G&B: Jun 2023: Passage from Iceland

Geoff Brock & Bruce Gamble

S.W. Iceland

W. Iceland

N.W. Iceland

N. Iceland

E. Iceland

S.E. Iceland

Faroe Islands

Scotland

Day 7: The North: Siglufjörður & Grimsey

Beautiful weather for the Herring Museum Experience in Siglufjörður and later for a nature walk towards the Arctic Circle on Grimsey Island.

Thursday 15th June 2023

Overnight we sailed from the small island of Hrisey to the little town of Siglufjörður, nicknamed "Herring Town".

We awoke to some wonderful views of the town and the surrounding hills.

This was the second day of a three day visit to the northern region. Yesterday we visited places marked 1, 2 and 3 on the map. Today we would be visiting places marked 4 and 5.

As we sat enjoying our breakfast outside on the Lido Deck, we were fascinated by the sight of a helicopter, which was ferrying avalanche defence components to the hills above the town. Avalanches are clearly a major threat here. As each unit was carefully lowered, a team on the ground placed it into prepared slots before the helicopter went off to fetch the next unit. The operation was still going on when we left the port later.

We were docked in the heart of the small town.

Banter, singing and dancing were all part of the performance.

The performers seem to have struck a bargain with the gulls and other seabirds. The birds don't interfere during the salting demonstration and are rewarded with a herring feast afterwards.

The Salthouse

The Herring Era Museum complex is depicted below. After the herring salting demonstration, we visited three of the buildings. Firstly, the Boathouse, then the Salting Station (Róaldsbrakki) and finally the Factory (Grána).

Tasting of herring on bread with Icelandic Brennivín schnapps. Bruce declined both, but Geoff made an effort!

Our guide spoke perfect English. Unfortunately we don't remember her name, but she was brilliant. In fact, everything about the museum was excellent and it is clear that they all love the place and the stories that they have to tell. Their Facbook page is equally good.

The office of the "herring speculator".

Over lunch we left Siglufjörður behind for the short (approx 30 mile) sail across to Grimsey Island.

The sea was flat and the weather was warm, with no wind.

We spotted several whales and even managed to photograph this Minke.

The Captain sailed slightly further north than the direct route, so that we could cross the Arctic Circle. He then navigated along the line of the Circle before reaching the port, which is slightly further south. The plan was that we would walk north on the island to reach the line again and the ship's detour was meant for those passengers that couldn't do the walk. Of course, we had to mark the crossing event with a photo!

Approaching Grimsey Island.

Enjoying the fine weather on our balcony.

Members of the expedition team went off to check that conditions were safe for us to land.

Now there was just the small matter of convincing Geoff to be brave once again and to go ashore on a Zodiac. Bruce was hopeful that he would choose to go...

...and he did! Conditions for the short ride were perfect.

The island of Grimsey.

Somebody else's drone footage showing the little harbour where we arrived. Our walk took us north along the coast.

From the harbour we walked to the small lake, which was full of birdlife. We then followed the road for a short while before walking to the cliffs. We walked on past the airport building in the distance, close to the Old Arctic Circle Monument. We returned along more or less the same route.

Dozens of arctic terns on the lake.

Red-necked phalarope.

Meadow pipit.

Snow bunting.

Golden plover.

Looking south towards the mainland of Iceland.

Okay, confession time. The Arctic Circle monument that we posed next to is an old one. The Arctic Circle isn't static. It is now located closer to the northern tip of the island, some 2km north of this point.

The current monument is an eight-tonne movable stone sphere dubbed "Orbis et Globus" which is periodically moved to the correct location. By the middle of the 21st Century, the entire island will fall south of the circle.

Some of our fellow passengers walked all the way to see it the real Arctic Circle monument, but as time was limited, we decided to spend more time close to the cliffs, where the puffins put on a beautiful performance for us. We saw many of them flying too, but they were just too quick to photograph successfully.