Whale Safari from Middelfart
You spot a dark back and fin. Then another. The sound of a short, powerful blow hangs in the air for a moment before the surface closes again. Lillebælt is home to one of the world's densest populations of porpoises, and from the deck of the tour boat, you get see see them up close
Whale safari tours in Middelfart
The boats depart from Gl. Havn and Nyhavn 2 in Middelfart. The captain sets course for deeper waters. As the boat sails through the water, you scan for fins: the porpoise can get up to 180 cm long, weighs 60–70 kilos, and uses clicking sounds to hunt.
The porpoise is shy by nature and usually travels alone or in groups of 2–5. It hunts herring, sprat, and cod using biosonar – an echolocation system similar to that of bats. Lillebælt is one of the few places in the world where the population is dense enough that you're very likely to spot them. The belt is now designated a Marine Nature National Park, and its strong currents create exactly the conditions porpoises seek: fish and deep, cold water. Whale safari on Lillebælt is one of the most present nature experiences on Funen and a reminder of what lives just below the surface.
Whale safari boats
The trip begins at the habours in Middelfart, where the captain sails into the strait. While the boat sails through the water you will try to spot the dark back and fin of the porpoise.
Good to know
Thousands of porpoises live in the strait all year and it is a nature experience that takes patience and eagle eyes. But when you spot the first porpoise you will feel a certain presence occurring. Watch out for "the feast" where a porpoises hunts for fish, often accompanied by seagulls, cormorants and seals.
When is the best time to go on a porpoise safari in Denmark?
Porpoises are spotted in Lillebælt all year, but they're most active from May to August. The weather tends to be calmer, and the porpoises hunt actively in the belt's strong currents. Tours run seasonally – check current departure times when you book.
Lillebælt is one of the waters where you can regularly see porpoises in summer, and there are plenty of calves around too. When they're here, it's because there's food for them – especially schools of fish in open water. Along the coastlines, they'll also find bottom-dwelling fish like gobies and eelpouts.
Where can you spot porpoises from land?
Good observation spots on land include Middelfart's harbors, Galsklint, Strandvejen, Strib Nordstrand, and Røjle Klint.
What else can you spot on the tour?
Besides porpoises, you have a good chance of seeing harbor seals and white-tailed eagles along the belt. Your guide will also point out the old and new Lillebælt bridges, historic fortifications, and the varied birdlife above the water.
Is a porpoise safari in Middelfart right for kids?
Yes. The tours are family-friendly and last about two hours – a manageable length for young ones. Children under 2 ride free, and on M/S Marianne, kids are welcome to visit the wheelhouse. Mira3 has space for strollers, and dogs are welcome for a small surcharge.
What is a harbor porpoise?
The harbor porpoise is an aquatic mammal – and therefore a whale. Calves are born around 75 cm long and grow to between 160 and 170 cm as adults, living for around 25 years. Out of water, porpoises appear black and white, but in the water they look gray. Their dark upper side lightens in the sun, while their pale underside darkens in the water – making them especially hard for predators like orcas to spot in murky conditions.
Was there ever whale hunting in Middelfart?
Lillebælt – and Gamborg Fjord in particular – was the heart of porpoise hunting, which once formed a major part of Middelfart's livelihood. Hunters beat beech branches against the water and rowed small boats into Gamborg Fjord, where the porpoises were slaughtered. The meat and especially the blubber were the prize. The blubber was rendered into oil that burned in the old market town's street lamps. Porpoise hunting was practiced from the 1500s all the way into the early 1950s. The harbor porpoise was protected by law in 1967.