Explore More UK Autumn 2021

ICELAND : WHALE WATCHING 23
AWE MAKES US FEEL SMALL – WHEN
THESE PLAYFUL GENTLE GIANTS
SURROUNDED US IT WAS HUMBLING
Psychologists say a moment’s awe plays
a big role in our health, happiness
and wellbeing. After 90 minutes of
watching humpback whales play alongside
our inflatable RIB in the deep, clear waters
of the Westfjords, in Iceland, I can safely say
they are right. Awe changes us.
Local boat owner Sigurour whizzed our
group of eight Viking Jupiter passengers
from sleepy Ísafjörður into the Denmark
Strait and within 15 minutes we saw
the distinctive spray of humpback
whales. Not just one but two, three,
four, five and more. And that’s when
the distinction between the emotion of
awe kicked in (rather than inspiration
or surprise). Awe makes us feel small –
and when these playful gentle giants
surrounded us it was the most humbling
connection with ocean life that anyone
could experience. We were in the whales’
hands, so to speak, and they embraced us
in their social harmony, singing to each
other (or maybe us) in choruses of deep,
low moans alongside plenty of huffing
and puffing. Sigurour explained that
the pod knew his boat and recognised
the sound of the propeller, whether it
was on or off. They were not in the least
afraid. It’s quite simple on reflection – if
these highly intelligent mammals can
remember specific points in the world’s
oceans, and return to the same feeding
spot every year, it would not take much
to remember Sigurour’s boat! Up close
we could distinguish the humpbacks’
different sizes, their markings and colour
variations from pure white to solid black
on their tail fluke, each one unique, like a
fingerprint said Siguour as we counted up
to 12 humpbacks within our view.
The whales glided through the water,
each one the size of a single-decker bus,
powerful swimmers skimming our boat
in a guard of honour before breaking off
to flex their butterfly-shaped flukes up,
then down, to dive deep for a shrimp feast
on the sea bed. They would sometimes be
down for more than five minutes and we
sat silently wondering where they would
come up, often rising some way ahead
and letting out air with a triumphant,
noisy blow creating their giant signature
spray of mist. Here, on the edge of the
Arctic Circle, where waterfalls create
rainbows as they run down the side of
flat-top mountains, we sat stunned by
the spectacle we had just witnessed. This
was not just a moment of awe, but 90
minutes of pure magic. Back on Viking
Jupiter we celebrated with a strong
aquavit, raising our glasses to ‘Good
Health’ revelling in the knowledge that
such a close encounter was not only a rare
privilege but these priceless moments of
awe will stay with us forever.
Iceland’s Natural Beauty 2023 eight-day round-trip from Reykjavík, from £2,790pp viking.com