One of the many exciting activities for travelers in Iceland is a whale watching trip. There are lots of options around the country, including sailings from Reykjavik, Akureyri, and Dalvik, but the most popular tours are out of Húsavik in the far north just below the Arctic Circle.

The largest whale watching outfit in town is North Sailing, which has also pioneered the use of historic wooden fishing vessels for their tours, and has also introduced eco-friendly ships powered by electric motors and sail.

The latest addition to North Sailing’s fleet is fittingly a former whale hunting ship. The old wooden vessel was raised from the harbor at Sanderdi on the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwest Iceland where it sank many years ago. The ship, which is currently undergoing restoration, will run on clean electric power when it’s put into service this summer. How cool is that.