I will provide details about what we have been doing since we sailed away from Reykjavík, then I will backtrack to early September to fill in details about our adventures in southern Iceland. We are now docked at the town of Höfn on its brand new dock, having arrived 5:30 Sunday evening (September 14). The first night here, we walked around near the docks and then had beautifully presented and flavorful meals at Parkhús restaurant on the waterfront. After that, we returned to
Mantra and played a game of pinochle, which we taught to Shalako and Enis. (They are quick learners!)
Once again, we were barely in bed by midnight. Our late-night partying started becoming a habit in July, I think, when the daylight hours were long and dinner was often around 9 p.m. because we didn't notice how late it was. Now, the sun sets before 7:30 p.m. as we approach the autumnal equinox, but we have not adjusted back to a more normal schedule. It is possible that we will continue with our current pattern at least until we reach Scotland.
We left Brokey's at Reykavík around 1 p.m. on Friday, September 12, with an uncertain plan about our next destination because the weather and sea condition predictions varied wildly depending on which model we looked at. We altered course for Höfn the afternoon of Saturday, September 15. Mantra was making good progress toward the Hebrides, under sail much of the time, but we would have been unable to reach a protected anchorage there or in the Faroe Islands before the wind would turn against us, with gusts up to 40 knots, and the seas would become confused with waves greater than 9 meters (10 foot). Add to that the fact that it would be cold and rainy, and we had conditions which are best avoided.
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| Enis at the wheel enjoying fast sailing off the southern coast of Iceland |
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| Sunset on the first night at sea off the coast of Iceland |
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| Shalako keeping a tight hold on his cereal and tea in rough seas |
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| Peter and Shalako on watch on the final day of sailing to eastern Iceland |
We are monitoring the forecasts several times a day; we need to have a window of 3-5 days of relatively benign winds and sea states to continue.
From Höfn, the Vatnajökull ice cap is visible when the sun shines, which it did this morning to our delight. (The sun disappeared shortly after noon.) This ice cap is the largest one in Europe by volume (3,000 cubic kilometers of ice) and covers up to 8,200 square kilometers, or 8% of the total area of Iceland. The average thickness of the ice is 380 meters (1,250 feet) and the greatest thickness is approximately 1,100 meters. Several active volcanoes lie beneath it. We hope to explore its edges while we are here.
We spent Monday, September 15 catching up on tasks, and we spent a couple hours at the local swimming pool. Every town has one, and the facilities include lap pools, at least two hot pools, a kiddie pool and a steam room. The one here is Höfn also has water slides!
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| Höfn's public swimming pool |
On our way back to the boat, Shalako and I took a side trip to find the laundromat near the docks. We found a musty-smelling one with one washer and one dryer in a large, rectangular building that includes apartments. This dank place did not match the photos on the Internet, so we stopped in a boutique, the only open business in the place, and chatted with the owner, who makes items from leather and upholstery grade fabric. It was fun to share sewing and crafting ideas with her while she was busy cutting up strips of reindeer hide for weaving into knit sweaters. Most fascinating were the pieces of fish leather--the skin of salmon and other fish without the fish scales. These pieces were shiny and thicker than we would have imagined, and they made striking contrasts to animal hides when sewn together into bags and other objects.
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| Shalako testing the feel of fish leather |
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| Enis in the cubicle created by a drying duvet cover |
We went to another restaurant for dinner Monday evening. Our first choice was the nearby pizza restaurant, but there were a couple dozen people waiting for a table, so we walked on to another restaurant, Kaffi Hordid. Shalako had noticed that reindeer burgers were on the menu when he and Enis had walked by the previous day, and Enis was looking forward to having a monster burger. Both Shalako and Peter had the reindeer meat, Enis ordered the truly enormous burger, and I had the vegetarian dish. All were quite good.
Back on the boat, we played another game of pinochle, with Shalako and I beating Enis and Peter again.
Today, Tuesday, September 16, we woke up to bright sunshine and were pleased and amazed that clear skies lasted throughout the day. After breakfast, we took a long walk on a trail on the former island of Ósland, which is now connected to the mainland by an isthmus by our dock. Along the trail, there is a scale model of the solar system. We had great views of the water and the glaciers on the mountains.
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| Art installation by Ósland with glaciers in the background |
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| Höfn from Ósland, with Mantra's mast in the center of the photoAla |
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| Peter reading about the sun |
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| Memorial for Fishermen Lost at Sea |
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| Pumpkin colored lichen on a boulder, with glaciers in the distance |
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| Enis, Sherri, Peter and Shalako on a bench by the water |
I have worked today creating this post. Enis has worked at his actual job. Peter repaired fairleads. Shalako enjoyed another day of retirement. We went early (6:30) to Ishusid Pizzeria. Peter opted for lobster soup and garlic bread while the rest of us had our own 12-inch pizzas. It was all brought to the table quickly and was delicious.
With mostly clear skies, we are hoping to see more northern lights tonight.
Now, it is time to post about our 2-day road trip and subsequent activities. There is a 7 day gap to fill in!
Saturday, September 6
We all were up by 7 a.m. and by 9 a.m. we had packed our overnight bags, including swimsuits and towels for hot springs, as well as sandwiches for a picnic lunch and food for snacks and breakfast the next day. Off we went! There was more sunshine than cloud cover, and we all enjoyed the views from the car as we headed toward the southeast coast. One of the gang in the back seat asked Peter and me if we felt like parents with three kids in the backseat--and then they started acting like they were children: "We have to go back. I forgot my mittens!" "He's pushing me!" "Am not!" "Stop crowding me, fatso!) "I have to go to the bathroom." "I'm hungry." "Are we there yet?"
The major natural attractions along the ring road of Iceland near Reykjavík had lines of tourists all intent on getting close to the waterfalls or other features. We skipped the crowds and continued east, planning to get to the farthest east place we wanted to visit, Diamond Beach, in a fairly quick manner and then stopping at the places Ula had selected while driving back west to Vík, where we had rented a two-bedroom for that night.
Iceland once had extensive forests all along the coast, but centuries ago it was all cut down to clear the land for planting or grazing and to use the wood for construction. In the last couple centuries, birches, spruce and pine have been planted, but there are no extensive woodlands. The Icelandic people sow and harvest huge fields of grain on the plains between the steep mountains and the coastline. This is the time of year were the crops are reaped and gathered in large plastic-enclosed rolls to create silage for the horses, sheep, cows and other animals to eat during the long winter. Where the land gradually slopes up toward the volcanic mountains, the animals live off the land among rocky terrain covered in moss, grasses, lichen and fungi. The shades of green are varied and bucolic, particularly when the sun's rays reach the ground.
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| Rugged countryside in southern Iceland near the coast |
The horses in Iceland are unique, descendants of the ponies that the Norse brought with them at the time of settlement in the 9th and 10th centuries. Cross-breeding with European horses led to degeneration of the stock, and the Althingi (parliament) passed laws prohibiting the importation of other horses, so breeding has been pure for more than 1,000 years.
There is a wide range of coat color among the individuals; there are over 100 names in Icelandic for the colors and patterns. They are all smaller than most horses (basically pony-sized) and are distinctive in many ways. The back is slightly sloping and long, the neck is short, and the main and tail are full and long, comprised of coarse hair. The breed has a double coat developed for extra insulation in the harsh, cold temperatures of the Icelandic winters.
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| Icelandic horse |
The most intriguing aspect of the Icelandic horse is its five gaits along with its sure-footedness and ability to cross rough terrain. As well as typical gaits, Icelandic horses can perform two characteristic gaits: the tölt and the skeið. The tölt can be used for explosive acceleration and speed, It's a four-beat lateral ambling gait. The skeið or flying pace is a fast and smooth gait with which the horses can reach speeds up to 30 miles per hour.
About 10 percent of the horses are raised for slaughter, with much of the meat being exported to Japan. Each year, about 4,000 to 6,000 foals and 3,000 to 5,000 adult horses are slaughtered. Other horses are used for racing, herding sheep in the highlands, or riding adventures for tourists.
We needed a pit stop, so we pulled over at Faxi Bakery on the plane south of Eyjafjallajökull, one of the smaller ice caps in Iceland. It completely covers the caldera of a 800,000-year-old stratovolcano that has erupted frequently since the Last Glacial Period, most recently in 2010. There is walkway with signs and photographs leading from the cafe, where we purchased coffee and cinnamon rolls which are made fresh every hour, detailing the progress and the aftermath of the eruption, starting in February, when geophysicists detected magma forming underneath the crust in to the volcano's magma chamber. In March, 3,000 small earthquakes were detected in the area. The eruption began on March 20 about 8 km (5 mi) east of the top of the crater, not under the glacier as had been expected. It consisted of 15 lava fountains reaching up to 185 meters (607 feet). On April 14, the eruption on the mountain continued after a brief pause, this time from the top, causing meltwater floods to rush down nearby rivers. A pulsating, explosive eruption began on April 17, throwing volcanic ash several kilometers into the atmosphere, which was followed by another eruption in May causing electrical storms. On May 20, it was announced that the eruptions had stopped. Small earthquakes still rumbled in the area during the summer, but the volcano was declared dormant in August of that year. The descriptions and photographs of the progression of the eruptions and the black ash fallout of several centimeters was stunning. There were aerial photos of the area, particularly of Þorvaldseyri, a historic farm started in 1886, at the base of the mountain. The farm is just across the main road, looking in real life as it does in the photographs, with the black ash cover. Although the 2010 eruption is well-known throughout the world for its disruption of air travel in the northern hemisphere, locally it is remembered for its effect on agriculture. It poisoned crops and livestock, and some farms never recovered.
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| Harvested fields of rye at Þorvaldseyri |
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| Þorvaldseyri |
We continued our drive after this educational stop, with great views of the lower elevations of Eyujafjallajökull glacier from the road. (Clouds covered the peaks.) On the way to our next destination, we stopped briefly to look at the biota more closely and admired one of several rainbows we saw during our weekend road trip.
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| Volcanic landscape |
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| Lush greenery over lava soil and rocks |
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| Rainbow by the road |
After several hours on the road, we reached our easternmost destination, Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon and Diamond Beach, in the southern part of Vatnajökull National Park. It was pouring rain, so we ate our sandwiches and snacks in the car while waiting for the amount of rainfall to diminish.
The lake started forming in the late 19th century as the glaciers began to melt. The front of Breiðamerkurjökull glacier, the largest and most active in Iceland, is now 8 km (5 miles) away from the coastline, and the lake is now the deepest in Iceland at over 284 meters (932 ft). The icebergs that calve from the edge of the glacier move toward the mouth of the river. At the mouth, the icebergs and bergy bits--milky white or bright blue, some with black layers or patches--are impacted by the tidal currents as well as wind. We were fortunate to be at the lagoon when the tide was flooding. Eddies were created where the fast-moving incoming seawater met the outflow from the lake. Icebergs that were being pushed back into the lagoon crashed into others, and we saw a large, blackish on flip when it made impact.
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| Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon |
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| Ocean salt water and glacial water mixing with the tide |
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Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon
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The tides bring herring, trout, salmon and other fish as well as krill into the lagoon. Harbor seals gather to feast on this bounty.
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| Seals in Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon |
From the lagoon's parking lot, it is possible to walk along the water and under the Route 1 bridge to reach the stunning Eystri-Fellsfjara, known as Diamond Beach in the tourist industry. Ocean waves crash onto the beach of fine ebony sand that is strewn with glistening chunks of glacial ice. It is a dynamic place, with the ocean constantly changing and sculpting the shoreline. It was impossible not to take dozens of photographs. The five of us, who are all well-traveled, had never seen anything like it.
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| Wave water covering the black sand (This is not a black and white photograph.) |
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| Two types of ice on Diamond Beach |
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| Waves carrying ice |
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Ice deposited on the black beach
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| Waves crashing on the ice-lined shore |
The lagoon and beach were our turn-around point. Heading west, our next stop was Fjallsárión Pond, where an outlet glacier descending from Vatnajökull Ice Sheet calve icebergs into the water. The black volcanic rocks and soil host small plants, fungi, and lichen. The small biological details contrast with the sweeping and splendid views.
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Peter and Sherri at Fjallsárión Pond
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| Fjallsárión Pond and glaciers |
We stayed there briefly and then continued a short distance on the road to reach the trailhead for Múlagljúfur Canyon, a lush, mossy landscape with several wonderful waterfalls and dramatic views over a wide area. We started the walk along the top of a glacial moraine and then continued up the western side of the gorge. The trail was muddy near the bottom and we had to cross the Múlakvísl river at one point. This river carved out the narrow canyon over millennia. As we hiked along the edge of the canyon, the vistas changed, each one awe-inspiring. Small dots of white about 100 meters below us were grazing sheep. Northern fulmars were nesting just below the trail. Waterfalls cascaded down the canyon walls on both sides.
The two most impressive falls are Hangandifoss and Múlafoss. Fed primarily by melting glacial ice, Hangandifoss (Hanging Waterfall) drops 123 meters (404 feet), making it one of the tallest waterfalls in Iceland. At the bottom is a perfectly round pool. Múlafoss is farther upstream. It is 100 meters (331 feet) tall, with multiple drops. Most of them are hidden, but a single 54 meter (176 foot) drop is easily visible from the trail.
Looking to the south, we had views of the glaciers, lakes and lagoons. It was all spectacular, and we kept wanting to climb higher. Finally, Ula insisted it was time to turn around as sunset was approaching. Of course, the sunset, though not dramatic, created excellent photo opportunities.
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| Peter, Shalako, Enis and Ula in front of the moraine |
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| View of a glacier |
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| View at the beginning of the gorge |
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| Two high waterfalls |
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| Looking down the canyon |
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| View up the canyon |
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| View of the river, Múlafoss and Hangandifoss |
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| Northern fulmar nesting |
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| Hangandifoss |
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| Sheep grazing |
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| Scotch heather along the trail |
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| Alpine lady's mantle by the trail |
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| View after sunset from the trail |
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| Alpenglow on a glacier |
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| Sunset from beside the moraine near the trailhead |
After our hike, we headed to Vík, a small city along the coast on the road back toward Reykjavík. We realized that we still had two hours to travel before we reached the VRBO apartment I had reserved for us, meaning our arrival time would be almost 11 p.m. Unfortunately, there was nothing in between in terms of food, and all the restaurants and grocery stores in Vík closed at 9 p.m. or earlier. We were forced to forego dinner.
The two-bedroom apartment was lovely with a sparse design and better-quality IKEA furniture. It was very welcoming after our long day. We had to content ourselves with snacks and hot chocolate before we went to bed, and we fell asleep as soon as our heads hit the pillows. Some of us took showers before bedtime and some of us waited until the morning. The shower was very good!
Sunday, September 7
Before I woke up on Sunday morning, September 7, Enis and Ula had already gone out and bought eggs, rolls, butter, tomatoes, tomatoes and other items. The kitchen was well-equipped, and Ula created one of her typical excellent meals. Having not had dinner, everyone was particularly appreciative.
We left the apartment at 11 p.m. and started driving through constant rain toward Reykjavík. There were places where we could have stopped to explore the countryside, but the rain deterred us. The rain had become lighter and we were tired of the car, so we decided to stop at Skógafoss, an impressive waterfall that drops about 60 meters (200 feet) from former sea cliffs. As usual, this easily-accessible site is popular with self-driving and tour bus tourists, and we could see a line of people on the trail up to the top. We chose to skip the falls and visit the Skógar Museum.
This museum, consisting of three main areas--the folk museum, the open air museum and the technical museum--has over 18,000 artifacts. The museum's collection started in the 1940s, a time when the old rural society was vanishing. Its first exhibit space was in the basement of the Skógar school. Dedicated premises were opened in 1955.
The folk museum has several illuminating exhibit spaces for fisheries, crafts, agriculture, and natural history. The museum's most prized possession is the eight-oared fishing vessel Pétursey, builit in 1855 and in use until 1946. The design of the hull was created specifically for Iceland's southern coast, which has no moorages natural harbors. Boats had to be launched straight out into the waves of the open ocean and beached on return. Also displayed in the fisheries section are examples of the use of driftwood and salvaged wood from shipwrecks, the markets where fish were sold, shipbuilding equipment, oilskins, fishing gear, practical whalebone items and carved and decorated boat timbers.
In the crafts section are examples of embroidery, weaving, horn and wood carvings, metalwork in brass and copper, and large carved chests. The agriculture hall displays old tools and equipment for blacksmithing, haymaking, wool-working, riding and traveling, milking and dairy processing as well as kitchen equipment and utensils. The natural history collection space is full of stuffed birds and animals, skeletons, eggs, shells, insects, rock samples and dried plants. We were amazed at the extent of the collection in the small space.
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| Women's clothing from the 19th century |
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| Decorated bedboards |
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| Kitchen utensils |
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| Horse riding gear |
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| Spinning wheel and loom |
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| Fishing vessel Pétursey |
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| Peter in the natural history section of Skógar Museum |
In 1968, work started on the outdoor part of the museum with the reconstruction of old turf houses moved there from several locations and then the rebuilding of a farmhouse of the fjósbaðstofa type, once typical in southeast Iceland, where the living accommodations were built above the cowshed. A farmhouse from Skál which was built in 1919-20 was rebuilt at Skógar in 1989. The turf farm buildings from the 19th century include a storehouse from 1830, a baðstofa (living and sleeping accommodations) from 1895, a kitchen from around 1880, a pantry from about 1850, a sitting room from 1896 and a bedroom from 1838.
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| Outside of a turf building |
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| Inside wall of a turf building |
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| Ceiling in a turf building |
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| Inside one of the turf buildings |
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| Living area in a turf house |
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Bedroom in a turf house
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| Exterior of turf houses |
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| Skógar Church |
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| Altar, Skógar Church |
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| Decoration in Skógar Church |
Also outside is the House of Holt, which was built entirely from driftwood in 1878. The wall panels in the west room are from the wreck of the hospital ship St. Paul and date from 1899. This house was lived in until 1974 and rebuilt at Skógar in 1980.
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| Planking from St. Paul |
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| School originally built in 1901 |
The technical museum, the largest building, was opened in July 2002, housing and exhibiting items from the technological age in Iceland. The history and evolution of transportation, postal service, the Coast Guard, search and rescue agencies, radio, telephones and many other things are depicted with a multitude of equipment and devices and carefully explained with excellent signage.
The whole place was fascinating, and we spent about three hours there. It was still drizzling when we left. We decided not to attempt any hikes or outdoor activities in the miserable weather. We stopped at the Old Dairy Foodhall in Selfoss for dinner and then drove straight to Laugarvatn Fontana, where we stayed soaking in the hot pools and enjoying the saunas by Laugarvatn Lake until nearly closing time at 9 p.m.
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| Shalako, Peter, Sherri, Ula and Enis in the hottest pool |
We arrived back at Mantra quite late and were all ready for bed.
Now it bedtime today. I will finish catching up tomorrow (and will be so happy).
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