Day of Glaciers

Today we drove ever eastward across the entire southern side of Iceland. The massive ice sheet of the Vatnajokull that sits atop the southern part of the country and all its fingers that flow through basalt passages toward the  North Atlantic absolutely dominate the landscape.

But first, we had one more waterfall hike. The Systrafoss, flowing down to the little village of Kirkubaerklaustar then into a multi-braided river then out to the Atlantic was used by nuns in a small monastery for bathing. Actually, they climbed the mountain to the top of the falls to a large lake, Systravatn, and that is where they bathed (Brrrrrrr!! My crazy cold water-loving daughter would be in favor!) We followed the steep stairs built into the mountainside and reached their over-sized bathtub.

Then it was across an expansive and desolate glacial till plain, Skeldartsandur. This 200 km glacial plain is torn to shreds by myriad braided streams coming together from drainage of that massive ice sheet, Vatnajokull. The plain has had multiple catastrophic floods during spring melt season, and bridges have been destroyed as icebergs 1,000-2,000t tons in weight have been swept off the ends of glaciers. Quite a dramatic place.

Later, a hike in Vatnajokull National Park, a UN World Heritage site, brought us to the lagoon at the foot of Skaftafellsjokull, one of the tongues of the big kahuna, Vatnajokull. Pretty cool to be basically at sea level and staining a wall of ice in the face.

And last, but perhaps the most spectacular site of the day, Jokulsalon, a huge lagoon of glacial melt water only a few hundred yards from the ocean at the foot of yet another large glacial tongue (which sadly we couldn’t see well late this afternoon because of cloud cover. But the lagoon, with it’s multiple, gigantic, glistening blue icebergs was absolutely stunning (and so was the constant 40 mph wind!)

 

Quite the day.