Geoff Brock & Bruce Gamble
         
     
   
 
 
 
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Day 8: The North: Húsavík, Skjálfandi bay

An excursion to the Krafla Volcanic Zone and the Hverir Geo-Thermal Reserve. Exploring Husavik in the afternoon and a long hike for Bruce.
Friday 16th June 2023
 
Waking up, we were already in the port, having arrived late last night.
 
This was the third and final day of our visit to the northern region. After visiting places marked 1-5 on the map on the two previous days, today we would be ticking off places marked 6 and 7.
 
 
 
 
We chose not to go on this excursion (which was on a boat similar to the one below). Many did go, however and it was reported as a huge success afterwards, mainly because of the Blue Whale sightings, although when we spoke to one man over lunch, he was less sure on the subject saying "Well, I'm told I saw one of those...".
 
 
We chose the third option, the Krafla Volcanic Zone excursion, which did not include swimming in the geo-thermally heated baths, but gave us extra time at Hverir, the geo-thermal reserve, "Hell" Crater lake, as well as an interesting visit to the Krafla Power Station.
 
Leaving the port on one of the coaches, we began our excursion.
 
This was our route today, which took us a reasonable distance into the interior of Iceland, which was fascinating in itself because it is a completely different landscape to the coast. Almost everybody lives around the coast, because the interior is a really hostile environment.
 
A few photos taken from the coach to illustrate how geo-thermically active this area is.
 
The village of Reykjahlíð on the shores of Lake Mývatn.
 
 
Our first stop was near Námafjall, a mountain, beneath which is Hverir, a geothermal area with boiling mudpools and steaming fumaroles. This is just south of the Krafla area, but not actually within the caldera.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Afterwards, we drove into Krafla, a volcanic caldera of about 10 km in diameter with a 90 km long fissure zone. It is situated on the Iceland hotspot atop the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which forms the divergent boundary between the North American Plate and the Eurasian Plate. Its highest peak reaches up to 818 m and it is 2 km in depth.
 
 
Our second stop was at Víti ("Hell") crater, almost 1000 metres wide, with acidic bluish-white water. Legend says that hell is beneath it. We weren't going to attempt to prove that.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Still at the Hell Crater Lake, but looking in the opposite direction.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The crack in the rift can just about be seen here. It's not that clear from this vantage point unfortunately, but it goes between the two highest points on the right and runs down towards the left.
 
 
Back on the coach for the last leg back to the ship.
 
 
 
 
After lunch, Bruce rested for an hour in preparation for the 10km long, guided nature walk that had been offered. Geoff decided to take a stroll around the little town instead.
 
The street map of the town taken from the town's website.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
A mid-afternoon Icelandic beer for Geoff, while Bruce was out on his hike.
 
 
Bruce joined the walkers doing this route. It was a gorgeous day and he felt he needed the exercise!
 
 
It didn't take long before reaching the outskirts of the town.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The scenery was magnificent. Although the lake we were aiming for is 150 metres above the town, the walk was easily manageable.
 
 
Godwits.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Not my photo - just to show where I was.
 
Red-breasted Merganser.
 
Mallard.
 
 
Red-breasted Merganser.
 
 
Whooper swans.
 
The walk back to the town was lovely.
 
 
 
 
This is the closest I have got (so far) to the famous Icelandic horses.
 
 
The like their rainbow symbols here!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
©Geoff Brock and Bruce Gamble