Iceland Magazine Summer 2018 issue

Highlights Ahead Where to Spot Puffins Five Great Gift Ideas vol.

01 2018

T R AV E L · N AT U R E · N E W S · P E O P L E · C U LT U R E

YO UR

Birthplace of the City and the Nation p.10

P 6 P 36 P 46

FR

EE

CO PY

10+ reasons to love the old harbor area

p.20

ÖRÆFAJÖKULL

Iceland’s second deadliest volcano is Stirring after Centuries of slumber p.26

HOW TO AVOID THE CROWDS A few simple steps you can take to enjoy the otherworldly beauty of Iceland

IC E L A N D M AG . C O M YOU R S OU R C E F OR DA I LY N E W S F R OM IC E L A N D, L O C A L T I P S A N D E X P E RT I S E

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Contents FROM THE EDITOR

19 32

Magnús Sveinn Helgason msh@frettabladid.is

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DON’T TRAÐKA ON THE MOSS!

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yjafjallajökull volcano erupted in 2010, shutting down air traffic over the North Atlantic. At the time Icelanders despaired: This was just too much! First the banks, now the volcanoes? The greatest fear was that the eruption would destroy the small tourism industry. The government stepped in to fund a clever advertising campaign to counter this threat and capitalize on the attention created by the eruption.

The fears proved unfounded. The Eyjafjallajökull eruption turned out to be all the free advertising we needed, and tourism really took off: The number of visitors has grown by 300% since 2010.

This growth helped Iceland pull out of recession, but it has also brought some problems. Walking paths at hidden waterfalls, which served perhaps a dozen or so people on a sunny summer day, now see hundreds of people. Unable to handle the traffic, paths turn into mud and the delicate flora along the way is trampled down. Off-road driving is another serious problem.

The Icelandic Tourist Board has, therefore, shifted its advertising campaigns from luring in more travelers to encouraging good behavior. The “Icelandic Pledge” is the latest example.

In most cases the cause of even the worst examples of destructive off-road driving is simply that visitors fail to grasp how fragile Icelandic nature is. The delicate vegetation grows very slowly due to the short, cold, and wet sub-Arctic summers. Damage caused by off-road driving takes decades to heal.

The moss is especially fragile. Under ideal conditions, it can grow by as little as 1 cm (0.4 in) annually. In the highlands it grows just a couple of millimeters each year. To Icelanders, the moss is therefore all but sacred, and damaging it unnecessarily is seen as a sign of severe character defects.

One of Iceland’s most popular comedians, Steindi Jr. captured this sentiment in a recent ad/music video produced by the Icelandic Tourism Board. Steindi teaches visitors to sing “The Hardest Karaoke Song in the World,” a catchy tune with advice to visitors, peppered with Icelandic phrases and words visitors should learn. One of the most important is Steindi’s plea, “Don’t traðka [trample] on the moss - it grows back so slow.”

Icelanders are happy to share the beauty of this wonderful country with foreign visitors: There’s plenty of it to go around!

But only if we treat it with respect and take care not to damage it.

Contents 6-8 Culture Highlights ahead 6 is Skyr? 8

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Iceland Magazine / VOL. #01 2018

Jæja 8

What

10-14 Local tips 10+ reasons to love the old harbor area 16-17 History The Only Terrorist Attack in Icelandic History 18-22 Geology Why the Constant Earthquakes? 18 How Fast is Iceland Growing? 19 Öræfajökull, Iceland’s Second Deadliest Volcano 20-22 24-25 The Giants of the Deep Whale Watching in the Spectacular Eyjafjörður 26-32 Travel tips Avoiding the Crowds 26-30 Photographer Photographs Tourists who are busy photographing the landscape 32 34-36 Puffins Meet the Amazing Pysja Patrols 34-35 Places to Spot Puffins 36

IcelandMag.com

Published by Torg ehf.

EDITOR Magnús Sveinn Helgason msh@frettabladid.is PUBLISHER Kristín Þorsteinsdóttir kristin@frettabladid.is ADVERTISING SALES Ruth Bergsdóttir ruth@frettabladid.is +354 694 4103 LAYOUT Rebekka Líf Albertsdóttir ON THE COVER The caldera lake in Mt. Herðubreið, Central Highlands. Photo by Sigtryggur Ari Jóhannsson Printed by Prentsmiðjan Oddi Distributed free around Iceland and in the Capital Region

Þetta reddast 6

The Best

38-40 Culture, Cats and Coffee Books by Icelandic Authors You should absolutely read 38 The Purrrfect Café for Cat Lovers 40 ICELAND MAGAZINE is printed on a Nordic ecolabelled printing paper that fulfils strict environmental requirements.

Nordic Ecolabel is the official Ecolabel of the Nordic countries.

42 Food Make your own Delicious Plokkfiskur 44 Driving in Iceland Crossing Unbridged Rivers 46 Souvenirs Five great gifts to bring back from Iceland

Highlights Ahead

FIRING UP THE SKY

Photo/Þorvarður Árnason

FIREWORKS AT JÖKULSÁRLÓN GLACIER LAGOON

T

HE HIGHLIGHT OF THE SUMMER IN VATNA­ JÖKULL NATIONAL PARK is the 30-minute fireworks display at Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon in August. The show is a collaboration between the local Iceland Search and Rescue teams and tour operators. Seeing the spectacular scenery and

the floating icebergs lit up by fireworks is an unforgettable not-to-be-missed experience.

The 1,500 ISK entrance fee goes to support the all-volunteer ICE-SAR. Where: Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon When: August 11 at 23:00 (11 pm) See: visitvatnajokull.is

THE CULTURAL HIGHLIGHT OF THE SUMMER

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EYKJAVÍK CULTURE NIGHT, MENNINGAR­NÓTT, is an annual festival. Downtown is taken over by various events and activities, concerts, performances, and exhibitions. Culture Night kicks off at 8:40 with the annual Reykjavík Marathon and continues into the night.

Photo/Daníel Rúnarsson

Where: All over Reykjavík When: August 18 See: menningarnott.is

The family-friendly event should hold something for everyone. Events take place in museums, galleries, cafés, and bars, out in the street, in parks and even people’s backyards.

You should not miss the highlight of the day: The massive fireworks display over the old harbor at 23:00.

REYKJAVÍK PRIDE CELEBRATING DIVERSITY

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EYKJAVIK PRIDE HAS BEEN CELEBRATED ANNUALLY SINCE 1999. It has grown from a small event to one of the largest (and certainly most colorful) festivals of Reykjavík. The six-day celebration, which includes various events, including concerts, exhibitions, seminars, and performances celebrates diversity and promotes the visibility of LGBTQ people. People of all genders, friends, and families come together to show their solidarity and commitment to the cause of equality.

The highlight of Reykjavík Pride, the August 11 Pride Parade, described as one of the “Biggest Little Pride Parades in the World,” draws partic­ ipants from all around the world.

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Photo/Vilhelm Gunnarsson

Where: All over Reykjavík When: August 7-12 See: hinsegindagar.is

DON’T WORRY, BE HAPPY! A thousand years living at the edge of the inhabitable world has taught Icelanders it’s pointless to worry too much about the things you don’t have any control over, like the volcanoes or the weather! Photo/Pjetur Sigurðsson

ÞETTA REDDAST! ICELAND’S UNOFFICIAL NATIONAL MOTTO

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lobal studies have time and again found that Icelanders are among the happiest people in the world: According to the 2018 World Happiness Report, which ranks 156 countries by their happiness, Iceland ranked as the fourth happiest, after Finland, Norway, and Denmark.

There are many reasons for this, but one is a positive outlook on life. Life could often be difficult in this barren, harsh land and over time Icelanders developed a mentality which can sometimes seem a bit carefree to outsiders. When faced with difficulties Icelanders maintain a belief that things will work out in the end.

No phrase captures this Icelandic outlook on life better than þetta reddast. Roughly translated it means ’things will work out ok,’ but it holds a deeper meaning: A firm can-do attitude and a fundamental belief that there’s an answer or solution to life’s challenges and problems. This belief, that things have a way of working themselves out, and that a solution will always present itself, even when one isn’t in sight could be described as positive fatalism or optimistic serenity.

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Icelandic Culture

Jæja: A word with many meanings

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key to learning a new lan­guage is to master the everyday words native speakers use in a variety of different situations. Such words frequently stand in for whole sentences, conveying complex meaning in a short utterance.

Icelandic has several such words. One of them and one of our favorites is jæja: A word that can mean any number of things, depending on the context, the tone of voice or the emphasis on different syllables. It is often used alone in a sentence, as an answer or a command, or it can be used at the beginning of a sentence to set the tone.

Jæja is frequently used to convey exasperation or frustration, or a sense of urgency. Which is why it was adopted as the name of a group of activists who participated in organizing the largest mass demonstration in Icelandic history on April 4, 2016. On that day 26,000 Icelanders (20% of the population of the capital) gathered in downtown Reykjavík to demand the resignation of the Prime Minister after people learned his name was among the wealthy tax-cheats exposed in the Panama Papers leak.

Jæja serves a similar purpose in Icelandic as ’well,’ ’ok’ and ’yeah’ serve in English: A simple jæja is often all you need to say!

Jæja? ......Are you coming?

Jæja? ......What’s up?

Jæja? ......How about the weather?

Jæja! ......That does it. I’m not

Jæja.

going to stand for any more of this nonsense. ......Oh, well, it will work itself out somehow! (see also: Þetta reddast, p. 6)

Jæja. ......That was utterly disappointing.

Jæja? ......Yeah, well, that’s just,

like, your opionion man.

WHAT IS SKYR? The Icelandic “super yogurt” takes the world by storm.

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celandic skyr has grown in popularity in recent years, taking over super­ market shelves in Europe and North America. According to one estimate, skyr now makes up full 2% of the American yogurt market. But what exactly is this thing, and why is it so popular?

Skyr is a traditional Icelandic dairy product.

Skyr-making dates all the way back to the Viking settlement in the 9th century. Ever since then it has served as a crucial component of the dairy-rich Icelandic diet.

While skyr resembles yogurt and is consumed much like yogurt, it is actually a type of cheese, made from skim milk. Fat-free and rich in protein, skyr has been held up as a “superfood.”

The milk is warmed with live cultures from previous skyr batches and strained from the whey after it has thickened. Traditional unflavored skyr is very thick and has a distinctive

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SKYR While it ’s sometimes described as a “super yogurt ” skyr is actually a type of cheese. Photo/Getty Images

sour dairy flavor, with a hint of sweetness. You can get traditional unflavored skyr at the Reykjavík flea market Kolaportið or farm stores like Erpsstaðir dairy farm in West Iceland.

Traditionally skyr was consumed with cream or milk, topped with sugar or freshly picked wild berries to balance the sour taste. Nowadays skyr is usually sold ready flavored: There are countless flavors available, including vanilla and blueberries, baked apples or even licorice. Skyr is also increasingly used as a key ingredient for ice cream and cheese-cakes.

Erpsstaðir

Erpsstaðir Skyr Museum is located on Route 60

10+ reasons The Old Harbor

to love the

old harbor area The old harbour in downtown Reykjavík is both the heart of the city and the catalyst to its formation. Reykjavík grew up around the harbor which was one of the main centers of the Icelandic trawling industry in the early 20th century.

Although it is still one of Iceland’s busiest harbors, it has undergone a dramatic transformation in recent years. Whale watching vessels and cruise ships now dock alongside the fishing vessels, and shops, restaurants, and galleries have moved into old warehouses and bait sheds.

Photo/Getty Images

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Birthplace of the City and the Nation

Photo/Sigtryggur Ari Jóhannsson

The harbor is located at the site of an excellent natural harbor.

Grandi isthmus and Örfirisey and Engey islands provide shelter for the small bay which had several good landing places. This natural harbor was no doubt one of the reasons the first settler of Iceland, the Viking explorer Ingólfur Arnarson, chose Reykjavík as his home.

The modern harbor is the creation of extensive landfills. The original shoreline was just north of what is now Hafnarstræti (Harbor street). The most important part of the natural harbor, Ingólfsvör (Ingólfur’s landing), was located at the end of Aðalstræti (Main street), behind Bryggjuhúsið (Dock House), which is now home to Reykjavík Restaurant.

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The Center of the City Archaeological excavation in 2001 unearthed a Viking longhouse at the south end of Aðalstræti. The longhouse dates 871±2, which corresponds with the earliest settlement of Iceland. Many therefore believe Ingólfur’s farm had been found. The site is preserved in the Settlement Exhibition.

Aðalstræti is probably Reykjavík’s oldest street, as it would have led from Ingólfur’s farm to his landing in the bay: When you walk from the Dock House to the Settlement Exhibition you can imagine you are retracing the steps of the first Viking settlers of Reykjavík!

The Dock House is the symbolic center of Reykjavík, and all streets in the city are numbered from this spot. A marker on the sidewalk in front of the building marks this spot.

Iceland Magazine / VOL. #01 2018

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Phto/Getty Images

The Old Harbor

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The Failed “Reykjavík World Trade Center”

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World’s Best Hot Dogs

Photo/Gunnar V. Andrésson

Harpa Concert Hall is one of Reykjavík’s most iconic buildings. But according to the original plan, it would have been overshadowed by the even more dramatic headquarters of Landsbankinn bank.

This “Reykjavík World Trade Center” was part of a larger redevelopment of the harbor area which included high-rise office- and apartment towers.

Construction began shortly before the 2008 crash. When the dream of Reykjavík as a global financial center came crashing down in the fall of 2008 Harpa was still in the early stages of construction, and the bank headquarters were nothing more than an empty foundation. The redevelopment of the harbor area was scaled down, preserving most of its character. Harpa was completed and opened in 2011, but the adjoining site remained abandoned and empty until the spring of 2017 when construction of a new Marriott hotel began at the site.

A local institution, Bæjarins Beztu was opened in 1937, serving a cheap snack to dockhands. It is still owned and operated by the same family, making it one of the oldest family businesses in Iceland.

It continues to feed locals, and travelers who come for its famous hot dogs.

Bæjarins Beztu has been recognized as one of the world’s best street-food vendors. Former US President, and fast-food aficionado Bill Clinton stopped for a quick bite during a 2004 visit to Reykjavík, announcing it served “the Best Hot Dogs in the World.”

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Photo/Andri Marínó

The Reykjavík Flea Market Kolaportið is an indoor flea market bustling with life and action.

You can browse the many stalls rented to locals who are cleaning out their attics or garages, or permanent stalls selling secondhand clothing, old books or antiques.

If you are looking for souvenirs or gifts, you can find home-knit woolen goods; mittens and sweaters, hand-made jewelry and artwork. You can also stop by the food section, sample fermented shark or buy a bag of stockfish. Or simply enjoy a cup of coffee and the smells!

Kolaportið is only open on Saturdays and Sundays, 11 am-5 pm.

The Old Harbor Photo/Vilhelm Gunnarsson

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Modern Art and Volcanoes Reykjavík Art Museum is located in a former warehouse. There you will find a standing exhibition of the works of Erró, one of Iceland’s best known modern artists and exhibitions by cutting-edge Icelandic and international artists. Down the street is Reykjavík’s most renowned art gallery i8, its large windows opening the gallery to the street.

On the corner of Tryggvagata and Geirsgata streets is the Volcano House, which offers a documentary show with two movies about Iceland’s volcanoes, running every hour from 10 am to 9 pm as well as a small free exhibition on Icelandic volcanoes, including a hands-on mineral collection.

Harpa Concert Hall would have been overshadowed by the even bolder Landsbankinn headquarters.

Ph

o to

Photo/Jón Kaldal

o te

/A rk i

Photo/ Sigtryggur Ari Jóhannsson

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Dozens of restaurants

In recent years restaurants and cafés have moved into the old bait- and net sheds, warehouses and industrial buildings around the harbor. You can find several seafood restaurants, many offering a beautiful view of the harbor.

One of these is Matur & Drykkur, which serves traditional Icelandic cuisine with a modern twist.

It’s also one of just five Reykjavík restaurants to be mentioned in the Michelin guide. You can also stop by one of the great fish-and-chips wagons regularly found by tha harbor.

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Legendary Tommi’s The small solitary building with a clock tower at the end of Ægisgarður pier was built as a weighing station and harbor café for fishermen. Today it’s home to Tommi’s Burger Joint, a favorite local burger place. Legend has it that the success of Tommi’s prevented US fast food giants McDonalds or Burger King from gaining a foothold in Iceland.

At the peak in the 80s, there were 23 Tommi’s Burger Joints around Iceland, which means that there were twice as many Tommi’s Burger Joints in Iceland than McDonalds’ restaurants in the US – on a per capita basis, of course!

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Photo/ Sigtryggur Ari Jóhannsson

The Pier of Ægir Ægisgarður pier, named after the God of the Sea in the old Norse Ásatrú, is the center of whale watching in Reykjavík. Previously the whaling vessels of Hvalur hf. were docked at the pier. In 1986 the whaling boats became the target of the only terrorist attack in Icelandic history. (See pp. 16-17.)

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Photo/Stefán Karlsson

The Old Harbor

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Grandi Area Originally home to warehouses and industry, the Grandi area on the western edge of the harbor is now home to small shops, museums, galleries, restaurants, and cafés. One of these is Reykjavík’s bestknown diner, Kaffivagninn, a local institution frequented by fishermen. Kaffivagninn has recently added a nice outdoor deck and seen an influx of a younger, more hipstery clientele.

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Photo/Pjetur Sigurðsson

Museums and Exhibits On Grandi you should check out The Saga Museum, a wax museum with hands-on activities which bring the Icelandic Sagas to life; Aurora Reykjavík, an exhibit dedicated to the science and mystery of the Northern Lights; Whales of Iceland, which has life-size models of the whales who live in Icelandic waters and one Reykjavík’s best museums, the Maritime Museum.

Photo/Vilhelm Gunnarsson

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Þúfa Sculpture

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Photo/Andri Marino

Marshallhúsið Art Center An old herring factory built in 1948 with funds from the US-financed Marshall Plan (hence the name). The Marshall House herring factory remained in operation until the turn of the century. It now houses an exhibition space for the Icelandic Modern Art Museum and the gallery Kling & Bang as well as an atelier gallery of Ólafur Elíasson, one of Iceland’s best known modern artists.

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Omnom Chocolate Iceland’s only bean-to-bar chocolate maker Omnom is known for its superb quality and stylish design. Visit their factory store to stock up on top quality chocolate and join a tour of the premises or a chocolate-making class.

The sculpture Þúfa (tussock), by the artist Ólöf Nordal is a man-made hill at the harbor entrance.

Commissioned by the harbor authority and the fishing company HB Grandi, whose fish processing plant it sits next to, the top of the hill offers a great view of the harbor, the islands off the coast and the mountains north of Reykjavík.

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History

The Only

Terrorist Attack in Icelandic History The sinking of the whale boats in Reykjavík harbor on November 9, 1986, entrenched support for whaling in Iceland for a whole generation.

PHOTOS BY VILHELM GUNNARSSON

he only successful terrorists act in Icelandic history was carried out by animal rights activists on the 9th of November 1986, when two US nationals, members of the radical conservationist organization Sea Shepherd, successfully sank two of Hvalur hf’s whaling vessels in the downtown harbor. The attack has been described as “Iceland’s 9/11.”

The attack was in protest of Iceland’s defiance of a moratorium on whaling which had been implemented by the International Whaling Commission in January of 1986.

A TARGETED ATTACK David Howitt and Rod Coronado arrived in Reykjavík in October, staying at a youth hostel where they planned their attack. On November 8, they made their move.

The men first traveled to the whaling station of Hvalur hf. in Hvalfjörður fjord, 70 km (44 mi) to the north of Reykjavík,

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a 60-minute drive. The men broke into the station, vandalizing machinery, computers and power generators, causing extensive damage. Having left the station inoperable they returned to Reykjavík for the next part of their plan.

Shortly after midnight, they snuck into two of the whalers where they lay in the old harbor in downtown Reykjavík, opening their cooling valves, causing the ships to sink. Having completed their mission the men returned to Keflavík Airport where they caught an early flight. They were on their way out of the country long before the authorities realized what had happened and who they should be looking for.

NOBODY WAS KILLED OR INJURED The marine conservation society Sea Shepherd quickly claimed responsibility for the attack. The attack caused significant property damage, but nobody was hurt. The two

History

GROWING OPPOSITION Support for whaling has dropped rapidly in Iceland. International pressure and protests have played a role, but changing consumption patterns and growing importance of whale watching and tourism are probably the main factors.

Photo/ Vilhelm Gunnarsson

PREPARING THE HARPOON The crew of the whaling vessel Dröfn preparing for the minke whale hunt.

Minke whales are caught for domestic consumption, while the meat of fin whales is exported to Japan.

Photo/ Vilhelm Gunnarsson

sunk whaling boats, named Hvalur 6 and Hvalur 7 were later raised from the bottom of the harbor but were never used for whale hunting again. For several years the two boats have been resting on dry land in Hvalfjörður, just east of the whale processing plant.

Coming after the end of the whaling season, which lasts from June through September, the attack did nothing to disrupt or stop whaling in Icelandic waters. The damage to the whale processing plant was quickly repaired, and the company Hvalur hf had other whaling vessels which could take the place of the two which went out of commission.

ATTACK BACKFIRED The attack failed to shake Icelanders’ determination to continue whaling. In fact, it likely had the opposite effect. People viewed the action as a foreign terrorist attack on Iceland and Icelandic sovereignty, and rallied around the whaling industry.

Whaling became a symbol of national pride and determination in the face of foreign intervention and aggression.

The reaction must also be viewed in the context of the Cod Wars, a fierce confrontation between Iceland and the United Kingdom in the post-war years over rights to fish in Icelandic waters. This conflict, which included numerous violent clashes between the Icelandic Coast Guard and the Royal Navy, had been brought to an end in 1976 with Icelanders securing full control of fishing and other marine resources in the exclusive economic zone, extending 200 nautical miles from the coast.

Ten years later Icelanders were in no mood to let foreigners tell them how they should exploit these resources, and in no mood to back down in the face of what they considered a foreign attack. Icelanders continued to hunt whales until 1989.

Whaling was resumed in 2003, and continues to this day.

WHALING IS NOT AN ICELANDIC TRADITION Throughout the centuries whaling in Icelandic waters was only done by foreign whalers. Norwegians operated large whaling stations in Iceland in the 19th century. It was only in 1948 that

The attack failed to shake Icelanders’ determi­ nation to continue whaling. In fact, it likely had the opposite effect. People viewed it as a foreign terrorist attack on Iceland and the Icelandic way of life and rallied around the whaling industry, which became a symbol of national pride and determination in the face of foreign intervention and aggression.

HVALUR HF WHALE PROCESSING PLANT

The whale processing plant

Icelanders began commercial whaling. Following the 1986 attack many Icelanders came to view the right to hunt whales as fundamental to the Icelandic way of life. Animal rights activists and foreign environmentalist groups were viewed with deep suspicion and hostility by many Icelanders. Arguments by local environmentalists that whale watching was an alternative to whaling was met with derision and laughter.

Fortunately, this has changed, as support for whaling has dropped rapidly in recent years. Today barely a third of Icelanders supports the practice.

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Geology

Photo/Auðunn Níelsson

ASK THE EXPERT

MORE ICELAND The 2014-2015 Holuhraun eruption in the Bárðarbunga system is the most recent volcanic eruption in Iceland.

Why the Constant Earthquakes?

In an average week, Iceland’s national seismic network detects around 500 earthquakes, thousands if there is a seismic episode in any of the active volcanoes. The reason is that Iceland is located on top of the Atlantic ridge: As the Eurasian and North American plates drift in opposite directions, Iceland is being torn apart, causing constant seismic activity.

DIFFERENT TYPES OF QUAKES There are two main types of earthquakes in Iceland: Those caused by volcanic activity and the movement of magma, or quakes caused by the release of tension created by the movement of the tectonic plates. Other types include tremors caused by changes in geothermal activity.

Most of the hundreds of earthquakes detected each week are very small and pass without people noticing. Large quakes (3+ on the Richter scale) are most common in the active volcanic systems.

While a magnitude three quake would not be considered a major seismic event if it took place on a continental fault line, like the San Andreas Fault, they are considered very significant when they take place

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growing activity in Öræfajökull, Ice­land’s second deadliest volcano is especially worrisome. (See page 20-22.)

NORT AMERICAN PLATE Grímsey

TF Z

NVZ

Z

Bárðarbunga

WV

he volcanic zones are located along the tectonic plate boundaries. They extend east from Reykja­ nes peninsula where the Reykjanes Ridge section of the North Atlantic Ridge rises above sea level, and northeast from Mýrdalsjökull glacier in South Iceland, north beneath the western part of Vatnajökull glacier in the Central Highlands, and then extending north into the Arctic Comparing maps of the volcanic zones and the seismic activity in a typical week reveals an almost perfect match, as most earthquakes take place in the active volcanic systems.

Hengill

RR

Eldey

SISZ

Z EV

Hekla

Öræfajökull

Katla

EURASIAN PLATE ATLANTIC OCEAN LEGEND RR: Reykjanes Ridge; WVZ: West Volcanic Zone; EVZ: East Volcanic Zone; NVZ: North Volcanic Zone; SISZ: South Iceland Seismic Zone; TFZ: Tjörnes Fracture Zone.

in volcanoes, where they are caused by the movement of magma.

VOLCANIC AND SEISMIC ZONES The two monster volcanoes Katla, in Mýrdalsjökull glacier and Bárðarbunga, in Vatnajökull glacier, have been particu­ larly active in recent years. Geologists ­ believe both are gearing up for eruptions.

Katla, which erupts once every 40-60 years is long overdue: Its last eruption was in 1918.

Other volcanoes have also been trembling in recent months, the Eldey system off the Reykjanes peninsula, Mt. Hengill south of Þingvellir National Park and Mt. Hekla in South Iceland. The

WAITING FOR THE BIG ONE Fissure rifting events are the second important type of earthquakes in Iceland.

Fissure swarms form at divergent plate boundaries, where the crust fractures by the pull of the tectonic plates. Fissure rifting takes place in intense rifting events which are accompanied by the intrusion of magma into the crust. Such an event took place in the Tjörnes Fracture Zone off the north coast of Iceland earlier this year, when thousands of quakes hit the remote Grímsey settlement.

The other primary fault zone is the South Iceland Seismic Zone, a transform fault between offset sections of the MidAtlantic Ridge. It sits between the two volcanic zones and is continually being pulled in two different directions, causing tension to build up, which is then periodically released in earthquakes.

It has produced the most power­ful earthquakes in Iceland, including what is believed to have been the largest quake to hit since the 9th century settlement. In 1784 a massive 7.1 magnitude earthquake caused widespread damage.

Quakes of this magnitude are believed to occur once every 100-150 years: The last major earthquake took place in 1912, which means we are currently waiting for the big one.

Geology ASK@ICELANDMAG.COM

ÞINGVELLIR NATIONAL PARK The cliffs of Almannagjá gorge on the western side of the valley are part of the N. American plate, while the cliffs of Heiðargjá gorge on the eastern side are on the Eurasian plate. Photo/Vilhelm Gunnarsson

How Fast is Iceland Growing?

Iceland is very young, geologically speaking, the oldest rock layers being just 16 million years old. For comparison the dinosaurs went extinct 65 million years ago. Iceland is also still growing: As the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates drift apart, magma wells up to the surface from the mantle, creating new land. celand sits on top of the North Atlantic Ridge, which separates the Eurasian and North American continental plates. The ridge is part of the world’s longest mountain range, a 40,000 km (25,000 mi) long mountain range created by submarine volcanic activity. New seafloor is created continuously by lava which is pushed up from the Earth’s mantle as the tectonic plates drift in opposite directions.

The Icelandic National Land Survey keeps track of the drift by measuring the precise location of 250 fixed points around the island.

According to the latest measurements, Iceland is expanding at the rate of 2 cm (0.8 inches) each year as the eastern part drifts to the east and the western part to the west. The constant earthquakes are growing pangs associated with this process. You can see the effects of this process at various places in Iceland, including Þingvellir National Park, located in a rift valley between the tectonic plates. New land is also regularly created as volcanic islands rise from the ocean floor. The latest addition was Surtsey island, which emerged in a 1963-67 eruption in the Vestmannaeyjar archi­pelago off the south coast of Iceland.

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ÖRÆFAJÖKUL

ICELAND SECOND DEADLIEST VOLCANO It seems fitting that Iceland’s tallest peak Hvannadalshnjúkur (2,110 m/6,921 ft) is located in one of Iceland’s deadliest volcanoes. Hidden beneath the southernmost part of the ice cap of Vatnajökull glacier Öræfajökull volcano has been lying dormant for more than 250 years. In recent months this monster has been showing growing levels of activity. The volcano is kept under close surveillance. An uncertainty phase has been declared for the area as scientists believe an eruption could be imminent.

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Chapter Name

ÖRÆFAJÖKULL The southernmost part of Vatnajökull glacier towers over the glacial outwash plains Skeiðarársandur and Breiðamerkursandur. Photo/Sigtryggur Ari Jóhannsson

ræfajökull is one of several major volcanoes in Vatnajökull glacier. It towers over the Öræfi region, its outlet glaciers flowing down the steep mountainsides like slow-moving giant rivers of ice. Among these are Svínafellsjökull and Fjallsjökull who empty into beautiful and very accessible glacier lagoons.

THE GLACIER OF THE WASTES Öræfajökull derives its name from the surrounding region, Öræfi. The word öræfi can mean either coastal areas without a harbor or unin­ habitable wasteland. Since jökull means glacier, Öræfajökull could be translated as the “Glacier of the Wastes.”

It wasn’t always so. During the first centuries of Icelandic history, Öræfajökull was called Hnappafellsjökull, “Button-mount glacier,” a reference to the button-like peaks of Hvannadalshnjúkur. The farmlands in its foothills were called Litla-Hérað. The prosperous area was considered one of the best agricultural lands in Iceland.

Then, in 1362 Öræfajökull erupted in a terrifying steam-blast eruption, causing wide­spread destruction and death. The entire region was laid to waste, with as many as 40 farms in the sur­ rounding area destroyed in the cataclysm. The exact death toll is unknown, but all inhabi­tants of Litla-Hérað and livestock perished.

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Geology

STEAM-BLAST ERUPTIONS Also known as phreatic eruptions, steam-blast eruptions occur when magma meets groundwater, creating superheated steam in nearinstantaneous evaporation. The resulting explosion can blast enormous quantities of ash and volcanic material into the air. The material is deposited over surrounding areas. Rocks and lava bombs rain down in the areas closest to the eruption, while finer particles are ejected high into the atmosphere. The 1883 Krakatoa and 1980 Mount St. Helens eruptions are examples of steam-blast eruptions.

Only the 1783-1784 Lakagígar eruption, which killed 20% of the population of Iceland and 50-80% of the livestock, has been more deadly. The 1362 eruption in Öræfajökull is considered the largest tephra eruption in the world in the last 1000 years.

Enormous quantities of volcanic material, primarily ash, and tephra, were deposited over the surrounding countryside: Ten cubic kilometers (2.4 cubic miles) of ash covered the surrounding area, making the region uninhabitable for decades: Nothing could grow in the black desert left by the eruption.

Two of Iceland’s most popular tourist destinations are located in the foothills of Öræfajökull. Skaftafell in Vatnajökull National Park and Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon would both be affected by an eruption. An estimated one million people visit Jökulsárlón annually.

But volcanoes move very slowly. It can take years, even decades, for a volcano to work itself up into an eruption. They are also known to stir and tremble, only to fall back into a deep slumber that can last centuries.

Not enough is known about the behavior of Öræfajökull to interpret the activity of the past couple of years. Geophysicists have pointed out that it bears a striking similarity to what was seen in Eyjafjallajökull volcano in 1998. Twelve years later, in 2010, Eyjafjallajökull finally erupted, shutting down air traffic over the North Atlantic and much of Europe. An eruption in Öræfajökull could potentially dwarf Eyjafjallajökull.

CATASTROPHIC MOUNTAIN COLLAPSE If the threat of an eruption in Öræfajökull wasn’t enough, a second major natural disaster is looming in its foothills. Due to global climate change, the outlet glaciers of Öræfajökull have shrunk and retreated in recent decades. One of these is Svínafellsjökull glacier, which empties into a small but beautiful lagoon.

The retreating glacier has exposed the steep cliffs of Mt. Svínafell, while at the same time removing support for the mountain.

An extensive fracture system has recently emerged in Svínafell, as a large part of the mountain is breaking off. One square kilometer (250 acres), an estimated 60 million square meters (165 million cubic feet) of rock, is threatening to collapse onto the glacier below. Tour operators have canceled all glacier walks on Svínafellsjökull and visitors are urged not to go hiking on the glacier and to limit their time at the lagoon.

While the time-frame on an eruption in Öræfajökull is believed to be years or decades, and potentially centuries, if the volcano slips back into a peaceful sleep, the collapse of Mt. Svínafell, either in a single catastrophic event or several smaller rockfalls is months or years.

EMERGENCY EVACUATION PLAN

JOHN SNOW Svínafellsjökull, one of the outlet glaciers of Öræfajökull appears in seasons 2 and 3 of the HBO series Game of Thrones Photo/ Vilhelm Gunnarsson

DORMANT FOR MORE THAN 250 YEARS Öræfajökull is believed to erupt once every few hundred years.

In addition to the massive 1362 eruption, it has erupted only once since Iceland’s settlement. A smaller eruption in 1727 did not cause significant devastation. Two farms were washed away by glacial outburst floods, created by the sudden melting of the ice cap, killing three people.

Following the 1727 eruption Öræfajökull fell into a long and deep slumber. But in 2016 geologists began detecting changes in the area. Seismic activity, which had been very rare, started picking up, with several sharp tremors and earthquake swarms.

Rising geothermal activity in the volcano’s caldera and signifi­ cant uplift are all signs that magma is pushing its way into the mountain.

So far the magma movements are believed to be relatively small. However, they are large enough to create a new powerful geothermal area in the volcano’s caldera, capable of melting deep cauldrons in the ice cap.

POPULAR DESTINATIONS COULD BE AFFECTED An eruption in Öræfajökull could have dramatic consequences, and could potentially be more devastating than the 1362 event.

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The Icelandic Civil Protection Agency has declared an uncertainty phase for the area around Öræfajökull. The agency estimates that it will have a 20-minute warning before an eruption, not enough time to evacuate the entire area fully. People are therefore asked to proceed according to the Emergency Evacuation Plan: • Anyone located east of Kvíá river should move east, toward Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon and the town of Höfn.

• Anyone west of Freysnes farm and rest-stop should move west, toward Kirkjubæjarklaustur village People caught between these two points should proceed to the following farms: • Anyone east of Fagurhólsmýri farm is to proceed to the farm Hnappavellir II. • Anyone west of Fagurhólsmýri should either proceed to Hof I or Svínafell II, depending on which one is closer.

Jökulsárlón

Skaftafell

Fjallsárlón

Svínafellsjökull Freysnes Svínafell I

Öræfajökull Kv íá

Hof I

Hnappavellir II

Fagurhólsmýri Evacuation Areas The Ring Road

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Whale Watching in Akureyri

GIANTS OF THE DEEP

Eyjafjörður in North Iceland offers ideal conditions for whale watching. The calm waters of the narrow fjord are teeming with life, drawing large numbers of whales including humpbacks.

These uncrowned Kings of the Fjord can be seen doing their amazing ocean acrobatics, jumping out of the water, spinning in the air and slapping their giant fins or tails in the water.

hat makes Eyjafjörður the ideal whale watching destination is not just the large number of whales who stay in the fjord feeding on krill or small schooling fish like capelin, but also the calm waters. Eyjafjörður is a relatively narrow, deep fjord. It is only 6-10 km (3.7-6.2 mi) wide, stretching 60 km (37.3 mi) inland.

The mountains on either side provide cover from wind, as well as a picturesque backdrop to

the breaching whales. A humpback breaching with the mountains of Tröllaskagi peninsula (The Peninsula of Trolls) in the background is a spectacular sight.

A NEAR 100% SUCCESS RATE Whale watching from Akureyri has had a remarkable 100% sighting success each summer since 2016. Of course, the whales are their own masters, and don’t show up on demand. This hasn’t stopped Whale Watching Akureyri, the leading

whale watching company in Eyjafjörður, is so confident of its ability to spot whales on its tours that it offers a “Whale Guarantee,” promising their guests that if they fail to see whales, they get a second free tour, either in Reykjavík or Akureyri. Whale Watching Akureyri boasts they have the highest success rate in Iceland, and maybe the world.

The most common whales in Eyjafjörður are great whales like the magnificent humpbacks.

Other giants, like fin whales, sei whales, and

BREACHING Humpbacks are immediately rocognizable by their large and very distinctive pectoral fins and their distinctive breaching behavior. Photo/Elding

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Whale Watching in Akureyri

CALM AND COOL The relatively calm waters of the narrow and long Eyjafjörður are just one of the make it the ideal whale-watching destination. Photo/Elding

Since the 1990s the whale watching companies have been among the leading voices against whaling in Iceland, arguing that in the long run the whales are far more valuable alive than dead. Experience has proven they were right.

even blue whales, the largest animals ever to have existed, are also regular visitors in the fjord.

THE KINGS OF THE FJORD The main reason for the popularity of Eyjafjörður as a whale watching destination in Iceland is that it’s probably the best place to spot humpback whales.

Humpbacks can grow to 12-16 m (39-52 ft.) in length, weighing 25-30 metric tons. They have enormous migration routes, swimming from the Polar Regions, where they feed, to tropical waters where they breed and give birth. Humpback whales are the favorite among whale watchers, due to their playfulness and curiosity, as well as the awe-inspiring ocean acrobatics.

Not satisfied with breaching quietly to breathe, humpbacks like making a big splash: They frequently clear the water completely, spinning in the air before returning to the deep.

A PIONEER OF WHALE WATCHING Whale watching from Akureyri is relatively recent. In 2013 Ambassador became the first company to offer whale watching tours from the town. In 2016 Elding also established itself in Akureyri. Elding has been an industry leader since the earliest days of whale watching in Iceland, having been one of the very first to offer commercial whale watching tours. Elding began

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL Humpbacks are very curious, frequently approaching whale watching vessels. Photo/Elding

offering tours from Hafnarfjörður harbor, in a southern suburb of Reykjavík in 2000.

In early 2018 the two companies joined forces under the banner Akureyri Whale Watching to offer a broader range of different tours from Akureyri. Today the company operates three larger whale watching boats and four lighter, and faster RIB boats.

The RIB boats move faster than the larger vessels, offering opportunities for express tours and permitting the captains to get closer to the whales without endangering the animals. The larger ships offer greater comforts, including a small cafeteria and indoor seating. Which has obvious benefits, considering the likelihood of rain in Iceland.

WHALES ARE WORTH MORE ALIVE THAN DEAD The company is still a family firm, competing in a market where wealthy investors are becoming

ever more prominent. A personal interest in marine wildlife has been the driving force behind the company since its earliest days.

Since the 1990s the whale watching firms have been among the leading voices against whaling in Iceland. At a time when arguments for whaling frequently boiled down to the question of jobs and economic gain Eliding argued that the economic value of whales was far greater if they were alive than dead.

As a first step to protect whales in Icelandic waters Elding and the other whale watching operators have been calling for expanded whale sanctuaries in Faxaflói bay in West Iceland, and in Eyjafjörður fjord and Skjálfandi bay in the North. As long as whaling is still practiced, it is critical that whale watching and whaling do not mix: Whales are intelligent animals and become skittish and avoid humans in areas where they are hunted.

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Iceland Magazine explains

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Chapter Name

AVODING THE CROWDS A few simple steps you can take to get the most out of the great outdoors and truly enjoy the otherworldly beauty of Iceland.

LANGISJร R LAKE The Central Highlands an endless IcelandareMag / VOL. #01 2018 source of quiet and calm. Photo/Sigtryggur Ari Jรณhansson

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Travel Tips

NO SCENIC ROADS All roads in Iceland are scenic, and there is no shortage of spectacular spots to visit. Photo/Sigtryggur Ari Jóhannsson

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ne of the biggest stories in Iceland in recent years has been the growth of tourism. Iceland only became a popular travel destination following the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull volcano in 2010. The number of foreign visitors has gone up from just 485,000 in 2007 to 2,225,000 in 2017, an increase of 360% in just ten years. If you were visiting places like Seljalandsfoss waterfall or Reynisfjara black sand beach in South Iceland in the middle of summer ten years ago, you could expect to have the whole place to yourself. Today you are lucky to find a parking spot during busy hours!

This dramatic change has led many, both locals and returning visitors, to worry that there are too many tourists in Iceland. We at Iceland Magazine have heard this complaint repeatedly, but we have never run into the problem ourselves.

Why? We have followed a few simple steps to get the most out of travel in this beautiful country.

3. WALK AN EXTRA FEW MINUTES

1. BE REALISTIC The most important thing to keep in mind is that you cannot expect to be the only person at any popular tourist destination. This is as true of Gullfoss or Geysir in Iceland as Niagara Falls or Yellowstone in the US: The top sites will always draw crowds.

The most important step you can therefore take is to slow down and give yourself time to take in and enjoy the view.

Don’t let frustration with other travelers get in the way of your experience!

Most visitors take the popular Golden Circle and South Coast tours which pack together many spectacular spots into easy day trips. But there are other options for great sightseeing tours from Reykjavík: Reykjanes and Snæfellsnes peninsulas are both excellent alternatives.

If you have more time and a rental car you should visit the Eastfjords or Westfjords, regions which are ignored by the vast majority of travelers. Visitor number there have even dropped in the last couple of years. Take the ferry to Vestmannaeyjar islands or visit the puffins in Borgarfjörður eystri. (See p. 36.)

2. PUT THINGS INTO CONTEXT

5. DO SOME INDEPENDENT RESEARCH

The second most important thing to keep in mind is that the crowds are limited to a handful of popular spots, most of them along the Golden Circle and the South Coast.

You also need to put the talk of “crowds” into perspective.

To locals, who grew up having all the natural splendor to themselves, with not a soul in sight, the addition of a few rental cars and a tour bus can feel like a traffic jam, and a couple of small groups looks like a crowd.

One of the biggest challenges locals face when foreign visitors ask them to name their favorite spot in Iceland is that there are too many such spots to name just one or two. There are countless spectacular waterfalls and breathtaking mountains, cliffs and canyons. Yet, too many foreign visitors seem to focus on the same handful of top sites.

Do a little research to come up with destinations which are not included on all the must-see lists.

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Walking a few paces usually allows you to find a spot where you can enjoy the view in peace, listen to the thundering of the waterfall or the soothing sound of the wind and birds without the distraction of other travelers. Just as all roads in Iceland are scenic, so are all walking paths: See where the trail takes you and what sights await on the other side of the hill!

Even at the most popular spots, like Skaftafell in Vatnajökull National Park, or Þingvellir, you will only meet a handful of people on most of the hiking trails.

You must keep in mind that Iceland is wet and rainy. You should expect to encounter mud and water on any walking path, so you should always wear good hiking boots. Ugg boots or flip-flops are not appropriate footwear for traveling in Iceland.

4. GET OFF THE BEATEN PATH

info@meetthelocals.is | Tel: +354 476 1399

Travel Tips morning coffee, as they are in the afternoon, when the tour buses arrive.

Rising early and beating the morning traffic should permit you to avoid crowds at even the most popular spots. Just keep in mind that you need to eat breakfast before hitting the road, or pack a snack and plan your bathroom stops strategically as gas stations and visitor centers might not have opened.

8. THE MIDNIGHT SUN IS YOUR FRIEND Alternatively you can do your sightseeing late at night! During summer the midnight sun provides us with nearly 24 hour daylight. If you have a rental car, or if you are exploring Iceland in an RV or a camper van, you should schedule some late evening stops and hikes.

A midnight visit allows you to experience what spots like Seljalandsfoss or the Black Sand Beaches of South Iceland were like before the onset of tourism.

The midnight sun is also a spectacular sight in its own right: Drawn-out sunsets with their otherworldly red, pink and purple colors are one of the things that make summer travel in Iceland an unforgettable experience.

9. BE PART OF THE SOLUTION NOT THE PROBLEM

LANGISJÓR LAKE The view from Sveinstindur peak. Photo/Sigtryggur Ari Jóhannsson

6. TAKE YOUR TIME Another common mistake people make is cramming too many of these must-see spots into their schedule, rushing from one spot to the next, ticking one destination after another off their bucket lists, frantically uploading photos to Instagram.

A far better approach is to limit yourself to fewer stops and budgeting more time for actually absorbing the experience.

Pause to listen to the wind and birds, smell the flowers and immerse yourself in the view (see point 3 above).

7. ARRIVE EARLY If you have a rental car you should take to the road early.

Gullfoss or Skógafoss waterfalls are just as spectacular at 7:00 in the morning, when most other travelers are still drinking their

It’s not just the presence of loud tourist crowds which can diminish the quality of your experience. Trash, trampled down vegetation and trails of destruction left by off-road driving are far more frustrating than other travelers.

Too many people leave a trail of destruction in their wake, either due to thoughtlessness and ignorance, or sheer selfishness. But off-road driving, ignoring signs and instructions, littering and vandalism are all problems we can work together to eradicate by setting a good example ourselves.

It is our duty to leave nature in a better condition than we found it, for example by not littering and picking up trash others have left behind. By treating nature with respect and staying on marked paths we can ensure others can enjoy everything Iceland has to offer.

And remember: Don’t traðka on the moss! (See p. 4.)

DON’T DO THIS While the vast majority of travelers are respectful of nature and local laws and customs, there are always some who give tourism a bad name. Unfortunately, these few bad apples can ruin things for all of us.

Fed up with littering and disrespectful behavior local landowners have closed all public access to two “hidden” sites, Grjótagjá geothermal pool and Brúarfoss waterfall.

The natural geothermal pool in Grjótagjá cave in N. Iceland was closed in early July to protect the site. Visitors had been washing their clothes in the water, leaving trash, bottles, bodily waste and toilet paper in the cave. Less than two weeks later the walking path to Brúarfoss, a beautiful waterfall on the Golden Circle in S. Iceland, was closed by landowners who were fed up with visitors littering and trespassing on land surrounding the cabins in the forest around the waterfall.

The worst problem, however, is off-road driving. Due to the short and cold sub-Arctic summers vegetation grows very slowly and tracks left by off-road driving take decades to disappear. All off-road driving is illegal in Iceland. There are no exceptions to this rule: It applies to the black sands of South Iceland, as well as the heaths in the Central Highlands.

Please help us preserve Icelandic nature by treating it with respect: Don’t drive off-road, stay on marked paths and don’t litter.

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NOT A PRETTY SIGHT! A group of French travelers were fined 400,000 ISK

for leaving a trail of destruction in the Central Highlands on July 15.

Driving on a closed road these ’adventurers’ took a shortcut over the wet moss, creating deep tracks before getting stuck. Photo/Páll Gíslason

I PLEDGE TO BE A RESPONSIBLE TOURIST. WHEN I EXPLORE NEW PLACES, I WILL LEAVE THEM AS I FOUND THEM. I WILL TAKE PHOTOS TO DIE FOR, WITHOUT DYING FOR THEM. I WILL FOLLOW THE ROAD INTO THE UNKNOWN, BUT NEVER VENTURE OFF THE ROAD. AND I WILL ONLY PARK WHERE I AM SUPPOSED TO. WHEN I SLEEP OUT UNDER THE STARS, I’LL STAY WITHIN A CAMPSITE. AND WHEN NATURE CALLS, I WON’T ANSWER THE CALL ON NATURE. I WILL BE PREPARED FOR ALL WEATHERS, ALL POSSIBILITIES AND ALL ADVENTURES.

TAKE THE PLEDGE AT INSPIREDBYICELAND.COM

Photography

There is a beautiful absurdity in some of the pictures, where the hurried tourists, popping out of tour buses to capture a fleeting glimpse of the landscape with the latest technology, iPhones, selfie-sticks and expensive photo equipment, are juxtaposed with the unmoving, ancient landscape.

Photographer photographs tourists

who are busy photographing the landscape PHOTOS BY RAFFAELE PIANO

While most foreign visitors to Iceland photograph waterfalls, hot springs, cliffs and black sands the Italian born, Swedish based photographer Raffaele Piano has chosen a very different subject: The tourists who are bysy photographing the landscape.

The first photographs in the ongoing project were taken in Iceland during the summer of 2015. Raffaelo describes the project as a study in how we perceive travel and tourism, but it is also a study in human behaviour and man’s relationship to nature. The photographs record the moments tourists are eager to capture, but from a very different angle.

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I R Y E R U AK H T R O N G N I N SHI E H T F O L CAPITA

www.visitakureyri.is Hof Cultural and Conference Center | 600 Akureyri | 450 1050 | info@visitakureyri.is

Pufflings

A PUFFIN CHICK IS CALLED “PYSJA” IN ICELANDIC

PUFFIN RESCUE Vestmannaeyjar are home to 4,284 people and as many as 2.5 million puffins. Photo/Sæheimar

MEET THE AMAZING PYSJA PATROLS The kids of Vestmannaeyjar islands are saving the puffins, one little puffling at a time: In 2017 these unsung heroes rescued nearly 5,000 puffin chicks from certain death. The survival of the pufflings is crucial as puffins have come under stress due to climate change.

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PHOTOS BY SÆHEIMAR

estmannaeyjar islands are a cluster of 15 volcanic islands and 30 major skerries and stacks on the south coast of Iceland are home to nearly half of Iceland’s puffin population, which makes them one of the most important puffin habitats in the world, since almost 60% of all the world’s puffins live in Iceland. The survival of the puffin population in Vestmannaeyjar is therefore of great importance.

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LEAVING THE NEST Puffins spend the winter at sea, only returning to land in early May to breed and raise their young. By fall, usually mid-August to early September, the young pufflings are strong enough to take their first leap out into the world and fly out to sea, spending the winter in the open water of the North Atlantic. The last birds leave in early October.

The little pufflings have not yet fully mastered the art of flight, and are

Pufflings

THE PUFFIN RESCUE The children of Vestmannaeyjar bring the pufflings to Sæheimar Natural History Museum where the birds receive a full check-up. Birds who need more attention are fed and nursed to full health and birds who have gotten oil into their feathers get an extra spa-treatment as their feathers are cleaned. Photos/Sæheimar

still unfamiliar with the larger world, having spent their young lives deep in a dark burrow.

Imagine standing at the top of a cliff, looking out onto a new, unfamiliar world, the waves of the cold North Atlantic crashing on the rocks below, and taking a leap out into the unknown!

We don’t know exactly how puffins navigate, but we know they use visual cues, including the moon and stars. If the young puffin makes the first trip to the ocean in the dark, during late evening or early morning, the lights from coastal towns can confuse the birds who mistake them for moonlight reflecting off the sea.

Instead of flying out to sea they fly into town. In late August and early September it is common to find confused little pufflings wandering the streets, unsure of how to find their way back to the sea.

Some puffins make the mis­ take of flying into town.

Frightened by unfamiliar sights and so­ unds the birds hide under cars or in flo­ werbeds.

These wayw­ ard little birds can die of ex­ haustion or hunger. Others are killed by cats or hit by cars.

next morning to release the birds back to the ocean. Today the pufflings are taken to Sæheimar Natural History Museum where they are weighed and measured before being released.

Since 2003 the staff of Sæheimar has used the annual puffling rescue to monitor the condition of the local puffin colony: Every rescued puffling gets a full check-up and some are tagged for future reference.

Most birds can be released the following day, but some are too exhausted or weak to return immediately to the sea. Others might have gotten oil into their feathers, a potential death sentence for seabirds. The staff of Sæheimar cleans the feathers of these birds, feeds, and nurses them to full health, the pufflings staying at Sæheimar until they seem strong enough to make it on their own in the big world.

PYSJA PATROLS TO THE RESCUE

THOUSANDS OF BIRDS RESCUED EACH YEAR

Frightened by unfamiliar sights and sounds the birds hide under cars, in flowerbeds or other places that remind them of their childhood burrows. These wayward little birds can die of exhaustion or hunger. Others are killed by cats or hit by cars.

This is where the Pysja Patrols, organized by the children of Vestmannaeyjar, come in!

Each fall for generations, children and adults have been rescuing pufflings in the evening, taking them to the cliffs the

The children of Vestmannaeyjar take great pride in this operation, organizing thorough puffling searches each night to rescue any birds lost in the town.

The puffling rescue is a major operation. On average the kids bring in a hundred birds each day during the pysja season. In 2017 they brought in a record number of 4,814 pufflings, more than at any time since 2003, a promising sign that the puffin colony in Vestmannaeyjar was faring better after several bad years.

Without the heroic Pysja Patrols, these

The ultimate puffinbucket list item Being able to cross “see a puffin” off your bucket list is one thing, actually doing your part to ensure they survive by participating in the unique puffin rescue is taking things to a whole new level!

If you would like to experience the annual puffin rescue, or pitch in and do your bit to help rescue the Atlantic puffin, you should visit Vestmannaeyjar during the pysja season from mid-August to early October.

Vestmannaeyjar islands

puffins would most likely have perished.

Instead, nearly 5,000 more puffins made their first trip out to sea last year, increasing the survival chances of one of the most loved seabird species.

So, next time you see a puffin, you might be looking at one of the thousands of puffins who have been rescued by the children of Vestmannaeyjar.

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Travel Tips Puffins NOTE: uld You sho turb dis NEVER birds! nesting

A BRAVE AND BEAUTIFUL BIRD Puffins spend the winter in the cold waters of the North Atlantic, returning to land in the spring to breed. The puffins usually return to land in early May, flying back out to sea in late August or early September. The last puffins fly out to sea in early October. Photos/Heiða Helgadóttir

The Best Places to Spot Puffins You can find puffin colonies all along the coast of Iceland, but there are a few places where you have an especially good chance of spotting this colorful bird. Since puffins are seabirds, nesting in hard-to-reach cliffs by the ocean, puffin-watching is best done by boat. Many whale watching companies offer puffin cruises and others include puffin-sightseeing in their regular tours. But some puffin colonies can also be viewed from land. Ísafjarðardjúp bay

Grímsey island

Borgarfjörður eystri

The bay, with its fjords, is home to numerous puffin colonies.

The small island Vigur in the bay is also a great place to go puffin watching. The best way to enjoy the beauty of the fjord is from the sea. A couple of companies offer sightseeing, puffin-, and whale watching cruises from Ísafjörður, the “capital of the Westfjords.”

Iceland’s northernmost settlement, located 40 km (25 mi) off the north coast, straddles the Arctic Circle. The island, which has a population of just 90 people, is connected to the mainland by a ferry and air. Grímsey has large colonies of seabirds, including puffins.

A small,remote village, Borgarfjörður eystri (also called Bakkagerði), offers the best opportunity anywhere in Iceland to get up-close-and-personal with puffins. A viewing deck by the harbor, overlooking Hafnarhólmi peninsula allows a rare view of the countless seabirds who nest in the cliffs.

Faxaflói bay Breiðafjörður bay The second most important puffin habitat in Iceland Breiðafjörður separates the Snæfellsnes and Westfjords peninsulas.

The countless islands and skerries of the bay are home to large seabird colonies, including puffins. You can take sightseeing tours from the town of Stykkishólmur, or take the ferry across the bay.

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Iceland Magazine / VOL. #01 2018

Two islands off the coast of Reykjavík are home to large puffin colonies. Akurey and Lundey (Puffin-island) are home to tens of thousands of puffins.

Numerous companies offer sightseeing tours or combined whale and puffin watching tours from the old harbor in Reykjavík.

Skjálfandi bay The islands of Skjálfandi and the coast of Tjörnes peninsula to the north of the picturesque town of Húsavík are home to numerous puffin colonies.

South Coast Anywhere you find ocean cliffs along the South Coast you can find puffin colonies. Ingólfshöfði south of Öræfajökull glacier and the cliffs of Mt. Reynisfjall and Dyrhólaey peninsula on the black sand beaches near Vík í Mýrdal are all home to large puffin colonies.

Vestmannaeyjar islands The island archipelago is home to the largest puffin colony in Iceland. Nearly a quarter of the total puffin population of the world nests in the islands. You can get to Vestmannaeyjar by air or ferry from Landeyjarhöfn, near Seljalandsfoss waterfall in S. Iceland.

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Culture

Books by Icelandic Authors You Should Absolutely Read Literature is the key to an understanding any society. This is certainly true of Iceland, as reading and writing is ingrained in the culture. Icelanders read and write books at record levels: 93% of Icelanders read at least one book per year. We asked five locals to recommen a book every foreign visitor should read to get to know Iceland and Icelandic culture.

SANNA MAGDALENA MÖRTUDÓTTIR

ANDRI SNÆR MAGNASON

KATRÍN JAKOBSDÓTTIR

Independent People (1934)

by Halldór Laxness, who received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1955

Njáls Saga, a 13th centu­r y saga that describes events that took place between 960 and 1020. Author unknown.

The Lodger and other stories (2000) by Svava Jakobsdóttir, one of Iceland’s leading contemporary writers.

“The story takes place in the early 20th century.

Its realistic depictions of events and characters are gripping. We follow the trials and tribulations of Bjartur who struggles to buy his own land to become an independent farmer. His obsession with being an independent man, and the insights the book offers into the life and fate of him and his family evoke strong emotions in the reader.

The stark class-differences and the struggle of poor people are just as relevant today.”

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“I recommend reading Njáls Saga. Like many classics people praise and tell you to read, I tried to revolt against it, but then I was reading it again, and at one chapter I got these goosebumps and wondered: Who weaved this 800 years ago!”

Andri Snær is an environmental campaigner, author,

“Svava Jakobsdóttir’s original and compelling stories are simple on the surface but uniquely subtle and powerful in their critical irony, taking the accepted and normal and turning it on its head in unexpected ways. Necessary to under­ stand not only Iceland, but the entire 20th century and beyond, not least from a woman’s point of view.”

poet, and playwright. His works have been translated into more than 30 languages. Among his works is Dreamland: A Self-Help Manual for a Frightened

Katrín is the leader of the Left-Green Movement and

Sanna was elected to the Reykjavík City Council in

Nation (2006), a damning critique of the environmental

the Prime Minister of Iceland. She is also known as an

May as a representative of the Socialist Party. She is

cost of Iceland’s green energy: The damming of rivers

expert in Icelandic crime fiction, receiving her MA in

the first person of color to be elected to the City

and destruction of waterfalls and pristine nature to

Icelandic Literature from the University of Iceland in

Council. At only 26 she is also the youngest person to

produce hydroelectric power for energy-intensive

2004. Her thesis was on the works of Iceland’s

become a city councilor.

industries.

best-known crime writers, Arnaldur Indriðason.

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DAGUR B. EGGERTSSON

ILMUR KRISTJÁNSDÓTTIR

Moonstone: The Boy Who Never Was (2013) by Sjón

Karítas untitled (2004) by Kristín Marja Baldursdóttir

“The story is set in Reykjavík in 1918 when Ice­land gained independence from Denmark and became a sovereign state.

Sjón is one of my favorite writers.

He is a writer of few words, deliv­ ering concise stories, leaving them with his readers. An author for anyone interested in getting to know the cutting edge of Icelandic literature.”

“Icelandic reality of the 20th cen­ tury and a sizzling hot love story. A story all Icelandic women, and men fell for.

It has everything, from Icelandic nature in the broadest sense of the word, to the friendship and solidarity of women. The most memorable chapter is the climb to Iceland’s tallest peak Hvannadals­hnjúkur, where nature and emotions achieve a wonderful harmony.”

Iceland Magazine / VOL. #01 2018

Dagur is the Mayor of Reykjavík. He was the Vice-Chairman of the Social Democratic Alliance 2009-2013. Dagur is a medical doctor, having worked at the National University Hospital before going into politics. He also has a Master’s Degree in Human Rights and International Law from Lund University.

Ilmur is an actress, best known to international audiences for her interpretation of Hinrika in the Icelandic TV crime drama Trapped (2016). Trapped was named by the BBC as one of the “must-watch TV shows of 2018.” The second season of Trapped is scheduled to air later this year.

Chapter Name

Culture Hill

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REYKJAVÍK CULTURE HILL Welcome to Reykjavík Culture Hill, the easy way to experience culture and nature all in one stop. Conveniently located at the Hamraborg bus stop, the hill includes five unique cultural attractions within walking distance. Enjoy the spectacular view from Kópavogskirkja Church.

Dive into nature at the Natural History Museum of Kópavogur. Fill your senses with progressive contemporary art at the Kópavogur Art Museum. Have a nice soak in the Kópavogur Swimming Pool. And if you’re lucky, attend a concert at the specially designed Salurinn Concert Hall. #reykjavikloves

visitreykjavik.is/culturehill

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Downtown Reykjavík

CATS AND COFFEE

MJÁ That’s how Icelandic cats say meow. Photo/Sigtryggur Ari Jóhannsson

The Purrrfect café for cat lovers If you love cats and are looking for a favorite Reykjavík café, look no further: Kattakaffihúsið is the place for you! eykjavík’s first, and so far only, cat café is a wonderful, friendly little place in the downtown Þingholtin neighborhood. In addition to serving coffee and pastries, the café operates as a kind of halfway-home or mini shelter for cats who have lost their home and need a new family.

A LONG-TIME DREAM Kattakaffihúsið is owned and operated by two young local women, Gígja and Ragnheiður.

They had dreamt of opening a cat café in Reykjavík for a long time when they made a move. Customers get to know the cats at the café and hopefully spark a life-long human-cat friendship and a new home for the cats.

All the cats at the Cat Café are adults. Adult cats can have a hard time finding a new home, as most people seek to adopt kittens, Ragnheiður told us: “All the cats are house-trained adults.

They come from people who need to give their cats away for some reason, some because they are moving, others because of allergies.”

Gígja and Ragnheiður take the process of pairing people and cats very seriously. Since opening on March 1, five cats have found a new loving home.

Currently, five cats are living in the café. The star resident is a playful 10-year female called Nebba who has been at the café for a couple of

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The Reykjavík Dog Ban In 1924 Reykjavík passed a city ordinance banning dogs. (Yes, you read right: Dogs were banned in Reykjavík!) Dogs were considered farm animals, not suitable for urban life. The ban remained in place until 1984. With dogs banned from the capital and many towns around Iceland, cats became the pet of choice. According to one estimate Reykjavík has one cat for every other family.

months has found a home, but hasn’t moved out yet. Regulars are in no hurry to say goodbye to Nebba, who has made many friends with her inquisitive and curious nature. Nebbi is Icelandic for a child’s nose, a term of endearment.

PERFECT PLACE TO MEET LOCALS (CATS AND HUMANS ALIKE) While you enjoy a drink and a piece of cake, you can expect the have the cats to come up to you for attention, climbing over the chairs and tables.

The friendly furballs also enjoy playing with the many cat toys. Or just nap. Which is, of course, the favorite pastime of cats all around the world.

In addition to the cats, you’ll meet both locals and foreign travelers who miss their pets at home and need their fix of cat companionship.

A COZY SPOT Reykjavík has more cat cafés (one) than Starbucks (none). Photo/Kattakaffihúsið

Located in the heart of 101 Reykjavík on Bergstaðastræti 10a, next to the downtown Bónus store, and just one block from busy Skólavörðustígur street, the cat café is the ideal spot to stop for a cup of coffee while wandering around downtown Reykjavík.

Photo/Vilhelm Gunnarsson

Icelandic Culinary Culture

PLOKKFISKUR Literally “pulled fish,” Icelandic fish stew is both healthy and super easy to make. All you need is fish, potatoes, onion, flour, milk, salt, and pepper.

Make your own Delicious Plokkfiskur

T

Traditional Icelandic fish stew is the ultimate comfort food. It’s one of the foods Icelanders grow up with, loved by kids and adults alike.

he popularity of plokkfiskur boils down to the fact that it’s a very simple dish. Every family has its own recipe, and there is no one correct way to prepare plokkfiskur: Icelandic mothers and grandmothers adjust the recipe based on how much fish and potatoes they have in the fridge.

MOTHER’S FANCY PLOKKFISKUR FOR A FAMILY OF 4 560 g (1 ¼ lbs) cod 450 g (1 lbs) potatoes, boiled and peeled 1 large white onion, finely chopped 300 ml (11 oz) milk 55 g (2 oz) butter 3 tablespoons flour

Don’t be afraid to experiment to find your preferred bal­ ance between creaminess and consis­ tency, fish and potatoes, and pepper and onion.

To help you find the recipe right for your family, we offer two different family reciepes of plokkfiskur.

No matter what recipe you use, you always serve plokkfiskur with dark, sweet Icelandic rye bread (or any rye bread you have available) and butter.

Enjoy!

GRANDMOTHER’S EVERYDAY PLOKKFISKUR FOR A FAMILY OF 4 1-2 onions, depending on how much onion you want. Don’t overdo it!

An equal amount of potatoes and fish, cod or haddock (for example 1 pound each).

BASIC WHITE SAUCE

1 teaspoon mild yellow curry powder

50 g (1.8 oz) butter for every 0.5 kg of fish

Grated cheese to taste (approx. 1 cup)

ca 0.5 l (17 oz) milk

Salt, ground white pepper and coarse black pepper to taste

1/2-1 dl (0.2-0.4 cups) flour

Icelandic herbs, dried birch and wild arctic thyme for

Grated cheese (optional)

garnish

Salt, white and regular black pepper for seasoning Rye bread and butter

Bring plenty of water to a boil. Put the fish in, turn off the heat and place the lid, leaving the fish in the water for 10 min.

Skin, bone and break the fish into flakes.

Slowly heat milk in a saucepan almost to boiling point.

Meanwhile, melt the butter and sauté onion over medium heat until soft. Do not allow it to brown.

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Sprinkle flour over the butter and onion, stir and cook for 1-2 min.

Gradually add warmed milk, stir and simmer for 3-4 min.

Add fish and season with salt, pepper, and curry powder.

Cut boiled potatoes to bite-sized pieces and fold into the stew.

Move the stew to a baking dish, sprinkle with cheese and bake at 200°C (390°F) for 3-5 min, or until cheese is golden.

Iceland Magazine / VOL. #01 2018

Boil the fish and potatoes. Set aside some of the water the fish was boiled in for later use. Peel the potatoes and cut into small pieces. Remove the skin and any bones from the fish and break it into small pieces. Set aside a small piece for the cat.

Make traditional white sauce by mixing butter, milk, and flour over medium heat.

Chop up the onion and sauté it in butter.

Mix the fish and potatoes into the white sauce at low heat. Add some of the water if the sauce is too thick.

Season with salt and white pepper to taste.

Mix in grated cheese.

Let the stew stand for 10-15 min. before serving.

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Driving in Iceland

DON’T DO THIS

NOT ALWAYS SAFE Crossing rivers, even in a well-equipped 4x4 on a designated crossing can be tricky. You should never attempt to cross rivers in a regular passenger vehicle. Photo/Atli Pálsson

CROSSING UNBRIDGED RIVERS Driving in Iceland, especially in the Central Highlands or on mountain roads brings with it unique challenges. Among the most dangerous are unbridged rivers. órsmörk mountain ridge north of Eyjafjallajökull glacier is a popu­ lar destination, due to its spectacular natural beauty and hiking trails. But while it’s only a 30 km (18.6 mi) drive from Seljalandsfoss waterfall reaching Þórsmörk is both difficult and dangerous.

Every year dozens of travelers are rescued after they have gotten stuck attempting to cross Krossá river, the most difficult of the unbridged rivers on the road to Þórsmörk.

Halla Einarsdóttir, who is a ranger stationed in Langidalur cabin in Þórsmörk, told us that rivers like Krossá are pose serious challenges to travelers: “The river varies year from year, even day to day, depending on the path it takes. Some

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Iceland Magazine / VOL. #01 2018

years it can be extremely tricky. We do our best to make the crossing safe, but the river can change its path overnight, so it’s always best to call the rangers for advice and help in crossing.”

There are various reasons travelers get stuck, she explains, but it tends to boil down to inexperience and people attempting to cross the river in poorly equipped vehicles: “The main danger is getting water into the air intake, which is usually in line with the top of the engine block. Splashing water can cause water to get into the engine. But calm and gentle stretches of the river can also be dangerous, as sand and gravel set, creating spots where it’s easy for cars to get stuck.”

Halla stresses that inexperienced drivers should seek help and assistance before attempt-

ing to cross: “Call the rangers in Langidalur cabin at +354 893 1191 to get advice and information about the river crossing before trying to cross Krossá.”

Rental car insurance does not cover water damage caused by crossing rivers. This means that the full bill must be paid out of pocket.

Repairing or replacing a flooded engine and transmission can easily set you back 25,000 USD or 22,000 EUR. You don’t want to end your adventure in Iceland stuck in the middle of a river, waiting for ICE-SAR to come to rescue you, and dreading the huge repair bill you’ll be getting from the car rental. Failed river crossings can also lead to even more serious accidents, including fatal accidents and drowning.

Chapter Name

WHEN YOU APPROACH AN UNBRIDGED RIVER FOLLOW THESE STEPS: 1. Ask for help and directions The safest way to cross a river is to wait for an experienced traveler to cross. If possible you should cross with a second vehicle. Call ahead to the nearest cabin on your route and ask for help and directions.

2. Know what you are getting into You should always scout the river and the location before attempting to cross. Stop the vehicle and get out to assess the depth of the water, the current and the riverbed. If there is a track across the river, this is most likely the safest spot to cross.

But you must always check the crossing: Rivers shift and can change dramatically with rainfall and snowmelt.

The safest crossing across the river might have moved and a river which was passable yesterday might be impassable today. Which is why you must always stop and check the crossing before driving in.

3. Get your feet wet The narrowest point of a river is never the safest spot to cross, as the river runs deeper and faster at narrow points. Choose a place where the river is wider and calmer.

Then wade in to ensure there are no hidden obstacles or potholes. Ensure that the water isn’t too deep: Unless your vehicle is equipped with a snorkel the water should not reach the top of the tires.

A good rule of thumb is that if the river looks too dangerous to wade in, it is too dangerous to drive across!

4. “Hafðu vaðið fyrir neðan þig” You should try to cross the river at a small angle, with the front of the vehicle facing slightly downstream. This reduces the push of the current on the car and reduces the likelihood of water getting into the engine.

A second good rule to observe is

captured by an Icelandic saying, which translates as “keep the crossing downstream,” but simply means “be careful”: Always stay on the upstream side of the crossing. Thus, if your vehicle is pushed by the current, you are less likely to lose traction and control.

5. Easy does it It goes without saying that if you need a 4x4 to cross rivers. Make sure you put the vehicle in four-wheel drive and shift to low gear before driving in. Do not shift gears while in the river.

Once you have entered the river, you must maintain 100% concentration and drive slowly to allow you to judge the river and to reduce the danger of splashing water getting into the engine. The appropriate speed for river crossing is normal walking speed.

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What to Bring Back Home?

Finding authentic and affordable gifts and souvenirs to bring back home from a trip can be a hassle. There’s always the option of stocking up on refrigerator magnets, funny T-shirts or stuffed puffin dolls at the airport or one of the many “puffin stores.” But if you want to bring back home something more authentic, you should check out these great gift ideas!

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ICELANDIC BRENNIVÍN There is no better way to make an entrance at a party than whipping out a bottle of Brennivín. The unique taste (caraway and cumin), high alcohol content and signature black label ensure that you and your friends will remember the experience of “Black Death” for years to come.

Best place to buy: The duty-free store at Keflavík Airport.

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Photo/Valgarður Gíslason

SOUVENIRS

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great gifts to bring back from Iceland

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STOCKFISH

OMNOM CHOCOLATE The only Icelandic bean-to-bar chocolate manufacturer Omnom is a favorite among Icelandic chocolate addicts: The quality is simply superb, and the stylish packaging makes Omnom the perfect take-home present for all your friends who love design and/or chocolate.

Best place to buy: The Omnom factory store by the old harbor, on Grandi (see p. 14).

Icelandic stockfish, harðfiskur, is the perfect healthy high-protein snack. Plus, it can be stored for years. Harðfiskur is usually made from cod, haddock or Atlantic catfish. The fish is gutted and cleaned and then dried in cold air, ideally in temperatures just above freezing.

Best place to buy: Kolaportið flea market in downtown Reykjavík or any supermarket.

Note: Unless you want to pay extra for Viking themed marketing and whimsical packaging you should avoid the expensive gift-packaged stockfish.

Locals refer to souvenir stores as “puffin stores,” because they tend to sell a lot of puff in merchandise

ICELANDIC FOOTBALL JERSEY

The “Viking War Cry” was one of the most memorable moments of the 2016 EURO and earlier this summer Iceland made history when it became the smallest nation ever to play at the World Cup. An authentic Icelandic football jersey is a great souvenir and the perfect gift for any sports fan: HÚH! Best place to buy: You can find football jerseys in most of the “puffin stores” in downtown Reykjavík.

Things you should NOT bring back home TAXIDERMIED PUFFINS In addition to ordering puffin at restau­ rants you can also buy stuffed puffins in Reykjavík. While it might seem like a clever souvenir, customs laws in many countries (including the US) prohibit the import of migratory birds, their parts, nests or eggs.

A safer bet is to stick to the other type of stuffed puffin!

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HAND KNIT LOPAPEYSA Nothing says Iceland like a hand knit lopapeysa. Iceland is one of few countries where sheep outnumber people. At the end of 2017, there were 457,893 sheep in Iceland and just 348,450 people. Without the wool from their sheep, Icelanders wouldn’t have survived the inhospitable land, with its dark, cold winters. Lopapeysa are warm, the coarse wool repels water, and if well made they last for years.

Best place to buy: The Icelandic Hand Knitting Association on Skólavörðustígur street.

History

to plan your journey

Plan your trip, locate buses in real-time and buy bus tickets and passes in the official Icelandic public transport app.

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