Eyjafjörður is a fjord in North Iceland, over 70 kilometres (47 miles) in length from the mouth to the bottom of the fjord.
Features of Eyjafjörður
There are high mountains on both sides, the highest being Kerling at 1538 metres (5046 feet).
The capital of the North, Akureyri (ca. 18,000 inhabitants), lies at the bottom of the fjord. There is a wealth of culture in the town, with many museums, galleries, and the world’s northernmost botanical gardens.
Five smaller fishing villages scatter the shores, and there are many farms inland. Agriculture, fisheries and tourism are the driving industries of the fjord’s economy.
Wildlife in Eyjafjörður
Eyjafjörður has a wealth of wildlife due to its fertile waters. As such, it is one of the best places in the country for whale watching and puffin watching.
Throughout summer, whale-watching tour operators often boast one hundred percent sightseeing rates. The most common species are Humpbacks, White Beaked Dolphins and Harbour Porpoises, but Orcas, Blue and Fin Whales are often spotted too.
Puffins nest on the islands of Eyjafjörður throughout the summer months, and many boat tours go out to see them shuffling on the rocks, flying overhead and fishing in the waters.
Credit: Wikimedia, Creative Commons. Photo by Allihjelm.
Hauganes is a village, located within fjord Eyjafjörður in North Iceland with a population of approximately 140 people .
Hauganes is part of the Árskógsströnd coastal area and the district of Dalvík. The community is largely centred around fishing and fish processing, as well as whale watching, but Hauganes hosts the oldest working whale watching tour operator in the country.
The Wildlife of Hauganes
Eyjafjörður, Iceland’s longest fjord, is a prime destination for spotting more than ten species of whale, including the blue whale, fin whale, humpback, killer whale, sperm whale and white-beaked dolphins. Wildlife enthusiasts can also set out to the islands of Hrísey and Grímsey from Hauganes for the chance of detecting some forty species of bird. Seals also inhabit these waters and are very often spotted, both in Eyjafjörður and its neighbouring fjord of Öxarfjörður.
