Iceland/Ireland Trip: Day3
Iceland Day 3
On our third morning in Iceland, we woke up at our hotel (Hali Country Hotel) and collected our things to head out for a full day of travel back in the direction we had come the previous day. I really wish we could have spent more time checking out the hotel area. It was a series of several buildings situated at the foot of the mountains also near the water. The place was very clean and seemed to be well-kept. The building that housed the restaurant was a very unusual looking place covered in corrugated metal and looking almost space age. The side of the building facing the road was decorated to look like a giant bookcase. You might describe the place as a mix of minimalistic industrial Ikea with a touch of whimsy. Strange yet, very pleasant. Inside the restaurant was a spectacular photography exhibit by a local photographer, and there was also a small museum. We really wished we had had time to check it out, but we had an early appointment for a morning tour and had to eat and run. Next time we visit Iceland, we will definitely repeat this stay!
Our plan for the day included a Zodiac tour of Jökulsárlón glacier bay, Diamond Beach, Svartifoss, and a long drive back to the west to meet up with my colleague Sarah Parent and her husband Stefan for an evening swim at the Blue Lagoon. The four of us would fly to Ireland the next day to meet up with the rest of our friends for main portion of our trip.
Roger and I arrived to Jökulsárlón, met the tour guides, and suited up to board the Zodiacs. There were two boats going out and there were about 8-10 or so tourists on our boat. We boarded and held on tight as our tour guide took off across the bay. I was in the front of the boat which pitched up quite a bit and was hard to hold on to my seat when we were going fast! It was so neat to be out in nature and flying across the water toward the glacier.
As we approached the areas with the icebergs, the guide explained that we would keep our distance from the glacier and the icebergs as the ice can give way and fall at any time causing danger to small boats. As icebergs melt they can break apart and flip also creating dangerous situations to those who venture too close. It was very interesting to see striping in the glacier caused by volcanic ash over the years. Some icebergs were nearly all black, some were striped black and white, but the blues were absolutely awe-inspiring. Our guide explained that the "new" icebergs, or those which have recently broken away from the glacier are bright blue. It has to do with not being exposed to sunlight. The longer the ice sits exposed to the daylight the whiter it becomes. He said that they can go a long time with no new ice chunks breaking from the glacier and then suddenly a whole bunch with break off. They float around sometimes for years before they completely melt or follow the currents out toward the sea.
The bay has a narrow channel where the icebergs get bottle necked and break up as they float out to sea. They wash around in the surf and melt down into clear ice chunks which then get deposited on the adjacent beach, giving that area the name of Diamond Beach. Again, I soooo wish we could have spent a couple of more hours here photographing the icebergs, the seals, and the "diamonds!"
While we were out on the lake, we spotted two different kinds of seals. The first was a gray seal which are apparently more shy. This seal took note of our approach and then decided to make his escape into the water. The other seal was a "common" or harbour seal. He seemed to not mind our approach and we were able to get quite close with the Zodiac. After the tour we stood around the shore line for a while watching the seals swim around and the gulls fly. It's kind of mesmerizing to watch and listen to the sounds of the waves and birds and see the playful seals swim around. We then walked the path along the channel and under the bridge (Rt 1) and out onto Diamond Beach for a few pictures.
We knew we needed to keep on moving to make our 8pm ticket time at the Blue Lagoon so we begrudgingly headed back to the car to keep on going. Our next stop was Skaftafell, a national park, and the place where we would hike to one of my "must see" spots. Svartifoss is a waterfall surrounded by the volcanic basalt columns and I absolutely wanted to photograph it. That was the whole reason we made our treck this far to the east. The park had a nice visitor center. The hike to the falls was around 2 miles or so....uphill! It was a nice trail, but I definitely struggled to get up there! The views were interesting. From up high the surrounding area looked desolate with few trees. Mostly small shurbs, glaciers, and streams going out to the sea. Roger commented that it reminded him of what it must have felt like for Noah to get off the ark up on Mount Ararat and look out over a vast landscape of nothing but minimal vegetation and water draining out to sea.
We made it to the falls, an interesting little grotto-like area surrounded by a hillside of shrubbery. I was thankful that the area was not overrun with tourists. Still thinking of our timeline to meet up with Sarah and Stefan, I wanted to stay for a short while to enjoy the sight, get a couple of long exposure pictures without tourists, and then keep on moving. However, some of the other tourists were ignoring the signs to stay back and were photo bombing all the "rule followers." Several of us with tripods were lined up on the deck trying to patiently wait on those who needed their selfies and "fashion shoots" in front of the falls. *sigh* Thankfully, in answer to my prayer, I got my opening for a clear shot! I did get over excited and forgot to wipe the spray and rain from my lens, so unfortunately I've got some water drops and distortion in the image, but overall, I'm very happy.
After we finished visiting the falls, we hiked back down (much easier!) and found a food truck for some lunch near the parking lot. It cost a LOT of kronas! Pro travel tip--You will not be happy if you do that currency conversion math. Just swipe your card and enjoy your meal.
Back to the car we had several hours of driving to get to Grindavik and the Blue Lagoon. We pulled off once so I could take some pictures of the Icelandic sheep. For some reason, the we tourists find them compelling! Haha! I interrupted the black sheep from a good head scratch on the scratching post. After my silliness of photographing sheep, we got back on the road. We made a quick stop at Vík again for gas and the restroom at the Icewear store. Roger got a little tired so I had my turn to test drive that Outback in Iceland! While I took my turn driving and Roger got a few zzzzz's the sun broke through the clouds in the most gorgeous way and just lit up the landscape! All the dull shrubbery and grass lit up with a green and golden glow and the blue sky broke through the clouds! At one point I saw 3 sheep sitting atop a large rock at the base of the mountain off to my right. It was a male and two female. It reminded me of the Lion King the way the sun shone down spot lighting that male sheep with his curly horns right on the top edge of that rock. I wanted SO BADLY to stop for a picture, but Roger was asleep and I didn't want to wake him with a stop. I reminded myself that not EVERYTHING has to be recorded with the camera. Some things can be enjoyed in the minds eye. So I bookmarked that spot in my mind. A little ways down the road on the left hand side (toward the sea) there were fields of horses. The sun came through backlighting them and making their manes and tails light up and flow in the breeze. Some of the were spirited and running around together. Once, again, I had to record that in my mind's eye and decide that on the next visit to Iceland, we'd have to reserve a tour on horseback. Roger eventually woke up and got a few cell phone pictures of the afternoon sun on the landscape. (The 2 pictures below with the sunlight on the landscape are his shots). We both still remember how awesome that was! We made a stop at a small town convenience store and there was another field of horses where I got the shot below. But the sun had hidden itself away behind the clouds by then.
At some point that afternoon we realized we were not going to make our 8pm time for the Blue Lagoon so we forfeited our tickets and "made a donation." Sarah and Stefan were still able to go enjoy. Since we knew we were not going to make it, we made an impromptu stop near a lighthouse off the beaten path. Well, most things in Iceland are off the beaten path! We got a few pictures then headed toward our hotel in Grindavik. I had tried to call to let them know we would be arriving late, but I could not get cell phone service. When we arrived, we found that they had given our room away. Since it was pre-paid, we sat in the lobby and waited for them to figure out what to do with us. Thankfully they contacted another person who was able to put us up in a guest house for the night. A woman met us and guided us to the guesthouse and got us all settled in. She was very kind, and we were able to have a comfortable spot for the night, albeit not where we had expected.
*Yes, I know. I forgot to wipe the water drops off my lens, again. And yes, my sensor was dirty! Should have had it cleaned before shooting landscapes at f22! And right again, I decided NOT to do all that cleanup work for a blog picture...because this is NOT a competition. So there. LOL! ;-)