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.