UNDER THE VOLCANO

Pilot arrives to guide us into port

The Vestmannaeyjar archipelago (the Westman Islands) lies off the south west coast of mainland Iceland.  Heimaey, the largest island in the group, is the only inhabited one.  Originally settled by escaped Irish slaves in 900 AD the islands suffered through hardships and piracy during its long history.  

A long way to go for milk!

In spite of it all, Heimaey evolved into an important part of the Icelandic fishing industry because of its strategic harbour and proximity to the fishing grounds.  

Ocean Diamond’s sail into Heimaey was nothing short of amazing.  A protected harbour set amongst steep volcanic outcrops, the secluded port was not immediately visible from the sea.  As we manoeuvred around each dramatic rocky protrusion, the town and its harbour eventually came into view. For the ship’s crew it was a fine display of seamanship navigating to the dock. 

It was the events of January 1973 that have created a new landscape in this part of the world.  Without any warning a large fissure angrily split the earth open disgorging molten lava.  The town’s 5,000 inhabitants were evacuated but two days later a large cinder cone erupted from the fissure.  While close to 800 homes were destroyed Heimaey had gained a new volcano that was subsequently named Eldfell (Fire Mountain).  The eruption lasted over five months.

Lava Flow frozen in time

During the eruption efforts were made to slow the advance of the lava as it threatened to engulf the town and its harbour.  

A pumping ship arrived spraying 100 gallons of seawater per second.  With the help of more powerful pumps over six million tons of seawater was pumped onto the lava in efforts to halt the encroaching lava flow.  

The harbour was saved as well as part of the town but almost 50 years later the drama of that time is front and centre.  Had that eruption closed off the harbour it would have brought disaster to the fishing industry, the main activity of the town.

Volcanic landscape popular with hikers

Reminiscent of a lunar landscape the lava flow from all those years ago looks harmless now with moss and lichen making the black and red rock home.  There are visible remnants of homes engulfed by the lava flow, now replaced by neatly kept rows of homes lining the quiet streets. The town’s museum does an excellent job of showcasing the eruption that caused one of Iceland's worst natural disasters. Eldheimar, is a museum of remembrance with exhibits that focuses on the impacts of the eruptions.

Visiting the weather research facility high on the island, the view of the volcanic landscape and an 18 hole golf course set in part of a crater was a pretty dramatic setting.  Icelanders love their golf!

Pristine greens - spot the elephant trunks in the rock face

We were blessed by an uneventful sail out of the Westman Islands and enjoyed calm seas for the last leg of the journey back to Reykjavik, completing our circumnavigation of Iceland.  

Despite the previous day's stellar display of seamanship, our arrival into the port of Reykjavik the next morning went awry.  The starboard side of the ship scraped hard against the breakwater.  Hopefully just a paint job.  

But what grist for Tatyana’s mill as she prepares for her next group of passengers!  

That’s the thing about Iceland, land of ice and fire.  It’s full of surprises on all sorts of levels.

ALL ALONE IN ICELAND

Taking in the view before descending into the next valley

Arriving in the port of Djupivogur on the south eastern coast of Iceland reinforced the solitude of the communities in this part of the country.

Another attractive coastal town but it was what lay beyond that would be the focus of today's excursion.

Setting off in our “super jeep” we travelled the coast road along Highway 1, the narrow two lane highway that encircles Iceland.

Angelica Canyon

Soon we were off road travelling along a narrow track. The scenery, one for the picture books.  

Reindeer Jawbone

Our first stop was a deep canyon known as Angelica its rock formations varied and colourful.

Crystal clear spring water flowed rapidly through the canyon, its taste pure, its temperature frigid despite the sunny day. The rock formations are made up of calcium, iron and copper tones making it an astonishingly colourful landscape.  

Glacial river bed in the valley

Magma from an ancient eruption had forced itself through some of the rock face giving the cliff a look of an egg salad sandwich.

Driving effortlessly over small boulders and rushing streams we made our way to a narrow winding track that traversed the mountainside.  While washed out in places our vehicle made little work of navigating, the views below and above breathtaking.  

Glacial rivers, the bright green new growth on budding birch trees and the backdrop of mountainsides coloured sage, cranberry, teal and grey were literally a kaleidoscope of colour.

Young reindeer

Our next stop was Arctic Fox Nest Canyon and its cascading waterfall.  We sat on the rocks to eat our picnic lunch while taking in the view.

Reindeer were introduced to Iceland from Norway in the 18^th Century because of their adaptability to harsh environments but they roam wild, Icelanders preferring to tend their sheep instead.

Hidden waterfalls

A group of young males caught our attention, their antlers covered in black hair this early in the season.

As we returned along the winding trail through the mountains to the highway there was another surprise in store when we were introduced to a hidden series of waterfalls. 

Walking over the lichen covered boulders we followed a bubbling stream as it turned a corner where the waterfall complex came into view.

The main waterfall thunders down from the glacier in front of an open cave presenting an enticing opportunity to walk behind it. 

Two smaller waterfalls flank the horseshoe shaped outcrop while steep snow covered mountains overlook this fusion of bubbling water as it crashes its way to the sea through the boulder clad stream.

The power of nature had struck again today, very forcefully.

PUFFIN PARADISE

Waterfalls pour down in Seydisfjordur

The small town of Seydisfjordur in East Iceland lies at the head of a deep fjord with jagged snow capped peaks looking down somewhat menacingly on the town.  A familiar theme on our travels but Icelanders tend to take these things in stride.

Downtown Seydisfjordur

As with other small towns we’d visited, homes are brightly painted and well cared for.  Activity centres around fish processing, the acrid air around town palpable.  

Tourism is on the increase but this part of Iceland is remote and during the cold, dark winter months it must test the will with roads to the outside world often impassable.  A Danish ferry comes in weekly on its Denmark - Faroe Islands - Iceland run, but the atmosphere in this community defines isolation.

A four wheel drive contraption – a truck come bus – took us along a narrow gravel road that crossed river beds bubbling with icy water streaming down from the melting snow high above.  Passing Viking era excavations and deserted farmhouses, the long cultural history this area has seen was underscored.

Fancy digs for the eider duck

At Skalanes Farmhouse we had a close up view of nesting eider duck, their valuable down harvested from the nest lining.  Some ducks are so accustomed to their environment they allow the farmer to pick them up and replace them carefully back in the nest after part of the down lining has been removed, the farmer having created a series of smart looking nesting boxes along the shoreline. 

The sky was alive with action.  This particular area, Skalanes Nature Reserve, is home to fifty different bird species during summer and we enjoyed the sights and sounds of some of them.  The territorial Arctic Tern swoops down in irritation when anything invades its patch, amazing how a relatively small bird could look so threatening. 

Gulls and Puffin nesting on the cliff face

Busted!

The colourful puffin with its orange feet and facial markings and tiny black wings that seem far too small for its body felt a lot less intimidating.

Little darlings and so photogenic.

All manner of gull nest on the unwelcoming cliff sides that sweep down to the ocean, their choice to nest well placed as young birds often fall victim to marauding arctic fox and mink.  

There is a bounty on these predators and the farmhouse had an impressive display of skins adorning the walls. 

While the landscape was wild and unwelcoming to us, it positively teemed with life.  The howling wind merely providing the means for all manner of bird life to survey and thrive in their unique environment.

TRAPPED IN SIGLO

Siglo's Hotel

The story of Iceland's herring industry tells a familiar tale of boom and bust.

This modern day saga is thoughtfully told in a series of museums in Siglufordur’s town centre in North Iceland.  A re-enactment of the lives led by the "herring girls" fun to watch.

The town’s setting is picturesque with restored, colourful buildings nestled along the waterfront.  

Sweeping snow capped mountains rise all around from the valley floor.  Tell tale signs of avalanche danger are everywhere with an intricate series of break wall fencing embroidering the surrounding mountainsides.

Part of the museum complex

In the herring boom years an atmosphere much like the gold rush existed.  Siglo, as it’s called by the locals was the place to be.  Times were good.  And then the herring stopping coming.  The resource had been overfished.

Bad times followed with townspeople thrown out of work when the fish processing plants closed down.

"The Herring Girls"

Despite its erratic history, Siglo has made an impressive resurgence. Many people who had left in search of work elsewhere have returned and the town has been transformed.  The herring museum complex for one. 

An old dilapidated building has been converted into a successful hotel as hikers and nature enthusiastic discover this beautiful place.  

The Icelandic TV series “Trapped” was also filmed here and in Seydisfjordur, a later port of call.

Our day in Siglo was a revelation of sorts. We had been encouraged by the fact that changing course after bad times can turn out for the better in the end.

THE WILD WESTFJORDS

Dynjandi Waterfall

Reputed to be home to Iceland’s most dramatic scenery the Westfjords in North West Iceland and the small town of Isafjordur bring a whole new meaning to getting away from it all.

The road from the pier to our eventual destination, Dynjandi waterfall, took many twists and turns.  While there was a fair amount of activity in the port of Isafjordur, it was unmistakable we had entered a remote part of the island nation. 

Before long we were traversing a long winding tunnel under the mountains, the centre point of which is a one way system which involves care with oncoming traffic.  Smaller communities dotted the wild landscape and the consequences of living in this far flung place were evident.  

Sweeping mountains, benign looking today, have been the cause of catastrophe in the past.  Avalanche is a constant risk and in the 1960s disaster struck when a massive avalanche covered one of the small towns killing a number of its inhabitants.  A system of fencing has been constructed in the hopes of lessening future avalanche impacts, the high walls cleverly disguised with vegetation.

We reminded ourselves that winter brings a completely different perspective with diminished hours of daylight.  We were visiting at a time of the year when the sun up came at 3 a.m. and night falls around midnight. 

View from the sixth viewing platform

The winding gravel road linking the two fiords snakes its way upward to the summit, nail biting drops on one side and snow encrusted banks on the other.  At the summit the view was spectacular.  The descent begins, repeating a similar winding route until finally we reached sea level.  In the distance the six waterfalls that make up Dynjandi were visible.

What appeared to be an attractive waterfall from a distance slowly started to impress as we got closer to its base.  The water cascades down the rugged cliffs in a fan-like array giving the appearance of an embroidered wedding veil.  The climb to the highest viewing platform takes about 30 minutes and despite the uneven terrain the hike was not to be missed. 

The mist from the plunging waters of Dynjandi shrouded us with moisture but it was the sound of the water that made us take pause. 

HELPFUL PLUMBING TIPS FROM TATYANA

Ocean Diamond finally arrives

No matter how many cruises we've been on over the years there's always some kind of inside scoop one of the crew is keen to share.

Tatyana our room stewardess, in this case, a wise Ukrainian who had spent most of her working life at sea relished her vacuum with an almost military fervour.

After an eventful stay in Reykjavik dodging the diabolical weather cocktail of rain, wind, snow, hail and sleet - but to be fair, frequent interludes of relative calm and sun, it was now time to board the Ocean Diamond for our Iceland circumnavigation. 

The ship was intended to dock at 0800 within view of our hotel balcony.  By 0900 there was still no sign of the ship and we were beginning to wonder.  The on line tracking app from the Port of Reykjavik revealed the ship’s position way off the coast, delayed by strong winds and high seas.  We could only imagine as our land trip to the South Coast had been cancelled the previous day due to bad weather.  Instead we found ourselves enjoying tea, toast, skyr (delicious Icelandic yoghurt) and the royal wedding. 

No trip to Reykjavik would be complete without a visit to the Saga Museum which regales key moments in Icelandic history.  Post royal wedding entertainment was provided by the Museum’s graphic displays, making it inevitable to have a Game of Thrones moment or two.  The experience left us with an accurate appreciation of Iceland’s turbulent past through eruptions, earthquakes, Black Death, religious differences, feudal disputes and the eventual evolution of Icelandic culture.

A snowy start on the Snaefellsness Peninsula

Boarding time was fast approaching. Twenty two years ago we had cruised on a wonderful ship called Song of Flower.  She sails on today as Ocean Diamond, an explorer ship rather than under a five star moniker.  She is showing her age with the inevitable bumps and scrapes but proved to be an ideal way to explore the various regions of Iceland.  The “Little Flower” which served as a runabout for the entire passenger compliment back in the day now replaced by a suite of zodiacs.

As Tatyana regaled us with stories of the previous evening’s rough weather with its ten meter waves, she reminded us to treat the vacuum plumbing system with particular care. Tatyana was full of advice and helpful tips, a lovely lady.

Snaefellsjokull Glacier

Despite a delayed departure for reasons unexplained by the Captain other than “a technical issue” we made good time to our first port of call, Stykkisholmur on the scenic Snaefellsness Peninsula in West Iceland.

The weather gods positively shone over us, granting a clear blue sky and sunshine, after of course an obligatory snowfall. 

As we set out from the port the basalt landscapes were stunning.  Snow capped volcanic mountains, imperious glaciers, billowing waterfalls, craggy shorelines, lichen encrusted foreshores and sea birds of all kinds and descriptions.  

Lunch with a view

The Snaefellsjokull Glacier immortalized in Jules Verne’s tale “Journey to the Centre of the Earth” was ever omnipresent and magnificent throughout the day.

We enjoyed our picnic lunch near the crater of an extinct volcano under the shadow of the Glacier.

Kirkjufell

Kirkjufell, one of the most photographed mountains in Iceland, sparkled in the sun looking dramatic yet somehow serene.

Down the hatch

Lovely!

If you ever plan to visit Iceland you must sample Fermented Greenland Shark.  Processed to make a local delicacy known as Hakarl the shark meat is poisonous if eaten fresh.  The fermentation process neutralizes the toxins. 

Presented on a small piece of sweet rye bread, the snack was quickly dispatched down the hatch fortified by a shot of Brenniven Schnapps, also known as “black death”.  

A view of the drying house out back with hundreds of shark steaks drying on wires that dangled from the ceiling made it an experience it was good “to have had”. 

Shark meat curing

Bjarnarhofn Shark Museum is the enterprise of a local farmer who did an excellent job explaining shark harvesting while trying to convince us on the merits of the Hakarl delicacy and its health benefits.  

These horses are not for herding

Beyond the Shark Museum, the acreage is home to an active working farm which was in the midst of lambing season. 

A sheepdog tried to herd the Icelandic horses in the farmyard.  The horses were having none of it.  One of the farmer’s family invited us into the adjoining barn where lambing was underway in earnest.  The farmer’s wife looked as though she hadn’t slept in days.  The young ponies in the corral tried their best to break into the barn to cohabit with the older mares secluded in their stables while the ewes cried for their new born lambs.  The dog barked loudly.  There was a sense of organized chaos.  

Saying our farewells, we left the barn with a strong smell of horse/sheep on our person and were quite popular back on the bus.

Back on board Ocean Diamond, a lovely dinner was served and Tatyana, god bless her, wanted to know all about our day and assure us that all in the plumbing world was at peace.   

STORMY SAGAS FROM SMOKEY BAY

The dreamy couple sitting at the bar were well into the cocktails by the time our Gull beer had arrived.  From what we could tell Slushy Postman, Arabian Horse and Digital Love were well gone and Wicked Games was now being enthusiastically concocted in a gleaming cocktail shaker by the exceedingly polished barman.  As the pink elixir slid into the frosted cocktail glasses we wondered what the occasion was as the couple sat staring in anticipation.

Hallgrimskirkja

The overnight flight from Vancouver to Reykjavík passed quickly, the sunrise over Greenland spectacular.  As an orange glow spread over the puffy cloud cover, ice crystals formed on the aircraft windows.  Descending through the surreal white landscape the significance of Loftslag - Icelandic for “climate” - hit home.  The next few days Loftslag would be top of mind as rain, wind, sleet, hail, snow and oh yes sunshine, accompanied us on our latest travel expedition.

Keflavik Airport is a 50 minute car ride from the Iceland capital and the drive across the volcanic landscape was a stark reminder that we had come to a very unique place.  Reykjavik’s name is derived from old Norse and literally means “Bay of Smoke” presumably for the steamy vapors rising from the land mass.

Old Reykjavik

Jet lagged, but keen, we left our lovely old marina based hotel to explore Reykjavik and its dominating Lutheran church Hallgrimskirkja housing a vast 5275 pipe organ.  A short ride in the elevator to the clock tower afforded the ideal vantage point to view the brightly coloured buildings of the old town below.

A famous Icelandic son faces Hallgrimskirkja. An impressive statue of the Norse explorer Leif Eriksson looks west to the ocean and his discovery of continental North America.  A son of Erik the Red, Eriksson established a camp in Vinland, modern day Newfoundland, with L’Anse Aux Meadows on its northern tip serving as a ship repair station.

The HARPA concert hall and cultural centre is an attractive modern building made up of panels of glittering glass.  Located on the waterfront, its name the winner from a local competition.  HARPA is an old Icelandic word that refers to the time of the year and is in fact a month in the Nordic calendar.  The name also refers to the facility’s activities, a meeting place.  John Cleese was performing that night to a full house.

Meeting of the North American and Eurasian Tectonic Plates

The next day involved a snowy start to a day touring the much travelled Golden Circle route through the Pingvellir National Park.   A day of highlights, not limited to the dramatic weather, included the Gullfoss waterfall, the Haukadalur geothermal area and the Fontana mineral pools.

Gullfoss Waterfall

Pingvellir lies in a rift valley that marks the crest of the Mid Atlantic Ridge and the boundary between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates.  To its south lies the largest natural lake in Iceland.  The scenery was breathtaking as thundering hail gave way to bright sunshine.  And an opportunity to retake all those photos.

Gullfoss waterfall tumbles dramatically as the Hvita river rushes south making a sharp right turn into a staircase of sorts.  The water roars into a steep canyon which gives the impression the river has disappeared.  To obtain the best appreciation for this watery spectacle you have to get up close.  You will get wet but it was worth it to experience the eerie roar that blasted out everything else.

Strokkur Geyser explodes

Geysir in the Haukadalur Valley provides a spectacle of periodic eruptions from the Strokkur Geyser which sends up violent plumes of water unannounced.  It’s a good thing to have wet weather gear for self and electrical equipment.

Stocky Icelandic Horse

In between these awe inspiring sights, we petted Icelandic horses and visited a dairy farm that produces its own brand of rich ice cream.  The ice cream was possibly outdone by the performance of the farm’s resident dogs that chased things around the farmyard on command, a small piece of wood on this occasion.  The black lab refused to share the prize, choosing to chew away at its well worn edges while his compatriots looked on hopefully.

Soothing Hot Springs

A final stop at Laugarvatn Hot Springs for a soak in the Fontana geothermal pools.   Our stay included a demonstration of rye bread baked over a 24 hour period in the bubbling mud.  The yeast free bread was dense and delicious especially with the heapings of Icelandic butter on top.  The Fontana facility is modern and the pools offer soaks at various temperatures in the natural springs.

Back in Reykjavik we retired to the hotel bar for a light supper.  

The evening, while enjoyable, lacked a little of the previous evening’s entertainment.  The dreamy couple were long gone, perhaps still nursing the mother of all hangovers.