Guests and crew aboard a Gentle Giants whale-watching tour recently witnessed an exceptionally rare event in Skjálfandi Bay when a blue whale calf was seen repeatedly breaching alongside its mother.
The mother and calf were first spotted on Saturday evening while feeding near the surface. They remained in the area the following day and were repeatedly observed feeding, rolling at the surface, and travelling together throughout the bay.
The highlight came on a trip with the whale watching ship Sylvia, when the calf performed a full breach directly in front of the boat. According to the guide Dimitra Perari The calf then continued at a high speed, taking several smaller leaps before rejoining its mother.
The blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is the largest animal ever known to have lived on Earth. It can reach lengths of up to XNUMX metres and weigh as much as XNUMX tonnes. Although blue whales are regularly sighted off North Iceland during the summer months, calves are much rarer, and witnessing a blue whale calf breaching is considered highly unusual.
The rarity of the event was further emphasized by the captain's reaction.Guðni Sigþórsson, who has decades of seafaring experience. Despite his long career at sea, Guðni said he had never seen a witnessed a blue whale calf breaching.
The spectacular sight provided passengers, guides, and whale enthusiasts alike with a unique glimpse into the lives of the world's largest animals and serves as a reminder that nature can still surprise even the most experienced mariners.
About Dimitra Perari
Dimitra Perari is a whale-watching guide with Gentle Giants in Húsavík. Born in Greece in 2000, she holds a Bachelor's degree in Biology with a specialization in Fish Biology, as well as a Master's degree in Oceanography. Dimitra has worked in marine mammal research both in Iceland and abroad, including at the University of Iceland's Research Centre in Húsavík and at NTNU SeaLab in Trondheim, Norway. She joined Gentle Giants in 2025.
Her expertise in marine life and experience studying marine ecosystems make her exceptionally well qualified to share knowledge about whales and other marine species with visitors to Skjálfandi Bay. She described witnessing the blue whale calf breaching as one of the most memorable experiences of her time at sea.
