Heimaey, Vestmannaeyjar (Westman Islands), Iceland, 7/3/2022, National Geographic Resolution
Aboard the
National Geographic Resolution
Arctic
A highlight of our voyage is Vestmannaeyjar (Westman Islands in English), an incredible set of volcanic islands that include the southernmost point of the country. National Geographic Resolution began the day with a dramatic entrance into the port at Heimaey–backwards!
Kim is a marine biologist, fine art photographer, and avid fisherman. Based in Juneau, Alaska, Lingít Aaní, she spends her time between the mountains and the ocean. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Cognitive Neuroscience from the Unive...
After leaving the Westfjords, we were now heading towards Southern Iceland. Our morning started with beautiful orca sightings! Presentations followed, given by Serguei about Iceland’s geology, followed by Kerstin on her experience working on an eider duck farm. We arrived at Vestmannaeyjar (Westman Islands) around noon. The islands are known for the latest eruption of the Eldfell Volcano in 1973 and for their annual festival, Þjóðhátíð (The National Festival) which attracts thousands of people every year. Two excursions were offered to explore the island, either by a panoramic bus tour or by hiking up the volcano to see the beautiful view over the island. The evening consisted of the captain’s farewell dinner, as it was the last day of the voyage. After dinner, we sailed past Surtsey Island for a ship’s cruise before heading back to Reykjavik. We were greeted by many gannets, great black-backed gulls, skuas, kittiwakes, and more orcas! They were all feeding at the same time, and this spectacle made for a great ending to a fantastic trip to Iceland!
A splendid day had by all this morning exploring Arnarfjör∂ur in Northwest Iceland. Some guests enjoyed gliding along the glassy waters in kayaks while others experienced these majestic fjords by Zodiac. Somehow our expedition leader managed to squeeze in a polar plunge before our hotel team served us an outdoor lunch BBQ. We transitioned a short distance to Dynjandi for our afternoon hikes to a series of spectacular waterfalls cascading over Iceland’s famous geological features. The evening was capped off with a lone humpback whale feeding next to the ship in the clear blue waters. Onward towards our next adventure!
Participants in our onboard education program for travelers under 18, National Geographic Expeditions Adventurers, contributed text, photos, and captions for today’s report. Quote of the day: “There’s so much curiosity.” - Luke Bookout, National Geographic Expeditions Adventurer participant Today we ventured to Djupavik, an old herring settlement in Westfjords, Iceland. The crystal blue water, clear skies, cascading waterfalls, and stunning mountains that greeted us created a surreal landscape to enjoy our day. After a relaxing morning on the ship, we headed out to take advantage of the sunshine and to set off on a hike to the top of Djupavikurfoss. The hike was gorgeous as we climbed towards the top, with breathtaking views around every bend. The day concluded with a rite of passage as we crossed the Arctic Circle. Text co-authored by Emily Roberts, National Geographic Expeditions Adventurer participant
