The remote Langanes, Iceland’s “long peninsula,” stabs northeastward into the cold Greenland Sea. Rain-lashed and windswept, this lonely outpost lies between Thistilfjõrður to the north and Bakkaflói to the south. Langanes, once inhabited by doughty farmers and fishermen, has been deserted for decades. Now only a few intrepid sheep wander this desolate landscape where grass in the uplands billows in the wind and heavy surf worries the rocky shore.
This cloudy morning we rounded Fontur, the northeastern point of Langanes and anchored off Skálar Langanes, a former fishing village on Langanes southern shore, now long deserted and gone to ruins. Perched near the ruined dock is an orange geodesic refuge pod, a place offering shelter and food to the shipwrecked or lost traveler. We took the Zodiac fleet out to cruise along the coast. Precipitous cliffs of layered basaltic lava flows rose above the rocky beaches and a waterfall plunged straight down over the rocks. Some of the basalt flows had columns formed by shrinkage cracks when these lava flows cooled after emplacement millions of years ago. Fulmars and black-legged kittiwakes nested on the cliffs and we saw some tending half-grown chicks and guarding them from a pair of black-backed gulls, predators that cruise along the cliff sides in search of an easy meal. On the water were guillemots, juvenile chicks and their fathers that care for them at sea until they have the skills to live on their own. A few Atlantic Puffins flew by and we saw an occasional Gannet soaring along on long, white, black-tipped wings. Oystercatchers, Purple Sandpipers, and Common Eider ducks were seen on the shore and flying and swimming near the Zodiacs.
During our Zodiac tours we spotted a Viking boat, but these were not the fierce Icelandic Vikings, rather friendly Norwegian and Polish Vikings offering us hot chocolate—we were happy to see them.
In the afternoon we enjoyed time at sea and some presentations: first, by popular demand, a historical account of sinking the Bismarck, a German battleship, in WWI by guest speaker Don Walsh. Geologist Joe Holliday gave a persuasive presentation on Global Climate Change. Following teatime, featuring delicious Swedish pancakes with jam and cream, National Geographic photographer Michael Melford amazed us with his visually beautiful presentation, Pole to Pole with Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic At Recap we enjoyed hearing from Dagny, our Icelandic travel representative who gave us new insight into Icelandic life and a taste of Icelandic foods. We enjoyed Icelandic dried fish with salted butter, smoked lamb, and licorice candy. Thanks, Dagny!
This enjoyable and educational day off East Iceland ended with Chasing Ice, a compelling documentary introduced by Eric Guth.
