This morning we arrived in the largest town of the Westfjords, called Ísafjörður. This old, beautiful settlement was founded in the 9th century (according to the Icelandic Book of Settlements), and now inhabits around 2,700 people. It is known for its beautiful surroundings, rich fishing history, cultural heritage, and outdoor activities. There were three excursion options to explore this region: a “Fjords and Flowers” tour through nearby fjords, a “Tastes of Ísafjörður” tour to explore the cultural tastes of the town, and a bike ride through the neighboring village of Bolungarvík.
The afternoon was spent on board and a presentation was given by the visiting scientists from Whalewise about their charity research on entangled whales. Then, it was time to explore Vigur Island in the late afternoon, a beautiful, small island filled with Arctic terns, puffins, black guillemots and eider ducks. The owners, Gísli and Felicity, welcomed us on their private island and gave a tour through the nesting birds and eider duck farm site.
