Advice from a puffin: “Dive into life.” “Find warmth among friends.” “Always bring enough to share.” “Be adaptable.” “Stand together.” “It’s not all black and white.” and “Keep your cool.” – Anonymous

Iceland’s Port of Calls

The long day’s Golden Circle great adventure came to an end, and now it was time to board the Viking Mars, and begin our Icelandic cruise. We’d experienced an eye-opening taste of the Land of Fire and Ice, leaving us eager to see much more. The ship set sail on an epic 1,700 nautical miles circumnavigation of the island, and even though it was now the evening hours, the endless daylight of summer continued.

This first night out we experienced a little roll ‘n rock motion, but afterwards … it was smooth sailing on the North Atlantic (and Arctic Ocean!) with calm seas as still as glass.

Isafjördur Iceland

The first port of call, Isafjördur, is nestled at the foot of dramatic mountain slopes, sitting on a spit of sand (an understatement), in northwest Iceland. It was founded in the 9^th-century by the Viking, Helgi Magri Holfsson. Foreign merchants would arrive much later in the 16^th-century and set-up trading posts here.

Today, Isafjördur, population under 3,000, is home to one of the largest fisheries in Iceland. Interesting fact – Iceland is not part of the European Union. This is because the country felt it more important to protect its fishing rights; as the industry is the backbone of its economy. Seafood accounts for about 40% of export value and a large share of jobs.

EU membership requires adopting the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), which sets quotas and gives other EU countries access to each other’s waters. Icelanders have fought hard to maintain exclusive control of their rich fishing grounds.

As a small, resilient nation, Iceland values political independence. EU membership would also mean ceding decision making power to Brussels in areas beyond fisheries, including trade, agriculture, and law.

A shore excursion took us to the open-air Osvor Museum Museum in nearby sleepy Bolungarvik. It’s a tiny, reconstructed 19^th-century fishing station; faithfully recreating an old Icelandic fishing village. It commands a majestic spot on the coastline nestled between rough seas and mountains touching the clouds.

Our young guide greeted us in his full regalia of period fishermen’s attire, adding to the authenticity. He provided us with a glimpse into the rough, tough life of Iceland’s coastal communities, who relied entirely on small rowboats and the sea. Another example of the Icelandic strong character that we began to experience.

The museum contains a rowboat (Ölver) with fishing gear; representing how crews worked the seas. Additionally, on site there are stone-and-turf huts: a fisherman’s hut, salt house, fish-drying hut, and tool sheds; plus traditional clothing and tools showing daily life in the 1800s.

Despite its remote and small size, the town boasts a cultural scene rich in music and drama. We were treated to a few Icelandic songs at the town’s cultural center by a lovely, young woman with a purely angelic voice.

It was some time in the overnight sailing between Isafjördur and Akureyri, that our ship sailed north of the Arctic Circle: Latitude 66 38.5 North and Longitude 016 11.5 W. For this accomplishment, the two sleepyheads, Misters Suarez and Bershad, received a certificate to commemorate this amazing feat.

Thankfully, a piece of paper was appreciated and much preferred vs. being drowned with a bucket of frozen water. This is what unexpectedly happened to me after sailing around the Straight of Magellan at the bottom of South America. Thank you, Viking, always classy.

Seyisfjörõur

I now jump ahead from the northwest to the eastern region of Iceland – I sandwiched in the northern port of Akureyri, and the Golden Circle, in the prior Musings edition.

Get ready people of Seyisfjörõur, for this little, artsy town of 685 residents was about to receive over 900 cruise visitors in one fell swoop. Seyisfjörõur enjoys a spectacular, mountainous setting at the end of a fjord. It traces its origins to the early days of Viking settlements.

We did a walk-through tour of this charming town, and came upon another rainbow street, the second one seen in Iceland, named appropriately, Norðurgata (Rainbow Street). A local initiative in 2016 turned Norðurgata into a community-painted rainbow leading up to their classic, pale blue church. The church was seen in a quick flash in Ben Stiller’s 2013 film, “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” … if you blinked, you’d have missed it.

Though the town is tiny, it boasts an impressive history. First settled by Norwegian fishermen and merchants in 1848, it hosted the world’s first modern whaling station. The town also pioneered international communications in 1906 when it welcomed the first telegraph cable linking Iceland to Europe.

In 1913, a dam was made in the nearby river, harnessing power for the country’s first high-voltage AC power plant facility, and with a distribution network to provide for street lighting and home use. It was the first of its kind in Iceland.

Today, colorful, wooden homes line the streets of Seyisfjörõur, all overseen by starkly, picturesque mountain slopes and the soaring summits of Mounts Bjólfur and Strandartindur.

Another town, another serenade … held at the town hall’s cultural center with what can best be described as the bubbly Icelandic version of Sonny and Cher. “Cher” was dressed up to the nines, appearing like a Fairy Princess in her sparkly gown, seemingly ready for the Fire and Ice Ball. Her sidekick, the Sonny, was an affable and accommodating musician who lent a mischievousness to the musical proceedings.

Though not a married couple, their harmonies and sharp banter made for very enjoyable entertainment. They had their shtick down pat! A lovely spread of local treats and bubbly were provided; another Viking class act.

*** Speaking the Icelandic language … it may have been here where we were subjected in an attempt to learn how to correctly pronouce the convoluted town’s name – Seyisfjörõur. It went in one ear and out of the other. Iceland’s use of the old Norse names are indecipherable and unpronounceable to foreign ears. Luckily, most Icelanders speak English.

Djúpivogur

Djúpivogur has been a trading center since the 16^th-century. This eastern Icelandic town is presided over by the towering Búlandstindur; a mountain famed in local folklore for its ability to grant wishes during the summer solstice.

I thought the previous port had a small population, here there’s barely 400. Its citizens have embraced a slower pace of life, in a international movement called “Cittaslow” (Italian for “Slow City”). It grew out of the Slow Food movement founded in Italy in 1986.

Cittaslow is a global lifestyle featuring a more relaxed, higher quality of life with a sustainable, and human-centered way of living. So, in other words, it’s chillin’ time in Iceland!

Imagine that – this tiny, far-flung town designated a “Slow Town” – how much slower can you get?! However, everybody’s all-in and the town offers up a few unique and quirky attractions . . .

Quirk #1: a most unusual mineral collection, a “Rockhound’s Palace,” aka Steinasafn Auðuns or Audun’s Stone and Mineral Collection. This private museum is curated by an eccentric gentleman, Auðunn Baldursson, a rockhound aficionado. Decades ago, he began a hobby collecting and polishing stones. This led to his gathering them together in an amazing “museum” which opened to the public in 2009.

Inside the small space, are countless geologic specimens of Icelandic volcanic rocks, international minerals, and fossils. A gem of a “museum,” with its sparkly, gleaming and glittery polished samples.

Mr. Baldursson gave us a very passionate explanation of his storied collection; it should be noted that none of the displayed pieces can be purchased. This being said, local rumor has it that he even declined selling anything to Brad Pitt! It’s possible since he filmed some of his “Tree of Life” film scenes in Iceland.

The vast collection’s highlights include: massive cuts of amethyst, jasper, agate, zeolites, obsidian, and rare volcanic gemstones, including the largest gemstone ever found in Iceland. What was interesting to learn is that whenever Mr. Baldursson came upon an intriguing rock, he never knew exactly what he’d find inside it. Such is the luck and lore of the Icelandic character.

Quirk #2: The Tankian (the tank), is an old, converted fish‑oil storage tank from a 1930s‑40s herring factory, and now happily repurposed as a unique exhibition and performance space.

The rustic and rusty, cylindrical structure provides perfect acoustics; making it a captivating interior space to experience sounds in a whole new way. Our group was ushered inside, seated, and then succumbed into total darkness.

Then she sang … it was an eery and ethereal, Enya-sounding female voice that began to envelop and surround us with an Icelandic folkloric song. How does one describe sitting in pitch blackness, with the vibration of sound against your body and heightening senses?! For a few minutes, it wrapped itself around you and gave a sense of inner warmth, comfort and joy. All I can say is that it was a most unforgettable, magical, and spellbinding musical interlude. Momentary, but memorable performance.

Quirk #3 is “Eggin í Gleðivík,” aka “The Eggs of Merry Bay,” are 34 grandiose, granite eggs, each representing a local bird species. This 2009 outdoor art installation is merrily laid out and lined up imposingly along the waterfront .

All were created by famous Icelandic artist, Sigurður Guðmundsson, born in Reykjavík, 1942. The singular eggs are placed upon concrete pillars that once supported the loading pipe from Djúpivogur’s old fish factory, ingeniously merging industrial heritage with an eco-art sensibility … Eggo Art.

Each distinct egg is uniquely shaped and colored to recreate its real-life avian counterpart; complete with plaques listing both its Latin and Icelandic bird names. The Red-throated Loon, or Diver, is the official bird of Djúpivogur (and not the Red-vested Loony Bird, aka David!).

This brilliant installation art further highlights the town’s strong bond with nature, birdlife and cultural aspects reflecting its Cittaslow identity.

(Slight) Quirk #4: David would stump our local guide when he asked about a specific piece of a modern sculpture during our town walk, and she was befuddled not knowing its answer.

The acclaimed artwork, “Liberty” (also known as “Freedom”) by the “Merry Eggman” sculpturer, Sigurður Guðmundsson. The harborside sculpture was revealed in 2021 to memorialize and honor an enslaved Afro-Caribbean, from the Danish Virgin Islands, Hans Jonathan (1784-1827). He escaped and eventually make his way to Djúpivogur around 1802. He’s believed to be the first Black person to settle in Iceland.

The sculpture not only commemorates Hans’s journey from enslavement to freedom (notice the chains), but also serves as a broader symbol of human rights, racial equality, and the triumph of personal liberty. Again, an astounding achievement for this little town of 400 creative “slow” souls.

btw … David’s question was, “What does the green arrow represent?” There’s no answer found online, but my artistic guess is that is shows the uplifting, and illuminating triumph of the human spirt. Anyone care to add their their own interpretation?

Fascinating fact: Hans Jonathan married a local girl, Katrín Antoníusdóttir. Their two children would begat an incredible 1,000 descendants!

HEIMAEY, WESTMAN ISLANDS

The best for last is our final port of call before heading back to Reykjavík. Heimaey, the sole, inhabited island in Iceland’s Westman Islands (Vestmannaeyjar) archipelago. Its population is approximately 4,500 residents (plus over 800,000 breeding pairs of Atlantic Puffins!).

It’s the largest island in the group, covering over 5.2 square miles (some of it very new, courtesy of volcanic lava eruptions), and is situated about 4.6 miles off the southern coast of Iceland.

Heimaey is renowned for its rich history, dramatic volcanic landscape, and vibrant wildlife, including the world’s largest Atlantic Puffin colony.

In order to view the breeding birds, one must pass, believe it or not, a golf course! How very quirky is that?! It offers a spectacular backdrop for a 18-round outing.

The stunning location is nestled within the crater of an extinct volcano and surrounded by dramatic cliffs along the North Atlantic Ocean.

It must be noted that Heimaey is also famous for its annual, outdoor August festival, known as Iceland’s “National Festival,” a four-day spectacular featuring live musical concerts, bonfires, and fireworks displays among other events. Its attendance is well over 16,000 participants … joining the 4,500 year round residents and breeding puffins!

Puffin time! At last, the glorious moment we’ve been waiting for – Atlantic Puffins! We rode out on a double-seated ATV to view their immense colony from a far-flung viewpoint overlooking massive cliffsides. Upon rounding a corner, the scenic overlook revealed a breathtaking vista of Puffins, and their vast mating and nesting grounds … all ready for their close ups!

Heimaey hosts the world’s largest Puffin colony, with over 800,000 birds, roughly 20% of the world’s Atlantic Puffins; nesting there annually from May to September. They dig burrows in the soft, volcanic soil on the island’s seaward-facing slopes to breed during the summer months.

Please indulge me as I’d like to wax poetic on and on about Puffins, the world’s most perfect bird. They look like tiny clowns waddling about in their black-and-white suits as they join their mated-for-life partner. In fact, a group of puffins is sometimes referred to as a Circus, a description favored by birders. It highlights the comical and chaotic nature of Puffins, especially when they’re in groups. 

Their grunts and growls pervade the air as they fly-in fly-out to sea to fetch fish for their pufflings, deep inside their dens.  

Their beaks look as though an artist dipped a brush in colors of the sunset and forgot to stop painting. They delightfully waddle about, flapping their wings, all in preparation of flight; navigating against gravity and determined to get airborne on sheer enthusiasm.

At sea, it dives like a feathered torpedo, vanishing into the waves only to pop-up again with a beakful of silvery fish, proud as a magician pulling scarves from a hat.

Back on land, it hops about with the serious dignity of a penguin that’s just been told a very funny joke. A puffin is the sort of creature you half-expect to tip its head, wink, and invite you along on some absurd little adventure. I swear, I got more than a wink or two thrown my way.

I was having a blast with being so mesmerized; endlessly watching them go about. Between David and I, we probably shot hundreds of pictures; each captured image more precious than the next. They’re extremely photogenic and throw curious looks at you when encroached upon their little slice of cliff. Hooray! Another bucket list item crossed off.

The ATV fun would continue on and upward as we drove into the ghostly, lava ash fields high above the town; part of the remnants of the dramatic 1973 eruption. The entire island had to be evacuated. We were bouncing along what was now hardened, new lands … slipping and sliding along the rugged pathway (not a road).

Me? I was having a blast, while David sat petrified in the back seat. He’s such a good sport! (“Never again!” was his summation.)

The ATV finale brought us to a high promontory with a grandiose vista of the town and harbor below. The view of the Viking Mars anchored across the way was puzzling to witness – how do you lateral park a ship between mountains in such a tiny bay?! That’s how it appeared from our standpoint. An outstanding achievement, Captain Blundell!

With Puffin dreams and lava dust behind us, our exploration of this wonderful Island of Fire and Ice comes to an end back in Reykjavík tomorrow.

PuffiNation!

Puffins galore! Not only did they appear perched on windswept cliffs, but every shop throughout Iceland seemed to sell some sort of Puffin paraphernalia. A Puffin here, there, Puffins everywhere …

… staring back at me from store windows, inside gift shops, and market stalls. The cute and adorable birds are merchandise manna from heaven: stuffed puffins, ceramic puffins, t-shirts, key-chain puffins; on mugs, scarves, salt, and pepper shakers (so cute) and even chocolate wrapped candy bars. You name it, it’s been puffinized! 

Heck, yeah – we’d succumbed to the hype, and a few Puffins made it back home to México.

Their bright colored beaks and sharp gazing eyes are the ever-present symbol of Iceland. I suggest they should put one on their national flag, a most definite quirk befitting the Icelanders.

Seeing the real birds out at sea was a thrill, but I couldn’t help smiling at how their likeness followed me through every town; a feathered reminder that in Iceland, the Puffin reigns supreme both in nature and souvenir shops. 

Cruising full circle around Iceland has left me humbled and grateful, an unforgettable journey.  What stays with me most are the contrasts: fire and ice, solitude and warmth, ancient sagas and the laughter and smiles of people met along the way.

Our month-long adventure now moves to another island, The Emerald Island, Ireland!

As seen around Iceland …