ìsafjördur

Day 4 13.09.2015

The last day in Iceland, next stop GREENLAND!

In the morning in ìsafjördur we started with some hiking into The Troll’s Throne, a place where a troll sat down on the mountains and left a seat forever. Some of us went on the trip “Savour the flavor of Sudureyri” to get a taste of Iceland. They visited a family owned fish company where the guide Daniel told some local stories and offered some samples to taste. Another small group even went on a horse riding excursion in Thingeyri with the renown Icelandic horses.

In the afternoon MV Fram departed from ìsafjördur, leaving the coast of Iceland for good and heading towards the Denmark Strait. The sea was not kind that night and therefore we cancelled the fashion show. Most of us went to bed very early and were rocked to sleep by the ship plowing through four meter high waves.

A day in Flateyri

Day 3 12.09.2015

Flateyri welcomed us with beautiful weather. The cozy village invites for roaming around with small information plaques all around the streets. There is also a tiny museum about the history of stock fish in an old stock fish barn and a quirky book shop featuring an old Icelandic apartment preserved for exhibition or a nonsense museum. For those, who however want to see more, there was an excursion by bus to see a botanical garden with icelands hardy flowers and to see the landscape.

After lunch we set sail for our last destination on the island of ice and fire: Ísafjörður. We passed Vigur Island with its Eider Duck farm and spotted a group of Humpback whales. On the way everyone could equip themselves with Muck boots as preparation for the wet landings in Greenland and already 20:30 we arrived in Ísafjörður. Then many left Fram already for an evening walk, as we would stay in this port over night.

Beautiful weather to adore the landscape

View through the avalanche barrier

Our greenlandic expedition team member Lola enjoys an ice cream

The quirky bookstore

A little wash for MV Fram

Humback whale

The Eider farm on Vigur Island

Muck boot rack

In the Muck boot fitting "store"

A little treasure of Iceland

Day 2 11.09.2015

Today we arrived well rested and perfectly on time to the beautiful scenery of Grundarfjörður. Shortly after arriving we started for the panorama tour of Snæfelsnes Peninsula. It is a nice roundtrip in what is called “Iceland in a nutshell”, presenting many of the unique features of this island. We got to see black, rough lava fields in bright yellow sand, a mysterious landscape in the fog around the mountains, walked on basalt bridges and much more. For those staying back and having a late breakfast, there was a hike to the next big waterfall, a great photo opportunity. In the course of the day we had an excursion to a shark farm introducing us to the Icelandic culture of hiking and shark fishing. When the sun started to get low and everyone was aboard again we set off into the sea to travel further north, expecting to wake for a little village called Flateyri.

A map of the Snæfellsnes peninsula

Kirkjufell, the house mountain of Grundarfjörður

Gregor, Lola, Erik and Lauritz, only some of our Lecturers

Logo of the local fish factory

A beautiful start in Iceland

Day 1 10.09.2015

New trip begins! In the morning we had to say goodbye. Standing in the winds of Reykjavik, we waved to our departing guests. Some of who would explore Iceland further, many who would go back home. Our first day of the new trip was in the name of organisation. After refilling the stocks and bunkers of the ship and cleaning the interior our guests were checking in, filing medical reports and getting brand new Hurtigruten Expedition jackets. Because some flights were delayed, not everybody arrived at the same time, which made the lines a lot shorter. Once we were complete, MV Fram loosened the mooring ropes and we left the “Bay of smoke”, meaning of Reykjaviks name. As we sailed out we got to see a rainbow ahead. That must be a good sign for the rest of our voyage.

 Our beautiful shipdoctor Diana and nurse Luz

 See what happens to this cake ...

... it was delicious!

 Walter and Morten approve.