Breidafjordur and Flatey, 7/9/2024, National Geographic Endurance
Aboard the
National Geographic Endurance
Iceland
National Geographic Endurance started the first full day of its circumnavigation of Iceland with a magical encounter with humpbacks, Minke, and killer whales as it sailed towards Breidafjordur. After spending the morning with whales, the ship made its way to Flatey Island, where the guests made their way on land to stretch their legs and take in the historic town and abundance of birds and wildlife that call this quaint island their home.
David was born and raised in the concrete jungle of New York City, where the only three animals he ever knew were squirrels, pigeons, and rats. His curiosity of the wider natural world was piqued by the occasional trip to the beach, visits to the Bro...
We woke this morning with thick cozy fog as National Geographic Endurance danced between islands in the archipelago of the Westman Islands on the morning of the last day of our voyage. We were visited by a number of fin whales before continuing on to circumnavigate Surtsey. We sailed into the narrow harbor opening of Heimaey, Westman Islands as the sun broke through the clouds. Heimaklettur (Home Cliff) welcomed us with a stunning vista of Icelandic sheep balancing on sheer cliffs. Our afternoon was spent touring the tiny island of Heimaey (Home Island). Some chose the scenic panoramic tour which stopped at amazing vistas and lookout points, including one of the windiest points in the northern hemisphere, Stórhöfði, a bird blind on the southernmost point and a visit to the Eldheimar Volcano Museum which artfully portrays the history of the 1973 Eldfell eruption. Some of us chose to climb up the Eldfell Volcano through a layer of dense fog towards the top. We enjoyed views of the new lava that nearly shut down the harbor, which would have meant an end to the town of Heimaey. At the very end of the day, after sailing away, we stumbled upon a pod of killer whales! What a marvelous ending to a wonderful day. Tomorrow, we scatter different directions, going our separate ways but holding on to some fabulous and everlasting memories.
We found ice at sea level today in Iceland, particularly rewarding given the lore that Iceland is mostly green and Greenland mostly ice. From Djupivogur, travelers followed Iceland’s rugged, windswept southeastern coastline to Jökulsárlón, a glacial lagoon where icebergs that originate from the enormous Vatnajökull Icecap float and ground in tidally influenced waters. Along the way, multitudes of whooper swans gathered in the nearshore waters, white highlights to the black sand shorelines. At Iceland’s only coastal area with ice, we rode amphibious duck boats into the misty lagoon to explore the icebergs. Other guests ventured out to explore the area closer to Djupivogur, riding super jeeps to the Valley of the Waterfalls, while others took walking tours of black sand beaches or cultural walks in the local area. Here we discovered the Eggs of Merry Bay, an outdoor artwork of oversized but accurate eggs of the area’s nesting birds. Our circumnavigation of Iceland continues to enhance our impressions of this fascinating island-nation.
National Geographic Endurance anchored in Borgarfjordur Eystri to visit the town and area around Bakkagerdi. Hiking was on the to do list for quite a few and it turned out to be a celebratory day for a couple when a mountainous peak became the perfect spot for a proposal. Whimbrels were calling and several flew by as the ‘natural history’ hikers made their way along the trail. Ultimately, the stars of the show were the puffins. At this point in the season the pufflings are starting to emerge from the burrows and stretch their wings. The puffin parents will soon stop feeding the pufflings and they will take flight in the next couple of weeks. Pufflings have sooty faces, beaks, and black feet as they emerge from the burrow. Everyone with a cell phone or larger camera went home with great photos from the day’s adventure!
