Following an exciting evening with the feisty Arctic Terns of Vigur Island, we remained anchored near this charming island overnight and then sailed for the nearby town of Ísafjörđur. Ísafjörđur is the largest town in the Westfjords and is located on a spit in Skutulsfjörđur, a small branch of Ísafjarđardjup, the largest fjord in the Westfjords. The weather was most agreeable with some clouds, a light breeze, and temperature around 11 degrees C. We were soon off on our morning excursions with the majority of us boarding motor coaches for a drive along the coast to the trailhead for the hike to Valagil.
Valagil, a high waterfall plunges in a narrow stream over a precipice formed of, yes, basaltic lava flows. The trail rose slowly up the side of a glacially carved valley in a beautiful tundra landscape. The vegetation is small and low, but extremely varied with beautiful flowers, shrubs, and mosses. Bilberry and crowberry plants were mixed with, mountain avens, lady’s mantle, and delicate white blossoms of northern grass of Parnassus. In boggy areas the white tufts of common cotton grass swayed in the breeze. On a pond below us a pair of red-throated divers flew up and away, calling as they flew, while far across the pond a great, white whooper swan was seen with its grey cygnets. Nearby a redshank scolded from its perch on a rock and a thrush called a redwing foraged in the tundra.
On the way back to Ísafjörđur we stopped at the Arctic Fox Center, the world’s only arctic fox research center. Here we learned about that research and saw two curious young foxes. Here we also enjoyed tea and coffee and delicious “wedding cake”, an Icelandic specialty.
Meanwhile, other shipmates traveled across the mountains, a harsh and beautiful landscape, to see Skúđur, the first Icelandic botanical garden. Skúđur is tucked into a nook in the mountains—a small place that enjoys a microclimate that allows the growth of vegetables and flowers—and even trees--that no one ever dreamed could grow here. Others explored the town of Ísafjörđur on a guided tour and/or at their leisure. A local bakery was a popular spot to visit.
In the afternoon we enjoyed two presentations, the first from National Geographic Photographer, Michael Melford, a beautiful show of his photos for the National Geographic Society along with the stories that went with them. Naturalist Tom Ritchie then gave a fascinating talk titled “Vikings: Heroes or Villains”.
In the afternoon we sailed out of the great Ísafjarđardjup into the open sea and set our course for north-central Iceland and the historic fishing village of Siglufjördur.
