Onwards - Eastwards

The highlight for today was a visit to the Jökulsárlón lagoon where we are to sail between  icebergs !

Prior to 1950 the 1½ km long course of the glacial river Jokulsa was uninterrupted by any lagoon. Since then the glacier tongue has retreated and a lagoon, gradually increasing in area, was created. The lagoon is 284 metres deep and the average flow of the river is 250-300 m³/sec. and the edge of the glacier snout floats on the water.  It calves into the lagoon and icebergs of different sizes can be seen aground and melting rather quickly. 

The river is becoming shorter and shorter, mainly because of the constant sea erosion, which  eventually is going to destroy the bridge. The result will be a deep bay, which is going to grow longer the further the glacier snout retreats. The lagoon's surface has been lowered almost to sea level and sea water enters with the tides, increasing the water temperature. 

Salmon, capelin and herring enter the lagoon and the harbour seals follow the food. Eider ducks are very common on the lagoon. 

  

We were the first sailing of the day but as we boarded our ex-Vietnam ambhibious boat (LARC-V) the car park was getting a lot busier.  We bumped across the shore and eventually plunged into the water and proceeded to chug between the bergs.  The on-board guide gave us a brief introduction to the lagoon etc.  The berg were of all different sizes and shapes - most were dark with ash but there were often parts that were pristine White showing the surfaces that had not been originally exposed to the atmosphere - it was spectacular when we saw one roll over exposing its Blue underside.  In the distance we saw a couple of seals and one berg was the home to a small colony of Artic Terns.

After this we headed along the coast road that hugged the shore line giving us some spectacular views.  Lunch was taken at the small town of Djúpivogur : this has two claims to fame :

• The highest temperature ever recorded in Iceland was recorded here in 1939 - 30.5 °C (87 °F)
• Eggin í Gleðivík : 34 stone sculptures of eggs of Islandic birds by the world famous Icelandic artist Sigurður Guðmundsson

Langabúð

We had lunch - the by now inevitable soup and a roll - by the harbor, in the Langabúð.  This long red building is the oldest house in town being originally built in 1790.  In addition to the small cafe, part of the building was devoted to sculptor Ríkarður Jónsson - there were a variety of wood carvings and busts on display, together with a recreation of his workshop.

 

The town, with its fishing harbour, is dominated by the pyramid-shaped Búlandstindur (1,069m) and according to legend it can make wishes come true during the summer solstice.

In the afternoon we headed to the hills across the Almannaskard Pass – in addition to a magnificent view of the Vatnajokull glacier, there were steep drops from the road to foaming rivers plunging down to the sea.

Horse at Hotel

We had a stop in Egilsstaðir for a few people to have a swim in the heated pool whilst the rest of us wandered around town, picked up food for a picnic lunch on the following day and sat and drank tea.   The town is close to Logurinn lake – reputedly home to a Loch Ness-type monster.

Our accommodation for tonight was the Hotel Edda Eiðar.  This is (was ?) a residential school which was used as a hotel during the Summer holidays.  Consequently, the room were more than adequate with a handbasin but a bit sparse and the toilets / showers were shared.  Its restaurant was fine and there were a couple of nice walks to the local woods and lakes.