ICELAND

Saturday July 4th

Good Morning from Grimsey Island, Iceland N66’ 31.985 and W018’ 01.027. Cool and cloudy with a light mist. 

Will be off birding this morn. The quest for Puffins. 

Last night during a lecture about the history of Lindblad Expeditions we learned Lindblad pioneered the special Coast Guard ship classification of Expedition Ship, hence we are not a cruise ship. 

Afternoon in Sijlufjordur. Beautiful sunny day. We are here in port till 2400. So after recap and dinner we will head out for a walkabout of the city. Earlier today we visited the Herring Museum. Sijlufjordur was central in the herring industry until 1968 when the herring ceased to be found in the local waters.  

Sunday July 5th

This morning we find our selves at North 66’ 14.479 and West 017’ 48.849 on a heading of 095’ at 4.6 knots.  We are making our way to Husavik. This is a significant location in the whaling industry and the waters we will be sailing in this morning may produce more whale sightings. 

As we sailed into Husavik we saw many whale spouts and White Beaked Dolphins.  After the ship was cleared we walked into Husavik and first visited the Whale Museum. Then we walked about the village visiting the church and enjoying the sea side. I then found a local Mini Mart and we split a HOTDOG!!!!!!

After lunch we took a bus tour to Grenjadarstadur, a folk and cultural center where we got to sample some traditional food, visit a church, and a sod roofed house. The house was a traditional style large country home, many rooms each with a purpose. The walls were made from the local lava rock and the roof was framed and then a layer of birch was used to hold the sod. This center was well done, and the guide was very knowledgable about all aspects of the center.   The ride back took us through the country side, by horses and fields of lupine, valleys with cascading water falls. 

Very good recap on how to edit your pictures, the geology of Iceland, and Keiko the Orca from Iceland. 

All our meals onboard the Nat Geo Explorer have been above fantastic. We have had a variety of fish to Bison and Reindeer. The pastry chef is very very talented and the wait staff is simply amazing in getting to know our patterns. 

Alaskan Lupine,  brought to Iceland to control erosion. It is very prolific. 

Iceland Ponies

I like the looks of this work shop. 

Monday July 6th

I awoke a bit earlier than my normal 0400 and was in the Chartroom at 0330. We are sailing in seas of 3-5 feet with a temperature I am guessing in the upper 40’s. Our position is N 66’ 31.577”  and W 022’ 54.559. We are on a heading of 261’ main 14.5 knots. 

We are on our way to Vigur, an island where there is an Eider Down farm. Then we head to Isafjordur, where we hope to see Arctic Fox. 

Just as we settled in for breakfast, the call came for Humpback whales in the area. We rushed to the flying bridge our favorite place to observe. Several photos were taken. 

We then finished breakfast and made way for Vigur. 

Vigur is a private island where Eider Down is harvested. There are many Black Guillemots, Puffins, Arctic Turns and Red Shanks.  We were divided into small groups and  our tour leader was the son of the island owner. He grew up on the island working cows, sheep and harvesting the down. It was a life he told me he did not appreciate at the time as a teenager, but now realizes how wonderful his life is and was. 

Tuesday July 7th

Today we are off the west coast of Iceland. Our position is N 65’ 17.905”  and W 023’ 49.313. We are on a heading of 115 making 6  knots. Seas are calm. We will visit Flatey Island with it’s colonies of birds. 

Later today we must start to prepare to disembark tomorrow in Reykjavik. We will spend a day there seeing the sights in a different season. And we will also find a hot dog or two. 

 Flatey Island is a rather quaint little island. Fun to stroll about.

Wednesday July 8th

0420 hours and making our way to Reykjavik. We are all packed and more or less ready for the day. I might pull out rain pants as we are heading into a thick bank of clouds. 

Earlier the sun rise/set was pretty darn neat. 

We are looking forward to seeing Reykjavik in a different season as well as some of the outlaying areas. 

This was an amazing journey. We sail to many a far away location, Saw Puffins, Ice Bear, Walrus, the Arctic Turn. Saw Glaciers and volcanos. We garnered a vast amount of information.  But most of all we experienced a part of our natural world in a way that gives us greater respect for Mother Earth. 

CHEYENNE FRONTIER DAYS BREAKFAST or BREAKFAST AT THE DEPOT WITH 10,000 FRIENDS.

How about  having some pancakes, ham and coffee with 10,000 new friends? Today was a beautiful sunny morning and the breakfast is free. During Frontier Days here in Cheyenne on Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning at the Cheyenne Depot this great breakfast is served.  Almost forgot there is even entertainment during this event. 

The fine folks from the Kiwanis and local Boy Scouts are your hosts from 0700 to 0900. Don’t be intimidated  by the sheer size of the line, this line goes faster than any line at Walt Disney World. It moves really fast and you will probably strike up a conversation with the folks in line with you. 

Once you get to the front, the Kiwanis Club and their army of volunteers will serve you  so fast your plate is loaded with pancakes, butter, syrup and a slice of ham you barely have time to blink. Find yourself a place to sit on the many many many benches and enjoy the music and company. For me, it is a time to see many folks I had worked with in the past and catch up with them. 

I learned more than 100,000 pancakes  are made from 5,000 pounds of pancake mix, they cook-up 3,000 pounds of ham, serve 9,200 cartons of milk and 520 gallons of coffee, along with 630 pounds of butter and 475 gallons of syrup during the three pancake breakfasts!

Back in 1996 the single day record of 16,897 people were served. 

I learned this event started in 1952 and continues to this day. While this is a great time and an event to be seen to believe, it is actually a practice. Practice for feeding victims of a natural disaster. 

A tip of the hat to the many volunteers who make this an outstanding event.

Well, ya have to have a device to mix the batter. 

The serving Line is getting ready. 

 

Marking the end of the line. 

                                

                                                  
 Making more batter.

Governor Matt Mead and Miss Rodeo Wyoming just finished flipping some pancakes. 

Look for the pancake in the air in this picture to the right. 

There are several cooking grills set up and in action. As the pancakes are ready they are flipped in the air and then caught on the serving trays by the Scouts. When they get a tray full the run them to the serving line. 

The Cheyenne Depot and the line goes down the block in the distance. 

 Plenty of seating, and there is an area set aside for folks with disabilities.

 And the line grows.

CALM SEAS A LONG THE GREENLAND ICE PACK AS WE SAIL TO ICELAND

Day 10 July 2, 2015

Woke at  0345 to clear skies  and calm seas, current location is 71’ 04.012 North and 15.16.735 West, on a heading of  264’ at 12 knots.  

Ice Smoke was observed, a ice crystal fog is the best description. 

We sailed in and out of various flows of ice.

Morning lecture is on Indigenous Arctic People

Then Lecture on Plate tectonics.

Calm seas and sporadic Ice as we head towards shore. 

Afternoon was filled with calm zodiac rides in a very calm Greenland Sea. The Ice was very impressive and the whole condition was sublime. 

Tea was steak sandwiches and red wine on the sundeck, the conditions were calm and warm. 

Krista gave a talk about travel photography. 

At the recap we learned we would not make it to Greenland due to ice conditions. Some folks seem disappointed, yet this is the nature of an expedition cruise. We have been sailing along the Ice pack trying to find a way in to land. We are content as we will get extra days in Iceland. 

Cleaned up and got ready for dinner. After another great diner we headed back to the room and while getting ready for bed the call came out “Whales Spotted!!”.  We quickly got dressed and out. Lynn spotted their spouts in the distance. 

Calm Seas as we head to Iceland.

Day 11 July 3, 2015

Woke at  0345 to clear skies  and calm seas, current location is 71’ 04.012 North and 15.16.735 West, on a heading of  264’ at 12 knots.  

Interesting to see more color in the morning and evening sun, yet no sunset yet. 

Will be good to see more of Iceland than planned. 

A day at sea, with more informative lectures. 

Wildlife photography and info about the Race to the Pole. 

My morning pattern is to dress and head to the chart room where I prepare for the day and download pictures to the hard drives. I have enjoyed chatting with the morning deck crew. Today one of them brought me fresh coffee. It was rather special to me. 

To the servers I am known to be the first up and at um every day. I have nothing but high regard for this total crew.

A vast majority of the crew is hired by recommendation from a current crew member. The crew is very particular as to who they recommend as their reputation is also on the line. Most work a 6-7 month contract.  

After I got things together in the Chart Room I headed to the bridge. Just an officer and lookout were there, very quiet and peaceful. 

We are out of the ICE. I spent some time this morning on the bridge chatting with the first officer about Iceland and other topics. I learned to work on the National Geographic Explorer a Bridge Officer must have at a minimum two years of Ice experience. Weather should continue to be good. 

A day at sea, with more informative lectures, is/was on the agenda.  

The days at sea have been good to help my leg recover a bit more each day. 

Wildlife photography and info about the Race to the Pole. 

So much fantastic information, my head is full. When we get home will have to re read many things and digest this knowledge further. 

We are sailing towards Grimsey Island. We will still be above the Arctic Circle. 

Seeing an occasional Fin Whale. 

We then encountered White Sided Dolphins and then  Humpback Whales, and then a glimpse of a Sperm Whale. These sightings interrupted an afternoon presentation. 

Todays tea featured Swedish Pancakes, with cloudberry jam offered as one of the toppings. 

After dinner this evening Tom Ritchey talked about his 37 years with Lindblad Expeditions. He was one of the first naturalists hired and his stories were great.  

We have arrived at Grimsey Island and set the anchor, still above the Arctic Circle. We will explore Grimsey tomorrow. 

JAN MAYEN A REARLY VISITED GEM

June 30, still crossing to Greenland

Day at sea 

Over cast at position 74.04.262 N and 009.28.156W  heading of 189 at 14.9 knots

Great Lectures and lots of Harp Seals

We had been cruising along the Ice Pack off of Greenland here we saw literally 1000’s of Harp seals. 

Yesterdays lectures were excellent from photo subjects to marine wildlife, to the basics of the krill. 

Afternoon Tea had been changed up a bit and we had grilled sausages and beer on the aft sundeck. 

The executive chef is rather young and started his culinary career in high school. Last night he turned the galley over to the Filipino Crew members. Roast suckling pig, spring rolls, beef curry, etc etc etc. all great. 

Tomorrow we are heading to Jan Mayen. 

July 1, 2015 : 

Woke at 0400 and found us at 70’48.580 North and 009’ 17.722 West. This puts us off the Island of Jan Mayen an active volcanic island. On this island there are 18 people who man a Norwegian Weather Station. The plan for today is to visit this station and and do some walking. 

This is only the second time the National Geographic Explorer has visited this Island. While it is windy and the sea a pinch choppy the skies are clearing and we are getting a vary rare look at this island. 

Will have to see that we find on this island today: 

At about 0600 we arrived at the  weather station and conditions were not great so no landing there. The officer in charge of the station and a nurse were brought aboard and talked about life on the island. 

From there we cruised slowly to a location where, if weather permitting, we could land. During this slow cruise to the new location we enjoyed taking pictures and hearing a lecture about the history of Jan Mayen. 

After lunch we started to land on the beach. Our main instructions were to not enter any buildings and do not touch any antennas, no ice bears here so no armed guard and we were allowed to wander on our own. We hiked up a road to an area where we could see the Beerenberg volcano 2277 meters high. This is the only active volcano in Norway. On the cliffs there were Glaucous Gulls, Skua, Flumars, Kittiwakes, and a few puffins. Pretty much just bird life here as all other life was hunted to non existence. 

Kvalrossbukta was the name of the landing area. This area is a naturally protected harbor, with a black volcanic sand beach. During 1615 to 1638 this location was a Dutch Whaling operation.

From the top of the hill we hiked to an area where there was more volcanic black sand. In this area amongst the drift wood we found several whale bones that were hundreds of years old. At times given the weathering of the bones and wood they blended together rather well making it hard to tell them apart from a distance .

The beach was black sand and very fine volcanic dust. This played havoc on lenses etc. The camera required a good cleaning upon return to the boat. 

From Jan Mayen we will be headed back to the ICE giving us more chances to see Ice Bear. Seems like this is a heavy year for ice and as such where we go is up in the air.

Tea at 1600.  

Tom gave a rather funny presentation about photography, basically a parody of serious photography, photo processing etc etc 

After dinner we were tired and went to bed in anticipation of being awoken for an interesting sighting. None came so we slept thru the night.