Category Archives: Iceland

Djupivogur & Reykjavik, Iceland Aug 12 2024

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Leaving Ireland, as we head back to Boston we will visit additional ports in Iceland, Greenland and Canada. We will also enjoy turning the clocks back several times as we head towards home.

Our next stop was Djupivogur, Iceland August 12. It is a small fishing village on Iceland’s east coast, pop 509.  The day was cold and overcast as we took the tender boat over to the town.

One of Iceland’s oldest commercial buildings, dating back to 1790, is located here. At one time it was a slaughterhouse and warehouse. Today it is a cafe and museum. We saw very few people and no vehicles. We found a geocache and since it was very cold, we returned to the warmth of the ship.

Displayed In The Museum

Our final Iceland stop was Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland, population 140,000, August 13/14. It is the largest city in Iceland and the world’s northernmost capital city. The first permanent settlement in Iceland is believed to be here, founded by a Norse explorer in 874 A.D.

Seal of Iceland

The famous world chess championship in 1972 between Bobby Fisher and Boris Spassky was here. In 1986 it was the site of the 1986 Summit between Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbechev.

The Church Stands Tall

The city graciously offered free shuttle buses from the port to the center of town. There were two ships in port today so the bus was pretty crowded. The bus let us off at the Harpa Concert Hall which opened in 2011.  The building has an interesting colored glass facade which represents the basalt landscape of Iceland.

We found a geocache nearby and then walked down to the Sun Voyager, a steel sculpture resembling a Viking ship.  The sculptor hoped to show the promise of undiscovered territory while also signifying hope, progress and freedom.  We also found a geocache here!

We continued walking, uphill towards the main shopping area of town. Rainbow Street has a variety of brightly colored houses, shops, cafes, restaurants and galleries. We did a little shopping here for a couple souvenirs.

Our last stop was the Hallgrimskirkja Church, the largest church in Iceland.  Sitting on a hilltop, at 244 feet it is one of the tallest structures in the country. Construction began in 1945 and was completed in 1986.

In front of church is a statue of Leif Ericson (970 – 1020) is regarded as the first European to land in North America nearly 500 years before Christopher Columbus.

It is a Lutheran parish church and is visible throughout the city. It was designed to resemble the rocks, mountains and landscape of Iceland. It originally was not supposed to be that tall but the Church of Iceland wanted it to be taller than the Catholic Church of Iceland. There was an observation tower but with two ships in port there was a very long line so we skipped it.

After walking uphill to the church, it was nice to walk downhill to the shuttle stop. We took the bus back and enjoyed the rest of the day on the ship.

Our time in Iceland has come to an end for this cruise.
Next up: 2 days at sea and once again sailing Prince Christian Sound

Isafjordur & Akureyri IS + Oslo July 31 2024

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On July 31st we arrived in Isafjordur, Iceland. We were last here in June, 2023. At that time we were on a larger ship and had to drop anchor off shore and take a tender boat in. This time the ship was smaller and no other ships were in port so we could dock right at the pier. 

Here is a blog posting from the 2023 visit Isafjordur, Iceland JUN 8, 2023

On August 1st we arrived at our next Iceland port, Akureyri. On the way, we reached 66° 33′ N, thereby crossing the Arctic Circle. We received a nice certificate from Holland America to mark the occasion to add to our collection. The Arctic Circle is the most northerly latitude and includes the Arctic Ocean, North Pole and northern regions of Alaska, Canada, Russia and Nordic countries. With glaciers, tundra and icy seas, it is known as the Land of the Midnight Sun with 24 hours of daylight in the summer.

Akureyri, pop 18,000, and located in northern Iceland, is nicknamed “Capital of Northern Iceland”. It was settled in the 9th century by Vikings and is an important port and fishing center. During WW2, British Allied forces were based in the town. The town is located at the head of a long fjord surrounded by high mountains. The mountains shield the town from strong winds, giving it one of the warmest climates in Iceland even though it is only 62 miles from the Arctic Circle. Akureyri, as well as Iceland itself, has one of the lowest crime rates in the world.

Akuyeri has unique traffic lights where all the red lights are hearts. Definitely unique and shows the Icelandic hospitality and spirit.

We decided to book an excursion at this port, a seven hour excursion!! It was a chilly overcast day but our enthusiasm was not dampened as we marveled at the beautiful scenery.  Snow capped mountains, lakes, rivers and waterfalls with hillsides of cattle, sheep and horses were a beautiful sight to behold.

Everyone had eaten a large breakfast since we didn’t know when we would stop for lunch, so we were all taken aback when our guide announced we would have an early lunch. Early meaning 10:30!  But you just have to go with the flow. Lunch was at a nice restaurant with tomato soup and bread that tasted good on this chilly day. The main course was a local fish called arctic char, a common freshwater fish in Iceland. We also had boiled potatoes and salad.

After lunch we continued to a changing landscape of lava rock and steaming geothermal pools.

We had seen much of this before in Iceland, Yellowstone National Park and New Zealand.

A Lake Made By The Volcano

We did not stop but rode by a visible gap between the two tetonic plates.

Our last stop was the highlight of the day was the Godafoss waterfall. It is 39 feet tall and 98 feet wide. The name means “waterfall of the gods”. Legend says when Christianity became the official religion of Iceland in the year 999, an official threw his Norse gods into the waterfall.

As we sailed these last couple weeks around Greenland and Iceland we saw many icebergs in the water. The captain and his officers had to be on constant watch for danger. Also for several nights as we made our way from Iceland to Norway, we had very heavy fog with zero visibility. Throughout the nights and sometimes during the day the ship’s foghorn sounded at least every two minutes. Fortunately it didn’t keep us awake.

We had two days at sea before reaching Oslo, Norway. We had plans to spend the day in Oslo with Bill’s cousin and her husband who live there. Unfortunately going from the very hot weather in Florida to the very cold air of Greenland and Iceland got to both of us and we were both under the weather. We were very disappointed to have to cancel our plans. Fortunately we had brought plenty of medicine with us and recovered fairly quickly.

1952 Winter Olympics and FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in 1930, 1966, 1982 and 2011

A Full Marina

About 90 minutes after leaving Oslo, the ship came to a standstill. The captain came on the public address system and said a passenger needed urgent medical care and we had stopped to wait for a rescue boat to come. Our crew put out a platform and helped the rescue boat get close enough to transfer the patient and her husband to the rescue boat.

Next up:   Rotterdam, The Netherlands

 

Reykjavik, Iceland JUN 9, 2023

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Our second port was in southwestern Iceland near Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland. The area where the ship docked was industrial and not at all attractive.

This Side Of Ship Was Scenic

The city of Reykjavik was about two miles from the port. Usually visiting a capital city is high on our list, but today we booked an excursion into the countryside to explore why Iceland is called “the Land of Fire and Ice”.

The popular eight hour “Golden Circle” excursion began with cold, windy weather and pouring rain. At times I wondered how the bus driver could see between the fog and driving rain. We really couldn’t see much of anything out the bus windows, but our guide entertained us with facts and stories about her home country of Iceland.

When the Mountains Were pushed up under a Glacier They had Flat Tops

By the time we arrived at our first destination, the Haukadalur Geothermal Valley (Geysir, the Icelandic spelling of geyser) Hot Spring Area, the rain had let up enough that we could get off the bus without getting drenched. Geologists estimate this geothermal field has a surface area of about 1.1 square miles. The area became active more than a thousand years ago and consists of boiling mud pots and more than a dozen hot water blow holes, with the oldest dating back to 1294.

Earthquakes in southern Iceland have caused changes in the geothermal area, creating new hot springs. The most famous and active geyser is Strokkur which spouts water 100 feet into the air every few minutes.

We walked around the area and waited for the geyser to spout. It felt very similar to what we saw at Yellowstone National Park and the geothermal areas in New Zealand. It was so cold and windy!! But since the rain had let up, we had hope for better weather the rest of the day. 

Next up we traveled to Gullfoss Falls for lunch. We were at 66 degrees north of the equator.

A Popular Clothing Line is 66 North

The closest we had been to the Arctic Circle was at our last port of Isafjordur. When we found the geocaches there, that was the furthest north we had ever found a geocache. For lunch, the hot tomato soup was most welcome followed by fresh salmon on a bed of rice and vegetables. Since I don’t eat seafood, lunch was not the greatest for me. After lunch we were supposed to walk down to the waterfall. By now the rain was coming down in sheets blowing sideways in the wind. Even with rain gear there was no way to walk there and not get drenched. Our pants below the knees were wet just walking from the bus into the restaurant. We watched people coming back completely drenched and freezing from the cold wind and rain.  Our guide said she would walk down to the waterfall with anyone who wanted to go. Some brave souls, or crazy people depending on how you look at it, wanted to go. Bill and I decided we had seen a lot of waterfalls over the years and this one was just not worth it. We knew there was no way to keep from getting soaking wet and we would then have to sit the rest of the day with cold, wet clothes. I was proud of us for making a wise decision. Sure didn’t want another bout of bronchitis. 

Those who walked to the waterfall came back to the bus with wet coats, umbrellas, hats etc and no place to hang them to dry. I noticed our guide sat on a plastic bag because her pants were so wet. 

After that ordeal we had one more stop which turned out to be the most enjoyable of the day. The skies began to clear and the sun actually made an appearance. This stop was at Pingvollum National Park.

The region is part of the Atlantic ridge that runs through Iceland.

You can see the consequences of the sliding of the earth’s crust in the cracks and fissures of the area. We walked along a path where we could see the huge walls where the earth had cracked. The sun was out but it was deceiving. With the strong wind, it was really cold.

Our guide did a great job keeping us motivated and happy regardless of the weather. When we were walking along the path where the earth had cracked, she said she could remember walking on that same path with her father and how happy her father was because Iceland had just achieved its independence in 1944.

I would guess her age at somewhere in her 80’s. She certainly was energetic and spry in all that rainy, cold weather. I guess doing all those tours and getting so much exercise keeps her young. The Icelandic people must be a hearty people to deal with all that cold weather!

We found a waterfall crossing under the path.

As for us, we’ll take Florida! 

Some Iceland facts courtesy of our guide :

  • Reykjavik, Iceland is the northernmost capital in the world
  • Iceland is one of the youngest countries on the earth, if not the youngest, because it was formed from relatively recent earthquake activity
  • Where we were riding on the bus was the ocean floor 10,000 years ago
  • 5.8% of Iceland is uninhabitable 
  • At the turn of the century, 90% people farmed and fished. Today 7%. Tourism has overtaken the fishing industry
  • Icelanders are Scandinavian and Irish. Their language is from Nordic and Celtic origin
  • Women are 65% Celtic bloodline and 35% Scandinavian, Men are 65% Scandinavian and 35% Celtic
  • Most houses are heated with geothermal water
  • In 2008 all the banks went bankrupt
  • In 1989 it became legal to drink alcoholic beer 
  • There is a waiting list to get into prison because they have small prisons 
  • Crime rate is increasing due to more gangs but it is still a relatively safe country 
  • 87% of their energy is renewable 
  • Most of the oil is used for fishing boats
  • There are lots of greenhouses and Iceland has the biggest banana plantation in Europe
  • Because of earthquakes there are strict building codes
  • In towns with geothermal activity, there are no basements and cemeteries because of what is hot underground. People are buried in nearby towns. 
  • Iceland was ruled by Denmark for a long time. In 1918 they became sovereign and in 1944 became a republic. 
  • In 1986 they elected their first woman president
  • The national parliament of Iceland is the oldest legislature in the world that has been abolished and subsequently re-established. founded in 930.

Next up:  Alesund, Norway

 

Isafjordur, Iceland JUN 8, 2023

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Leaving Scotland, we had two sea days before reaching Isafjordur, Iceland. After cruising all night and most of the day in the North Atlantic Ocean, we were making good time to Iceland. Each day at noon the Captain comes on the loudspeaker to update us on our location, sea conditions, weather forecasts, etc. It is a routine daily update everyone expects. We also know from past cruise experiences, if the captain comes on the loudspeaker at any other time, it is never good news. Sure enough, at 4:00 in the afternoon, the captain made an unexpected announcement. A passenger on the ship was very ill and needed immediate medical treatment. Since we were in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean and out of range of a rescue helicopter, the captain had no choice but to turn around and head back towards Scotland. When he got within range, a helicopter would fly out and pick up the critically ill passenger. 

Four hours later we spotted a helicopter in the distance headed for the ship. It was a British Coast Guard long range military rescue helicopter. It hovered over the ship and had to abort the first rescue attempt and make another circle around the ship. There is no place large enough on the ship for a helicopter that size to land. They had to lower a cradle basket down for the patient to be placed in and then raised into the helicopter. A dangerous and tricky operation. The winds were light and the sea was relatively calm, which helped reduce the risk of failure.

On the second try the mission was successfully completed and the helicopter flew off towards Scotland. Our ship’s captain slowly turned the ship around and we were headed once again towards Iceland.

The next day we were invited to a Captain’s Cocktail Party. The captain and many officers were there. The captain said the passenger had made it safely to Scotland and was recovering nicely. He received applause and cheers from the passengers for successfully getting the patient treatment. He said he was putting the pedal to the metal so to speak and we should still arrive in Iceland at the scheduled time. I will say that of all our cruises, this is the youngest ship’s captain we have ever had.

We could definitely feel a change in temperature around the ship, especially when walking outside. Temperatures outside were now in the upper 40’s to lower 50’s as we steamed in the North Atlantic towards Iceland. 

We are now very close to the Arctic Circle so sunset is 53 minutes after midnight and sunrise is 2:09 A.M.! A little more than an hour of darkness each day. 

Our first port in Iceland was Isafjordur, located just below the Arctic Circle. Isafjordur, meaning “ice fjord” in the Icelandic language, is a tiny town in northwest Iceland, population 2,600.  It is characterized by dramatic fjords, rugged cliffs and remote valleys.

This area was first settled in the ninth century by mainly Norsemen. Around the 16th century the town grew rapidly as it became a merchant trading post and in the 18th century a flourishing fishing village. Isafjordur and all the tiny neighboring towns share the same history; they were founded on and grew up around fishing, whether you processed fish on land or fished at sea. Isolation has forced the inhabitants to be culturally self-sufficient. The town became a municipality in 1786.  Some of the oldest houses in Iceland are located here. The majority of the population here is of Icelandic descent. There are few immigrants from other countries. Today, tourism is the fastest growing industry in this part of Iceland and therefore English is now widely spoken

True to the Captain’s word, we arrived in Isafjordur right on schedule. The harbor here was too shallow to accommodate a large cruise ship, therefore this was a tender port, meaning we would have to board small lifeboats to go into port from the ship. It is one of our least favorite things to do. Fortunately we were given priority boarding passes for the tender boat, meaning we could go over anytime we wanted. We didn’t have to get up early and get in line for tender tickets.

We did not have an excursion booked for this port, and knowing it was a very small town, we took our time at breakfast, figuring all the people with excursions would be taking the early tender boats. When we went down at 9:15 we were quite surprised to see a long line. It was about a 30 minute wait before we were on the next tender boat. They sure pile people in there tight. Fortunately the water was smooth as glass and it was only a ten minute ride to shore.

We walked through Old Town, with wooden houses built in the late 19th century, which is considered very old in Iceland. For the most part the houses are very well cared for and made for quite a picturesque setting against the fjord and harbor.

Bill found two geocaches, one of which was located in the town’s one and only roundabout.

It was cold, windy and occasionally spitting rain. We walked back to the tender boat and were very glad they took us quickly back to the ship. We were afraid we would have to wait until the boat was full. It was nice on the ride back not to be packed in like sardines. 

Some hot tea and lunch sure tasted good. 

We chuckled at this teenager’s jacket at lunch. Kids!!

As the ship pulled away later in the afternoon, the fog was moving in creating an eerie look.

Next up: A very cold, rainy, windy day exploring Iceland