Day 2 in Iceland along the SE Coast

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Day 2 in Iceland along the SE Coast

We woke to a day which was overcast but some sun was shining on the glacier. There was the occasional shower of rain through the day. First we drove along the south-east coast to Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon, where large icebergs float around. We chose to go on an hour's zodiac cruise on the lagoon. We had half an hour to wait for the trip so ducked into the little cafe and had some mushroom soup - beautiful as it was very cold outside and very light rain. To go on the zodiac, we were kitted out with waterproof overalls in which we felt like sumo wrestlers but was very warm out in the speed boat with them on.

It was amazing to see all the different shapes and colours of the icebergs. It was beautiful. We then headed for the Vatnajokull glacier which is the biggest ice mass outside the Arctic and Antarctic. We saw a big sea lion basking on one of the icebergs.

Then, we took some time to visit Skaftafell national park and walked to Svartifoss waterfall, (1½ hrs walk in total) before continuing along the south coast. We crossed Skeiðarársandur, an outwash plain of black sand, at the foot of the glacier. Then we stopped at the interesting basalt columns of Dverghamrar.

Next we passed Kirkjubæjarklaustur village and then crossed Mýrdalssandur outwash plains. This was the area that looked like bubbles or mounds of moss covered piles of dirt lining sink-hole looking depressions. This was due to a volcanic eruption. between 1782 and 1788. The area was extensive. These eruptions were so worldwide that it caused a famine in Japan, crop failures in Europe and it caused the French such upheaval the French Revolution followed. Very interesting.

We then drove on and came to the village of Vík on the central southern coast of Iceland. After settling into the Vik Camping park after a drive up the hill behind the town to see the little church and the view of the town, we went for a 30 minute walk down to the beach and the Dyrhólaey cliff to see the puffins. We didn't spot any.



That night was the most magnificent sunset at 12MN. It's not getting dark at all now. The darkest it gets is a darkish twilight. We have not seen the midnight sun yet though. That will come when we go back to northern Norway.

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