My last post covered my trip to Raithlin Island to see some puffins.
This time, my destination was Iceland. The aim was more puffins and hopefully some whales, too. No diving in these waters for me as the ocean is very unforgiving even in the height of summer.
I flew out of Heathrow straight to Keflavik with British Airways. Picked up a hire car and had a smooth drive straight to Reykjavik. First stop was to the Whales of Iceland attraction, a huge gallery of life-size whales, with interactive information displays and stunning underwater footage of whales. Standing underneath a life size Blue Whale is really quite humbling. After a quick coffee and muffin, it was time to head to the nearby Elding of Reykjavik whale watching boat. After a quick safety brief, we were underway. A perfectly smooth journey and the first of four humpback whales were spotted within 40 minutes. We were treated to stunning views of their tail flukes as they dived and also two full breaches (sadly not caught on camera, but magical to see). Puffins, Gannets, and Fulmers were equally happy to appear alongside the whales. The trip lasted a full 3 hours with informative commentary and plenty of indoor and outdoor space to freely move around. After the tour, a slight mishap in navigating led me to a massive, if somewhat noisy colony of Terns heading back to feed their young with beaks full of fish. Making the most of the day, I headed to check in at the Hótel Eldhestar, Hveragerði. An eco-friendly hotel and horse riding centre 30 minutes drive east from Reykjavik. My base for the next two days. I headed out to the famous Geysir and just took time to appreciate the geothermal activity of the area, including a regular erupting geyser, steaming pools and steams, and a strong odour of Sulphar. The later arrival meant there were far fewer visitors.
An early start the next day included a visit to Waterfalls and we stopped by Urriðafoss which was a real unexpected stunner followed by the popular towering Seljalandsfoss, both were easily accessible from the car park, and Seljalandsfoss had full facilities for tourists. The ferry to Heimaey, the principle island of the Vestmannaeyjar. Archipelago was a short drive away and boarding not dissimilar to a cross channel or Isle of Wight ferry. It was a forty minute crossing with drizzle and quite a lot of swell.
Taking the car across left me with the freedom to explore the whole island without the need to join a specialised tour. At the far end of the island, a feature on the map just says Puffin viewing area. It was a very short walk from a small car park. To describe experience can be summed up in one word, WOW! This puffin colony is the largest in Europe and consists of tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of breeding puffins. The whole landscape was full of them, some feeding, some resting, and plenty squabbling. Some were so close a good photo could be taken with a phone. I had lugged my massive 600 mm lens, but it was well worth it to get some extreme close ups. Reluctantly bidding the puffins goodbye, it was back to the ferry for a much smoother journey back and the bonus of sightseeing two humpback whales. The evening’s adventure continued with a visit to the Secret Lagoon thermal pool, with hot bubbling springs and active geyser. A very nice spit to wind down. The route back to my room included a stop to walk around the crater of the inactive Kerid Volcano. The landscape of Iceland is particularly active at the moment, and it was not unusual to see and smell sulphurous steam venting from the land. The weather forecast for my final day caused a change of plans as a Yellow warning for wind scuppered the Puffin and Seal boat excursion. Instead, I opted to visit Fly Over Iceland, a 4D experience where you really do feel like you are flying like a bird over glaciers, volcanoes, and the ocean. It’s just stunning and a great way to end a jam-packed short stay in Iceland. Flew back with Icelandair. If you ever choose to use two different airlines, just be mindful that you will leave and arrive at different terminals at Heathrow.Transfers are free but a bit of a faff. In summary, Iceland is a place for anyone who loves nature and worthy of repeat visits. The bittersweet ending is that I don’t believe anywhere else will you get to experience being with so many puffins up close.
Next adventure is to spot some Choughs in Wales.
