Whales from the kitchen

A view from the cliffs that same day with Raufarhöfn in the background.

This week brought a thrill we’ve been quietly hoping for since moving to Raufarhöfn—humpback whales, just offshore, visible from our kitchen window. For the first time since leaving our old home in Arnarstapi, where sightings were almost routine, we watched these giants rise and crash in the cold northern sea, right here in the East.

Two humpbacks, unmistakable with their arched backs and long pectoral fins, were lunge feeding just beyond the headland. We could see them surge upward through the surface, mouths wide, engulfing clouds of most likely fish in one explosive motion. Even from land, the power and precision of this feeding technique was incredible to witness.

Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) migrate vast distances each year, traveling from tropical breeding grounds to nutrient-rich northern waters like these to feed. Their presence is a sign that summer is fully here—and that the ocean just beyond our home is rich with life.

There’s something deeply emotional about seeing them again. Familiar yet awe-inspiring, their return feels like a reunion with old neighbors from the sea. We stood at the window in silence and grins, hearts pounding. This place keeps reminding us why we came.