Iceland. Land of Fire and Ice
By any measure, Iceland is remote. In terms of straight-line distances, its nearest neighbors are Greenland, located 280 kilometers east, and Scotland, 800 kilometers to the southeast. Norway, the closest place on the European continent, is more than 950 kilometers to the east. Iceland’s peculiar location is tied to movements in the earth’s crust. Located on the boundary between the Arctic Ocean to the north and the North Atlantic Ocean to the south, the island is part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a chain of volcanos formed where the North American Crustal Plate pulls away from the Eurasian Plate. With an area of 101,826 km2, it is Europe’s second largest island after Great Britian. Iceland can be characterized as a land of lava fields, fjords, glaciers, and mountains. Slightly less than two-thirds of its area is covered by tundra and 14% is overridden by glacial (permanent) ice. Despite being close to the Arctic Circle, Iceland has a temperate climate that is moderated by a warm ocean current called the Gulf Stream. Iceland was first explored more than a thousand years ago by Vikings and later settled by Celtic and Norse peoples. Achieving independence from Denmark in 1944, the island is governed as an independent commonwealth. Today, it has a population of about 300,000 with nearly half living in Reykjavik, the capital and largest city.
Our mid-February flight from New York City to Reykjavik arrived in the late afternoon. After dinner at our hotel, we drove to the famous geothermal spa known as the Blue Lagoon. Although its waters are heated naturally, the lagoon is entirely man-made. Hot water first passes through the nearby Svartsengi Power Station where it drives turbines before entering the lagoon at temperatures between 37°C and 39°C. The lagoon’s blue color comes from soft silica found at the bottom of its pools. While soaking under the star-filled sky we enjoyed a glass of wine purchased from a poolside bar.
Winter can be an adjustment for people who travel to Iceland because of the limited hours of sunlight. It was still dark as we finished breakfast at 9:00am and departed to see geysers, mud pots, and fumaroles of Haukadalur Valley. Among the valley’s geothermal features is Geysir, from which the English word “geyser” is derived. Geysers and other geothermal features of Haukadalur Valley are formed where meltwater coming from Langjökull Glacier comes in contact with rock heated by magma located deep below. As the water is heated, its pressure increases, forcing it upward. In terms of frequency and timing, the valley’s most consistent eruptions are associated with Strokkur Geyser which sends columns of water rising to heights of 15-20 meters every five to ten minutes.
Continuing southeast, we stopped at Skógafoss Waterfall, located 155 kilometers southeast of Reykjavik. A legend says that a 1st century Viking named Thrasi hid a box filled with gold under the falls. The falls are formed where meltwater from the Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull Glaciers flow over a bluff that was once part of the island’s shoreline. The 60 meter-high by 25 meter-wide ribbon of water can be viewed at ground level or by climbing 370 steps to an overlook along the bluff. The steps were icy, so I wore coil traction devices on my boots (mine are made by Yaktrax). Today, a section of the Skoga River below the falls is popular for salmon and char fishing. After visiting the falls, we stopped at the Skógasafn Regional Museum which displays historic telephones, radios, and other technology that illustrates the history of communication on the island. The nearby Skógasafn Folk Museum preserves examples of early turf and wooden houses. First used in the 9th century, Icelandic turf houses are constructed from timber frames with turf forming the walls and roof and flat stones making up the floor. Turf structures have gradually been replaced by wooden houses and concrete reinforced buildings that are more earthquake resistant.
Continuing east along the south coast, we visited the Reynisfjara black sand beach created by waves grinding basaltic rock. The rock was carried to the coastline by lava flows originating from the Katla Volcano. The bluff along the edge of the beach is made up of hexagonal columns of basalt. We were advised not to go near the water because of year-round cold temperatures and strong currents that have been known to pull swimmers into the ocean. In the distance we could see two sharply pointed sea stacks rising from the surf that have appeared in movies and television productions such as Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) and Game of Thrones (2017).
The next day we drove northeast from Reykjavik to tour the interior of Langjökull, Iceland’s second largest glacier. We departed Reykjavik by bus for the 132 kilometer drive to Húsafell Center. After checking in, we boarded a tracked vehicle featuring a rear cabin with bench seating. We were told that the vehicle once served as a NATO missile launcher. It took about a half hour across the glacier to reach a tent near the tunnel entrance. On leaving the vehicle, we were met by strong winds and blowing snow. The tunnel entrance is at an elevation of 1,260 meters above sea level. Inside we put on crampons and heavy coats before walking deeper inside the glacier. The tunnel extends just over 500 meters. Reaching its terminus, we were told that there was 25 meters of snow and ice above us and 200 meters below. On the afternoon of our last day, we toured Frinheimar Greenhouse. Buildings at Frinheimar are naturally warmed by hot water pumped from underground. The greenhouse operates as a tomato farm with artificial lights that create a Mediterranean-like climate. More than 900 kilograms of tomatoes are harvested each day from the greenhouse’s 10,000 plants. That evening we drove outside Reykjavik to view the northern lights (aka aurora borealis).
