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Day 1
DEPARTURE KEFLAVIK - SNAEFELLSNES PENINSULA
Late in the afternoon we board ship in the port of Keflavik, just a short way from the international airport, to begin the circumnavigation of Iceland. The largest of the North Atlantic islands, Iceland’s volcanoes, icecaps, rugged glaciated mountains, fjords and coastal cliffs and beaches together form one of the most inspiring landscapes on earth.
Sail north to the Snaefellsnes Peninsula, which is crowned by a beautiful snow-capped volcanic cone, 1442m high Snaefellsjokull. In the mellow evening light (at this time of year it is light all night) it is worth staying on deck to watch for whales in this often very productive location. The upwelling of nutrient-rich water west of the peninsula attracts many cetacean species, including Blue and Humpback Whales, while Orcas are often spotted closer to shore.
Day 2 BREIDAJÖRÐUR - FLATEY - KLOFNINGUR - LÁTRABJARG
We arrive in the
broad and shallow bay of Breidafjordur, which is peppered
with thousands of islands and skerries. If we are very
lucky, we may glimpse the White-tailed Eagle among these
historic islands, from where Erik the Red set sail to
discover Greenland. We land on Flatey and explore its
delightful fishing village, strolling among the many
well-preserved traditional timber buildings and visiting the
church, with its paintings by the Spanish-Icelandic artist
Baltasar Samper, and restored library. On and around Flatey,
Black Guillemots, Puffins, Common Eiders and Red-necked
Phalaropes can be seen. Later we land on Klofningur a basalt
island with breeding Shags, Fulmars and Great Black-backed
Gulls. Sailing to the north side of the bay, we use the
Zodiacs to cruise the cliffs and sea caves of Látrabjarg, at
the westernmost point of Iceland. Home to the world's
largest Razorbill colony, Iceland’s most extensive bird
cliffs are 14km long and rise to over 400m in height. Our
expedition naturalists will point out the other bird species
that nest on the cliffs and also the seals on the rocks.
Day 3 ISAFJÖRÐUR PENINSULA - HORNSTRANDIR NATURE
RESERVE - HORNVIK
Today we explore
the Isafjordur Peninsula, geologically the oldest region in
Iceland, its imposing basalt mountains scoured out by Ice
Age glaciers. We sail into Adalvik in the Hornstrandir
Nature Reserve. Once farmed, this beautiful, sheltered fjord
has been deserted for 50 years. As sheep no longer graze
here and the human impacts are minimal, fauna and flora
thrive on a scale unknown in other parts of Iceland. We
continue our voyage by sailing along the Hornstrandir
Peninsula, spotting the remains of other farmsteads along
the coastline of golden sand beaches set between sheer
basalt cliffs. We aim to land at Hornvik , where we can
follow an old path, used by fowlers, to reach the top of
300m high Hornbjarg. From the dizzy heights of this cliff we
can marvel at one of the biggest seabird colonies in
Iceland, with tens of thousands of Brünnich's Guillemots and
Kittiwakes.
Day 4 ISAFJÖRÐUR PENINSULA - FURUFJÖRÐUR
If the East Greenland pack- ice will be less than 100 nautical miles north of Iceland, and the weather will be good, we will sail towards the edge and spend some time in and near the ice. During our 24 hours at sea, there will be plenty of time to watch for the spout of large whales, and to observe the northern migration of skuas and other Arctic birds. When we sail along the pack ice edge, we may also see Harp Seals.
If the pack-ice will be more than 100 nautical miles north of Iceland we will land at the east side of the Isafjordur Peninsula in Furufjördur, Tharalátursfjördur and Reykjafjördur, from where we will have a good and near view on the northern side of the glacier Drangajökull. Walkers can make a hike of a view hours from one fjord to the next on an old trail with cairns. In Furufjördur we will find bogs and lakes, and in the Reykjafjördur hot pools, in which we can take a bath. Harbour Seals and Grey Seals are common in this fjord.
Day 5 GRIMSEY ISLAND
In the early morning, if the weather allows, we sail past Kolbeinsey, a tiny island north of Grimsey, formed from a submarine eruption. Later we land on Grimsey
Island off the north coast, and the only part of Iceland, which lies within the Arctic Circle (the Circle crosses the island). The island is home to huge colonies of Kittiwakes, Razorbills, Puffins, Fulmars and Arctic Terns, who far outnumber the human inhabitants, numbering just 100. A zodiac cruise along the western cliffs will afford us the opportunity to also admire the seabirds from the water. Later we may sail along the bird cliffs of Raudinupur.
Day 6 HERADSSANDUR - BORGARFJÖRÐUR
If weather allows, we go ashore on the wild and windswept volcanic sands of Heradssandur, formed from debris washed down by mighty glacier rivers. On the marshlands of its braided channels, Whooper Swans, Greylag Geese, and several species of ducks and skuas breed. The see near the mouth of the river is teeming with Harbor Seals. In the afternoon we call at Borgarfjördur. A friendly small village, where people work on Jasper, a precious stone only found in this part of Iceland. We will try to visit a farm with a Common Eider breeding colony, where the birds are protected for down collection in this time of the year.
If the conditions at Heradssansur are adverse we will not land there, but land after Borgarfjördur, at Alftavik, in the natural harbor Lotna, where people lived until 1904
Day 7 SKRUDUR - PAPEY
Heading down Iceland’s east coast we reach Skrudur, a bird island ( Gannets ) of 160 m high, where we can not land, but where we will cruise around in zodiacs and enter a huge cave. Later we sail to Papey, where Irish monks made a living in the 9th century. This beautiful, now uninhabited island, is home to thousands of Puffins and other seabirds
Day 8 WESTMAN ISLANDS - HEIMMAEY - SURTSEY
We land on Heimaey, an important fishing port and the Westman Islands only permanent community. A short walk allows us to see the results of the surprise 1973 eruption, which destroyed one third of the town and almost sealed off its vital
harbor. A highlight of our time ashore will be the multitude of Puffins that breed along the grassy cliff tops and are still harvested annually by the locals. When we have left Heimaey we use the Zodiacs to cruise among the other Westman Islands. We will circumnavigate Surtsey, an island born in 1964 from volcanic activity, and Sulnasker and Hellisey, which have large breeding populations of Northern Gannets.
Day 9 KEFLAVIK
After breakfast we disembark in Keflavik
OCN
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