Iceland 2011

Friday17June

On this national holiday (birth of the Republic of Iceland in 1944), here we are at the new port of Landeyjahöfn and facing us, about ten kilometers away, the Vestmann Islands are just emerging from the morning mist. We take the ferry with the car for a 45-minute crossing to the only inhabited island of the archipelago, Heimaey Island.

The morphology of the islets, cliffs, and other rocks we see betrays the genesis of the place. Indeed, just like Iceland, this archipelago was entirely born from volcanoes. It has been calculated that the first 'emergences' from the water of the craters forming these islands would have begun 10,000 to 20,000 years ago.... Almost yesterday, you could say!

How to make 3D without glasses? With just two photos and a slight offset... Indeed, by chaining these 2 photos that I took from the ferry 5 seconds apart, the photo appears in relief! In any case, it works with my eyes! crazy.gif

This is Elliðaey, the first small island one encounters when going to the Vestmann archipelago. Despite the presence of the house dating from 1953, this island is uninhabited.

A northern fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis)

We arrive on the main island of Heimaey where the cliffs have been colonized by gulls who add their artistic touch with their very personal 'painting'... giggle.gif

It is only on Heimaey that the approximately 4000 inhabitants of the Vestmann Islands are gathered, particularly around its port which sustains the village.

Two volcanoes dominate the island. Helgafell, inactive for 6000 years, and Eldfell which didn't even exist in 1973... So here we are on the slopes of Helgafell volcano from where we can see the whole village.

From the top of Helgafell, the red cone of Eldfell volcano.

In the distance, the entrance to the port at the foot of the reefs.

Vegetation is slowly coming back to life on the lava flows cooled for 38 years. Indeed, on January 23, 1973, an eruption woke up the population. The eruptions did not come from the Helgafell volcano, which is still dormant, but from a 2 km fissure running to the water's edge in the northeast. For 6 months, the projected magma formed the new Eldfell cone and enlarged the island by 2.2 km²... One third of the dwellings were destroyed and one death was reported. Nevertheless, the village rebuilt itself, braving the inevitable danger of a future eruption...hot.gif

Some images from a report of the time

The very young Eldfell volcano. Apparently, vegetable crops are grown directly on the mountainside glasses.gif

Panoramic view of Heimaey town. On the right, the darker area devastated in 1973 is visible.

One of the 3 small islands of Smáeyjar

We are now climbing Eldfell volcano, whose ground is heated by the still active magma chamber.

A dead-end path leads to this large white cross at the foot of Eldfell. In the distance, the small islands of Elliðaey (left) and Bjarnarey (right).

Now that we are on Eldfell, we can better see Helgafell.

An anthology of scoria and lapilli covering the volcano!  

Where's Wally?  

On the left, Bjarnarey island. Like Elliðaey, it has its own little house.  

The dark area corresponds to the magma spread by the 1973 eruption. A water barrier was put in place during the events to divert the lava towards the ocean.

Here we are at the top of the crater. Beneath our shoes, the ground is hot. In some small cavities, burning air blows and warms the rocks. Impressive! Our planet is alive to the point of breathing!  

Some details of the rocks around the small solfataras. We can notably recognize the yellow and white sulfur, which reminds me of the Kawah Ijen volcano in Indonesia.

We have now descended into the crater..... At the slightest tremor, we'll bolt!  

If the soil seems hostile, for some it is not. These few plants find everything they need there.

A small detour by the cross we saw from above earlier.

Stórhöfði is the southern tip of Heimaey island. It is here, at the edge of these cliffs, that we are furthest south in Iceland!

A Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis)

This rope running along these cliff-side ladders is used by puffin hunters! It's the national sport of the Vestmann Islands! They are so numerous that hunting is permitted.

Wikipedia photo of a hunter with all the puffins caught...

Northern Fulmar flying over the foam of days...  

The entire North East part of the island is reserved for an astonishing golf course! Between magma and cliffs, don't lose your ball!!!

The incredible basaltic organs colored by the ebb and flow of water...

A stone and turf house is available for campers

Enclosed between lava and the ocean, the 17th-century Skansin fort and its church were spared during the 1973 eruption.

That's it, barely a day was enough for us to go around the island. We just have time to load the car onto the ferry to continue the journey and reach the town of Geysir!