Today National Geographic Orion sailed full steam towards our afternoon destination, the Icelandic island of Heimaey. Heimaey literally translates to “home island”, and is the largest of all islands in the Vestmanna (Westman) group. In 1973 the volcano Eldfell erupted, changing both the landscape and history of this small island forever. The lava encapsulated many homes as it threatened to ooze into the sea. Once reaching the previous coastline, it pushed on, nearly closing off the port entirely. The locals took to hoses, washing the molten lava with seawater in a desperate attempt to slow and eventually halt the lava’s movement. Miraculously, it worked, and the port today is actually much safer and more protected than it ever was in the past. Today the guests were able to join a beautiful hike, a bus tour, or go for a wander through town to explore this unique location.