Whales and Mid-summer’s Eve in Húsavík

Posted by at 3:18 PM, June 25, 2004

I began to recognize the friendly faces of people I had met thus far during my brief stay in Húsavik. I just can’t emphasize enough how wonderful they are. They have welcomed us into their lives and shared with us their beautiful town and also their concerns. I respect this community quite a lot because these people are making the transition from resource exploitation to resource conservation, and they are writing their own story. They are making something happen that isn’t altogether popular, but they’re doing it anyway because it is the right thing.

Hello friends,

This morning a whole bunch of us went whale watching. In fact there were so many Greenpeacers wanting to go that we got our own boat (along with our own super-cute captain). Our tour departed at 10:00 am and had similar results as last night- several blue whales and this time some dolphins! Pictures and video were taken of me- none of them good. I'm an uncooperative subject- just ask Christian and Jari. It's not that I mean to be; I think it's a natural condition.

We got back to town at about 1:00 and dashed to the ship for an almost definitely potato-based lunch. Then a few of us were whisked away on the Novi to the beach across the way so that we could help some members of the community build a life-size blue whale out of sand. We used a long fire hose and lots of shovels, and the sculpture turned out pretty darn good. During this time Frank and Erika took groups of children for rides in the Novi. They seemed to really enjoy themselves.

Our main contact here in Húsavik is Ásbjörn Björgvinsson- Abbi for short- a really lovely man who runs the Húsavik Whale Centre and chairs the Whale Watching Association of Iceland. The Whale Centre is both a meeting place and an excellent natural history museum. The people are friendly and they will make you feel right at home. You should definitely go there when Iceland stops whaling. Check it out: www.icewhale.is

Next on the agenda: a discussion group at the Whale Centre. Abbi had organized a forum about whales and Icelandic policy. The audience was small but concerned, and we took turns making brief, prepared statements. Brian made some particularly good points using as illustration quotes from Cyberactivists who took the pledge. Then I spoke again about how difficult it is for people outside of Iceland to understand how a country could both promote whale watching and permit whale killing. I told them that I would be delighted to go home and send everyone I know to Iceland- to Húsavik in particular- if the whaling stopped. I mentioned that, even though I live in the desert, I care especially about whales, and that there are thousands more like me who want to have adventures in Iceland but won't come until the whaling is over.

Dinner on the ship was a Swedish celebration of Mid-summer's Eve. Special foods and impromptu (read: terrible) dancing by Pelle were on tap as were shots of snaps and drinks of vodka. Then we had a couple of hours to kill before a party at the Whale Centre. So I opened the box of cocoa covered dark chocolate covered almonds I brought from Reno, and Frank broke out a bottle of excellent brandy he got in Spain. We shared these things with whomever wandered into the mess, which was everyone eventually, and had a great time of it.

The party in town was very fun; almost everyone from the Esperanza was there to celebrate. I began to recognize the friendly faces of people I had met thus far during my brief stay in Húsavik. I just can't emphasize enough how wonderful they are. They have welcomed us into their lives and shared with us their beautiful town and also their concerns. I respect this community quite a lot because these people are making the transition from resource exploitation to resource conservation, and they are writing their own story. They are making something happen that isn't altogether popular, but they're doing it anyway because it is the right thing. You can't help but want them to succeed.

In case you are wondering, I had too much drink this night.

-Marnee