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.