardier company (which manufactures trains and planes among others) used by the astronaut in training.
Apparently, not known to many, NASA astronauts used to come to Iceland to train due to its unique moon like geology. Neil Armstrong's name and all the astronauts who have come here is commemorated on a marble plaque outside the musuem. Entrance fee: EUR14 for the 4 of us.
It is a very small museum, but perfect for us as we are on the move. This was a real gem as my daughter is a bit of a nerd when it comes to space exploration. In English and Icelandic.
Seal Spotting
Drove: 18 km
In the internet, I found out that seals can be spotted along the coast North of Husavik. We went to a few spots where there could be seals that land at a certain time. We waited and waited and did not spot any and turned back.
Godafoss Waterfall
Drove: 65 km
OK, this is the mother of all waterfalls 'The Waterfall of Gods'. Icelanders love story telling called 'saga' and in fact, a local we met at a Sundlaug mentioned that if by the age of 20, you have not yet written a story book, you are not a true Icelander! But it was a weird encounter (at least for me) as both of us were stark naked while he casually shared his story!
So, back to this waterfall. In year 1000, Pergeir was entrusted by the parliament to decide whether Iceland should embrace Christianity or the Norse gods; in which after a day of meditation concluded Christianity it is. When he went back to his home, he threw all his statues of the pagan god into this waterfall and hence, its name.
Overnight Akureyri
Drove: 52 km
Akureyri is a fairly sized town (by Icelandic standard) with a population of 18,000. Hamrar is a big camping site located at Postholf 135, 602 Akureyri. Costed us EUR18 for 2 adults. Both kids were free. We bathe by walking next door at the Sundlaug for EUR12.
Figure: The large campsites tend to have more facilities. It is good that this site has a Sundlaug (hot water tubs and pool) just next door which we are so fond of.
Had an awesome Indian curry dinner at Indian Curry Hut Hafnarstreti address 100B, 600 Akureyri for wait for it...EUR75!!!! And that is takeaway.
End of Article 9. Next Click Here >>>
1 Sep 2015
Husavik whale watching, Exploration Museum, Godafoss Waterfall, Akureyri & Sundlaug (of course)
First Stop
Drove: 55 km
Husavik. As soon as you reach Husavik, there are ample marketing signboards to guide you there. You will have 2 (if I am not mistaken) offices from different companies providing more or less the same offering. I went for Gentle Giants as its marketing material was more cool.
We were looking forward to this activity and took the 0930 trip and made there just in the nick of time. The company Gentle Giants (link) boasts a high success rate of seeing whales and has been around for generations. Not cheap - EUR250 for the 4 of us for 3 hours. You will be given warm coveralls and they have nice proper ones even for kids. We did not book for the trip. The office is easy to find.
We boarded the old oak boat Silvya which was used for whale hunting that has been refurbished. Its a very small boat for whale hunting I thought....
The boat took us out to sea where we saw a few whales surface and then dive. Before they dive, you can see their iconic tails and they disappear. The whales will go deep into the water do a certain maneuver and re-surface and will repeat this ritual a few times which is explained in a handy booklet.
Apparently, the whales hang around Husavik for some reason and a few other locations explained by the guide, but I was too engrossed in taking the photos to absorb the information.
I would recommend to go for the rib rubber boats (aka Zodiac boats) as they are much more agile and able to reach the whales faster, albeit more expensive. The thought of going on the nostalgic old oak boat sort of blinded my decision. But, it was a unique experience to be on the boat nonetheless.
At the end of the trip, you will be served with hot chocolate and a local Icelandic traditional twisted doughnut 'kleina' while the oak boat slowly makes it way back to the harbour. Nice.
This and the glacier walk were the highlights of my trip. So were the boiling sulphur, the nice clean campsite, staying in a campervan, chilling out at Sundlaugs, seeing the Auroras.....hahahaha soooooo many highlights to mention!
Figure: The oak boats are nostalgic to be on and were refurbished from a whale killing instrument to a preservation initiative. To see the whales in close proximity, I would recommend to go for the more expensive Zodiac boats.
Figures: You will be nice and warm in the overalls provided and the booklet gives helpful information on the whales' behaviour.
Figure: this is what makes your every dollar spent worth it. To see the whales surface and then dive again.
Figure: Source from the Gentle Giant's website. (link)
Went back to the campervan for coffee and the awesome rugbraud...
Exploration Museum
Drove: 0 km
While strolling in Husavik, we saw this tracked vehicle that looked like a bus and turned out to be a museum. The Exploration Museum celebrates the explorative nature of Icelanders going back to her early formation days. Upon closer inspection of the tracked vehicle, it is a snowmobile/bus built by the Canadian Bombardier company (which manufactures trains and planes among others) used by the astronaut in training.
Apparently, not known to many, NASA astronauts used to come to Iceland to train due to its unique moon like geology. Neil Armstrong's name and all the astronauts who have come here is commemorated on a marble plaque outside the musuem. Entrance fee: EUR14 for the 4 of us.
It is a very small museum, but perfect for us as we are on the move. This was a real gem as my daughter is a bit of a nerd when it comes to space exploration. In English and Icelandic.
Seal Spotting
Drove: 18 km
In the internet, I found out that seals can be spotted along the coast North of Husavik. We went to a few spots where there could be seals that land at a certain time. We waited and waited and did not spot any and turned back.
Godafoss Waterfall
Drove: 65 km
OK, this is the mother of all waterfalls 'The Waterfall of Gods'. Icelanders love story telling called 'saga' and in fact, a local we met at a Sundlaug mentioned that if by the age of 20, you have not yet written a story book, you are not a true Icelander! But it was a weird encounter (at least for me) as both of us were stark naked while he casually shared his story!
So, back to this waterfall. In year 1000, Pergeir was entrusted by the parliament to decide whether Iceland should embrace Christianity or the Norse gods; in which after a day of meditation concluded Christianity it is. When he went back to his home, he threw all his statues of the pagan god into this waterfall and hence, its name.
Figure: Godafoss - it has a few vista points
Overnight Akureyri
Drove: 52 km
Akureyri is a fairly sized town (by Icelandic standard) with a population of 18,000. Hamrar is a big camping site located at Postholf 135, 602 Akureyri. Costed us EUR18 for 2 adults. Both kids were free. We bathe by walking next door at the Sundlaug for EUR12.
Figure: The town of Akureyri seen from a vistapoint.
Figure: The large campsites tend to have more facilities. It is good that this site has a Sundlaug (hot water tubs and pool) just next door which we are so fond of.
Had an awesome Indian curry dinner at Indian Curry Hut Hafnarstreti address 100B, 600 Akureyri for wait for it...EUR75!!!! And that is takeaway.
End of Article 9. Next Click Here >>>
Links to:
Article
1 - Reykjavik
Article
2 - Bridge
Between 2 continents, Seltun Geothermal steam, Blue Lagoon, first overnight
stay in Campervan, Aurora
Article
3 - Pingvellir Parliament, Geyser Southwest
Article
4 - South Gulfoss, Gluggafoss, Eyjafjallajokull volcano
Article
5 - Black Sand Beach, View of the Glacier
Article
6 - Glacier Walk, Zodiac Boat Ride in the Lake, Ice Beach
Article 7 - Hofn and Fjardabyggd
Article 8 - Hverir, Myvatn Nature Bath and Lake Myvatn
Article 9 - (this article) - Whale watching, Exploration Museum, Godafoss Waterfall, Akureyri Sundlaug
Article 7 - Hofn and Fjardabyggd
Article 8 - Hverir, Myvatn Nature Bath and Lake Myvatn
Article 9 - (this article) - Whale watching, Exploration Museum, Godafoss Waterfall, Akureyri Sundlaug
Article
10 - Akureyri Christmas Shop, 14th Century Port,
Old Church, Dalvik, Beautiful valley Oxnadalur, Overnight Varmahlid, Glaumbaer
turf house, Hill with crater, Reykjavik city, Last Sundlaug
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