Along the South Coast to the Ice Lagoon

Friday, September 9 

Today was a great example of what a difference a little bit of sun can make!  Throughout the day, our weather changed many times, but even when we were experiencing some rain, we could see sunshine nearby.  Soon after we started out, we saw a gorgeous rainbow arched HIGH in the sky, from horizon to horizon.  We could also see Hekla, the volcano we never did catch sight of yesterday, from the Ring Road.  True to its name, which means “shrouded”, the summit was obscured by clouds, but at least we had proof (blessedly short of an eruption) that it’s really there!

As we drove along Iceland’s south coast, we passed scenery that was both varied and beautiful:  red-roofed white farm houses, set far back from the road on green pastures that stretched to vertical black or chocolate-brown cliffs behind the farms; turf house outbuildings built right into the land; cliffs marked with waterfalls; white and pastel colored shrink-wrapped hay bales that looked like Easter eggs scattered on a lawn; sheep; breeding farms for Icelandic horses; moss-covered lava fields; flat stretches of black sandy soil; glaciers; and finally, 160 miles later, the Ice Lagoon.

At Jokulsarlon, part of Vatnajökull  National Park, icebergs that have broken from the Vatnajökull Glacier in the distance were floating in the lagoon, some seemingly stationary, some moving downstream to the ocean.  Most were icy blue and white, some streaked with black grit, a couple seemed pure black.

At the lagoon, we saw more people than we’ve seen anywhere since we left the airport upon arrival in Reykjavik.  Buses, a full parking lot, amphibious boatloads of tourists, glacier trekkers, photographers and gawkers were all congregated in a relatively small area.  

Across the road from the lagoon, we stopped at a black sand and rocky beach to see where the floating icebergs entered the ocean.  In addition to the blue icebergs still floating, crystal clear chunks had washed up along the shore, looking like large irregularly-shaped ice cubes.

After seeing the beach, it was time to head back to our base in Hvolsvollur via the same route we’d taken this morning; there are no choices except the Ring Road.  So, we turned the car around, pushed “Rewind,” and viewed all the day’s gorgeous scenery in reverse!