Akureyri to Husavik
National Geographic Endeavour had passed the Icelandic National Day in Akureyri harbor. After a quiet night’s sleep we were ready early this morning for full day explorations of the young volcanic interior of Iceland’s ridge province. Our buses climbed out of the misty fjords and from there we split into three groups concentrating on Lake Myvatn’s birdlife, the geology of Krafla and the thermal springs/spa east of Myvatn.
Crossing the famous Laxa river, the fog broke and we were delighted by the sunny landscape and impressed by the fresh lava flows and the diversity of volcanic landforms. The partly forested lakeshore was rich with ducks. Many species were reaching their eastern or western distribution limits. Fortunately the midges were of the non-biting variety because occasionally lulls in the wind brought dark clouds descending on our team.
The geology group proceeded east crossing several rift faults until reaching the actively mudpotted floor. Here boiling pots spattered blue-grey clays, sulfur and gypsum in concentric rings about the pools. Steam issued from natural and man-made vents.We walked several kilometers on top of the 1984 black basaltic lava flows which issued from long fissure dikes. In some areas the magma had concentrated its exit in points building small cones which then breached and added even more lava to the tremendous black basaltic flow covering the land. This was world class field geology including palagonite-topped table mountains, tephra cones, aa and paohoe flow pressure ridges, lava tubes, pseudocraters, steam-frozen pinnacles, lava fountain and spatter cones. The remnants of lava fountains were evidenced by frozen colorful frothy lava.
After sampling delicious smoked trout we rejoined National Geographic Endeavour in Husavik. Before boarding, we visited a brilliant whale museum that is dedicated to whale conservation. Just outside Husavik’s harbor a blue whale was spotted. We tracked alongside for almost an hour admiring it’s 70 foot length, deeply ribbed back and small dorsal fin.
At 2230 we landed at Grimsey for a midnight sun exploration of the Arctic Circle. After a celebratory toast at the posted Arctic circle, a party of 15 walked the mile to this year’s circle along a cliffside dirt track. 1.5 million puffins came and went in the mist. At the circle 66 degrees, 33.7 minutes, we toasted, took photos with the NGS flag and shared a smoked trout. As we walked back at the midnight hour, the crowberry-heathered slopes shrouded in mist, a herd of Icelandic horses approached us. We could not help but stop, wonder at their social nature, make contact, and then briskly walked in the midnight sun back to National Geographic Endeavour.
National Geographic Endeavour had passed the Icelandic National Day in Akureyri harbor. After a quiet night’s sleep we were ready early this morning for full day explorations of the young volcanic interior of Iceland’s ridge province. Our buses climbed out of the misty fjords and from there we split into three groups concentrating on Lake Myvatn’s birdlife, the geology of Krafla and the thermal springs/spa east of Myvatn.
Crossing the famous Laxa river, the fog broke and we were delighted by the sunny landscape and impressed by the fresh lava flows and the diversity of volcanic landforms. The partly forested lakeshore was rich with ducks. Many species were reaching their eastern or western distribution limits. Fortunately the midges were of the non-biting variety because occasionally lulls in the wind brought dark clouds descending on our team.
The geology group proceeded east crossing several rift faults until reaching the actively mudpotted floor. Here boiling pots spattered blue-grey clays, sulfur and gypsum in concentric rings about the pools. Steam issued from natural and man-made vents.We walked several kilometers on top of the 1984 black basaltic lava flows which issued from long fissure dikes. In some areas the magma had concentrated its exit in points building small cones which then breached and added even more lava to the tremendous black basaltic flow covering the land. This was world class field geology including palagonite-topped table mountains, tephra cones, aa and paohoe flow pressure ridges, lava tubes, pseudocraters, steam-frozen pinnacles, lava fountain and spatter cones. The remnants of lava fountains were evidenced by frozen colorful frothy lava.
After sampling delicious smoked trout we rejoined National Geographic Endeavour in Husavik. Before boarding, we visited a brilliant whale museum that is dedicated to whale conservation. Just outside Husavik’s harbor a blue whale was spotted. We tracked alongside for almost an hour admiring it’s 70 foot length, deeply ribbed back and small dorsal fin.
At 2230 we landed at Grimsey for a midnight sun exploration of the Arctic Circle. After a celebratory toast at the posted Arctic circle, a party of 15 walked the mile to this year’s circle along a cliffside dirt track. 1.5 million puffins came and went in the mist. At the circle 66 degrees, 33.7 minutes, we toasted, took photos with the NGS flag and shared a smoked trout. As we walked back at the midnight hour, the crowberry-heathered slopes shrouded in mist, a herd of Icelandic horses approached us. We could not help but stop, wonder at their social nature, make contact, and then briskly walked in the midnight sun back to National Geographic Endeavour.
