Eastern Iceland Coast
Iceland, that far off north Atlantic island country, recently in the news due to economic trouble, is our destination for the final leg of this voyage. During the transit from the Faeroe Islands, seas were calm allowing the ship make good speed. For early risers, in the distance was our first view of the country’s rugged coastline peaking through the clouds. Shrouds of clouds hung on the basaltic cliffs and snow dotted mountains. Our entry into Iceland was the small fishing village of Djupivogur on the eastern coast. The plan for the day involved a full day excursion basically driving southward along the coast to visit the Vatnajokull Icefield and the Jokulsarton Lake. A few others instead chose to take a short boat ride from the harbor out to an island called Papey.
The morning started as soon as we cleared the official paperwork. Three buses were boarded for the long trip along the coast while those going to the island left directly from the small dock where the ship was berthed. Since the sea conditions were calm the boat ride out to Papey was smooth and people were able to view some of the seabirds nesting in the area. Once on the island the group, led by a local guide as well as some the ship’s staff, walked around part of the island.
Puffins were in profusion. This time of year, birds are just returning to their nesting colonies so there is a lot of flying around and standing near their nest burrow entrances. The island’s name is derived from the Norse word “Paper” which was the name for the Irish monks that were found in the area when the first Norse arrived to Iceland. The island was also home to a church built in 1902 and a lighthouse dating to 1922. After having an enjoyable visit to this small island the group returned to the ship for lunch. In the afternoon Karen and David Barnes found a nice walk along the shore providing some great bird sightings.
The rest of the group boarded transportation to drive along the coast south of the port on Roadway 1 called “The Ring Road.” As we drove we had lovely views of the dramatic eastern landscape of Iceland. Large lagoons, formed by outwash from the glacier valleys, combined with extensive meadows extend from the base of the rugged mountains to the shoreline. These lagoons were an attraction for migrating waterfowl and waders, such as Whooper Swans. After a short stop at the picturesque village of Hofn one of the buses continued along the coast to Jokulsarlon, a lake formed by the retreating glacier. Here we boarded amphibious “ducks” for a short drive to the shore and into the lake to approach the many icebergs that had broken off the distant glacier.
The other part of the group turned off the main road and started up into the mountains. The buses were special all-wheel drive vehicles in order to make the sometimes steep and bouncy gravel road that snaked its way across the moraine hills at the base of the Skalafellsjokull Glacier. A small lodge at the end of the road was where we had a choice either to transfer into Super-Jeeps which were essentially especially modified SUVs to float across the snow on top of the glacier. Or we could drive ourselves onto the glacier top on a snow machine. Either way we reached a point where everything was a “white-out,” a very strange condition where you had no point of reference because everything around you is white.
After the morning activity we all gathered at the same lodge for lunch. Then we did a bus switch so each group could do the other activity. By late afternoon we were en route back to the ship, again driving along the coast. Awaiting us was our comfortable “home” and we settled in as the National Geographic Explorer left the small dock to set course for more exploring around Iceland.
