Diamond beach - Iceland

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The Diamond Beach is a strip of black sand belonging to the greater Breiðamerkursandur glacial plain, located by Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon on the South Coast of Iceland.

The icebergs beautiful display makes it a favourite location for photographers and nature-lovers. Wildlife-enthusiasts also frequent the site as many seals call the beach home, and it is one of the best places in the country to see orcas from the shore.

The outwash plain was formed when three of Vatnajökull’s outlet glaciers, Breiðamerkurjökull, Hrútárjökull and Fjallsjökull, flowed forward due to volcanic activity. This ground the rocks of the underlying surface, creating and pushing forward the glacial sediments.

Such sand plains are a common part of the Icelandic landscape, due to the island being volcanically active as well as boasting numerous ice caps.

The glacier lagoon and Diamond Beach are fantastical sites; however, the rate of their expansion is, unfortunately, a consequence of climate change as the glaciers retreat. With the rate that the caps are melting, there may be no ice left at either site within decades.

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