Students in the 5th grade of Borgarhóllsskóli recently participated in a whale watching trip in Skjálfandaflói as part of the Whale School project at the Whale Museum in Húsavík.
For years, the Whale School has combined education, fieldwork, and research on whales and marine life, giving students the opportunity to experience nature firsthand.
The trip was on the oak boat Garðari from Norðursiglinga in really good weather, with smooth seas and ideal conditions for whale watching. Christian Schmidt was the tour guide, Alli Bjarna was the captain, Filipa Rodrigues was the boatswain and Jordi was the engineer. An employee of the Whale Museum, Garðar Þröstur Einarsson, was on board and provided guidance in Icelandic for the students.
The trip was a great success as the students saw three humpback whales which were identified with the help of the Happywhale database and researchers from the University of Iceland Research Centre in Húsavík who were also on board. The researchers were able to immediately identify Polini the humpback whale, giving the students an insight into how photo analysis and whale research is carried out in real-life situations.
By clicking on the links below you can see information about the humpback whales seen during the trip:
- Polini – https://happywhale.com/individual/124074
- Bob – https://happywhale.com/individual/141270
- HW-MN0103821- https://happywhale.com/individual/124077
Whale watching trips are an important part of the Whale School, where students get to connect classroom learning with real-life experiences out at sea. The project's goals include increasing students' understanding of marine life, whale research, and the importance of ocean conservation.
We would like to thank Norðursiglinga for their cooperation and everyone who came along for the trip for a great day on the whale trails in Skjálfandaflói.
