Day 4: Jokulsarlon Lagoon

27 September 2018

Today we start with a drive across the wide flat lava plains – miles and miles of nothing but the occasional ‘bird mound’ – birds sit on the highest thing around and poop so the mound gradually becomes higher and higher, often with a green top where plants are growing. We stop at a sight where there are lots of piles of stones that were originally used as direction markers back when there were no roads. Another stop shows us the vast extent of the lava flows from the Laki eruption that lasted 18 months in 1783-84.

Then we have a stop at the beautiful Fjadrargljufur canyon that is 100m deep and 2km long with all sorts of basalt rock columns and waterfalls that make it a very pleasant walk along the tops looking down.

Dverghamrar is a fascinating place with more stunning rock formations that have long been associated with elves and dwarfs – the name means dwarf cliffs. There are perfectly formed hexagonal rocks that make a great place for us to have a group photo.

From Dverghamrar we drive alongside the vast alluvial sand plains of Skeiðarársandur generated by flooding from the Skeiðarárjökull glacier (coming off the massive Vatnajökull glacier) and fed by the volcanic systems of Grímsvötn and Öræfajökull. These sand plains are 1300km²: stretching 56km along the coastline and 20-30 km from the glacier to the sea. The longest bridge in Iceland (904m) spans the Skeiðará river; we see the twisted remains of gigantic steel beams from a previous bridge that was destroyed by water masses and blocks of ice during the last major glacier run in 1996, triggered by an eruption of the Grímsvötn volcano underneath the Vatnajökull glacier.

Then we travel further around the edge of Vatnajökull National Park to Jökulsárlón, a large glacial lagoon that has brackish water and is filled with icebergs that have broken off the glacier. The glacier used to flow to the edge of the ocean but once it started receding a lake developed. The lake has increased four-fold in size since the 1970s because of melting of the glaciers. It is now 1.5 km away from the ocean, covers an area of about 18 km², and is about 250m deep.  It is considered to be one of the natural wonders of Iceland.

At the lagoon we have a cruise on an amphibious craft that picks us up at a dry jetty on land and then takes us down and into the water. We have a very cute French guide who greets me with “you look wonderful in yellow”!??! There are spectacular views of the glacier and of course all the icebergs. A seal or two pops up to greet us as well.

Some of our group are going on a glacier walk so the rest of us amuse ourselves watching seals while we wait for them to get organised and depart. The itinerary says that we are due to visit Svartifoss (the Black Waterfall) today but it isn’t possible to visit that and do the glacier walk. Whilst the rest of us could have done the walk, it would have taken 2.5 hours and Gill’s foot is not up to that – Zoe and I are happy to have a quieter afternoon as well.

So Lisa takes us down to Diamond Beach – so called because the black sands are littered with bergy bits that glisten like diamonds in the sunshine. We have some added excitement searching for Zoe’s cellphone – she is ecstatic when Gill finds it.

We then head to our accommodation in a farmhouse in Reynivellir by a waterfall. Lisa, Zoe (and Kirsten) have a summerhouse just up the hill – Gill and I go for a walk to take photos and get invited in for a glass of wine and some snacks. It was very pleasant sitting in the sunshine.

We make the most of showers and washing before the others come back from their walk, and then start chopping vegetables. There is a restaurant but it is 5 mins drive away and apparently not so good so we have opted to cook ourselves in the kitchen: pasta and vegetables for 12. Kara has bought cakes for dessert – including a liquorice one.

After dinner I am taught a new card game called Dutch Blitz – it is a very fast game with a lot happening all at once which is much too much for a tired brain – but with beginners luck I win the round,

No sign of the northern lights yet – after a few tries we decide it is too light outside with the moon and other lights and retire to bed.

 

Please join me over the next several posts as I take you on our Journey to the Arctic (and more).

The Joy of Business Class

Copenhagen Stopover Day 1
Copenhagen Stopover Day 2

Arctic Express: Northern Lights
Day 1: Copenhagen to Reykjavik
Day 2: Reykjavik to Constable Point, Greenland
Day 3: Scoresby Sund: Frederiksdal & Flyvefjord
Day 4: Scoresby Sund: Nordvestfjord & Ingmikortilaq
Day 5: Scoresby Sund: Eskimobugt & Immikkeerikajik
Day 6: Scoresby Sund: Danmark Island & Vikingsbugt
Day 7: Scoresby Sund: Cap Hope & Ittoqqortoormiit
Day 8: Scoresby Sund: Steward Island & Constable Point
Day 9: Constable Point back to Reykjavik

Iceland Discovery
Day 1: Reykjavik: Blue Lagoon
Day 2: Golden Circle
Day 3: South Coast
Day 4: Jokulsarlon
Day 5: Eastern Fjords & Moorudalur Valley
Day 6: Moorudalur Valley & Lake Myvatn
Day 7: Akureyri & Trollaskagi Peninsular
Day 8: Grabrok Volcano & Snaefellsnes Peninsular
Day 9: Snaefellsness to Reykjavik

Toronto, Canada
Day 1: Reykjavik to Toronto
Day 2: Toronto to Port Perry
Day 3: Lake Muskoka
Day 4: Millbrook
Day 5: Back to Toronto
Day 6: Toronto
Day 7: Niagara Falls

 

 

 

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For this and other similar tours see:

Explore Europe with Intrepid Travel (a range of different travel styles – see my post on travel styles)

Peregrine Adventures (Comfort tours)

Geckos Adventures (for 18 to 30s)

Note: After people telling me they had booked an Intrepid Tour on my recommendation, I now have affiliate links with the Intrepid Travel group of companies and may receive a commission if you book a tour online within a couple of months after clicking through to these sites.  So if you are enjoying my tips and stories and finding them useful in choosing your own travel, please click on these links and help me to bring you more .

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