Heimaey Island

Heimaey translates to Home Island. At 13.4 square kilometres (8.4 sq miles) it is the largest and most populated island off the Icelandic coast. Heimaey is 4 nautical miles off the south coast of Iceland.

You can see on this map that we are off the coast of southern Iceland. It was a rolly polly 22 hour cruise to get here. We didn’t have lee cloths on the bed but they would have helped. This leg of the cruise was not good for those that might suffer from mal de mar. The captain made a comment this morning that he was sorry that it was a little bit choppy last night. He said it with cutest French accent.

You can see on this map that we are off the coast of southern Iceland. It was a rolly polly 22 hour cruise to get here. We didn’t have lee cloths on the bed but they would have helped. This leg of the cruise was not good for those that might suffer from mal de mar. The captain made a comment this morning that he was sorry that it was a little bit choppy last night. He said it with cutest French accent.

Here is an arial view of Haimaey Island. Not my photo.

Here is an arial view of Haimaey Island. Not my photo.

The entrance to the harbor is very narrow and according to the captain “very dramatic.” It is rainy and foggy today. I would add foul weather pants to my wardrobe on my next visit to Iceland. The right side of the harbor entrance was almost completely blocked when the volcano erupted in 1973. The townspeople sprayed sea water on the lava to cool it and stop it. As a result the harbor is more protected.

The entrance to the harbor is very narrow and according to the captain “very dramatic.” It is rainy and foggy today. I would add foul weather pants to my wardrobe on my next visit to Iceland.

The right side of the harbor entrance was almost completely blocked when the volcano erupted in 1973. The townspeople sprayed sea water on the lava to cool it and stop it. As a result the harbor is more protected.

This map shows how the volcanic eruption in 1973 increased the land mass of the island. In January 1973, lava flow from nearby Eldfell volcano destroyed half the town and threatened to close its harbour, its main income source. An operation to cool the advancing lava with sea water saved the harbour. Today Heimaey has 5,300 inhabitants.Here is a brief history - In 1627, three Arab pirate ships from the Ottoman-controlled Barbary Coast raided several towns on the south coast of Iceland and outlying islands. They attacked Grindavík and Heimaey. In Grindavík, townspeople could flee into the lava field of Reykjanes and hide indefinitely. Heimaey was so isolated that it was vulnerable and people suffered. Many heroic stories were told of the people who survived the invasion, most notably Guðríður Símonardóttir. Better known as Tyrkja-Gudda (Turkish-Gudda), she was taken by the pirates from her home at Stakkagerði on Heimaey to the slave market in Algeria. From there she bought her way back to Iceland through Tunisia, Italy and Denmark—Iceland was then under Danish rule. Upon returning to Iceland, she married the poet Hallgrímur Pétursson.The island children were terrified by stories of the bloodthirsty Turks that killed 34 men and women and took 200 slaves . Those who tried to hide in the cliffs were hunted down and killed.

This map shows how the volcanic eruption in 1973 increased the land mass of the island. In January 1973, lava flow from nearby Eldfell volcano destroyed half the town and threatened to close its harbour, its main income source. An operation to cool the advancing lava with sea water saved the harbour. Today Heimaey has 5,300 inhabitants.

Here is a brief history - In 1627, three Arab pirate ships from the Ottoman-controlled Barbary Coast raided several towns on the south coast of Iceland and outlying islands. They attacked Grindavík and Heimaey. In Grindavík, townspeople could flee into the lava field of Reykjanes and hide indefinitely. Heimaey was so isolated that it was vulnerable and people suffered. Many heroic stories were told of the people who survived the invasion, most notably Guðríður Símonardóttir. Better known as Tyrkja-Gudda (Turkish-Gudda), she was taken by the pirates from her home at Stakkagerði on Heimaey to the slave market in Algeria. From there she bought her way back to Iceland through Tunisia, Italy and Denmark—Iceland was then under Danish rule. Upon returning to Iceland, she married the poet Hallgrímur Pétursson.

The island children were terrified by stories of the bloodthirsty Turks that killed 34 men and women and took 200 slaves . Those who tried to hide in the cliffs were hunted down and killed.

We knew it was going to be a rough night when the crew placed sea sickness bags on all the railings around the ship. We are docked next to a fish meal processing plant. It reminds me of towns that have paper mills. There is a constant odor from the paper mill that is generally unpleasant unless you are a salesperson selling items to the paper mill and then it smells like perfume. I am not selling anything to the fish meal plant.

We knew it was going to be a rough night when the crew placed sea sickness bags on all the railings around the ship.

We are docked next to a fish meal processing plant. It reminds me of towns that have paper mills. There is a constant odor from the paper mill that is generally unpleasant unless you are a salesperson selling items to the paper mill and then it smells like perfume. I am not selling anything to the fish meal plant.

We took a bus tour to the top of an extinct volcano and saw sheep and thousands of puffins. When I was on Grimsey I saw an old man carrying a giant net. The handle was 8’ long. I asked him if he was catching giant butterflies. He said he was trying to catch puffins to kill and eat. He advised he was so hung over from drinking with his friends the previous night that his reflexes were too slow to catch a puffin. He had to find a secluded place away from the tourists because when he catches a puffin he wrings the neck like a chicken. He says they are very good eating. His plan is to not drink to excess and try again tomorrow.

We took a bus tour to the top of an extinct volcano and saw sheep and thousands of puffins.

When I was on Grimsey I saw an old man carrying a giant net. The handle was 8’ long. I asked him if he was catching giant butterflies. He said he was trying to catch puffins to kill and eat. He advised he was so hung over from drinking with his friends the previous night that his reflexes were too slow to catch a puffin. He had to find a secluded place away from the tourists because when he catches a puffin he wrings the neck like a chicken. He says they are very good eating. His plan is to not drink to excess and try again tomorrow.

Elephant rock is a local tourist attraction near the main harbor.

Elephant rock is a local tourist attraction near the main harbor.

We visited the volcano museum. It was built on the site where the lava ended. They excavated several of the homes and built the museum around them. The entire town was evacuated to the mainland. Fortunately there had been a storm the day before the eruption and the entire fishing fleet was in port. The fishing fleet evacuated the population.

We visited the volcano museum. It was built on the site where the lava ended. They excavated several of the homes and built the museum around them. The entire town was evacuated to the mainland. Fortunately there had been a storm the day before the eruption and the entire fishing fleet was in port. The fishing fleet evacuated the population.

Here is a view inside a home that that was excavated inside the museum. A family of five lived here and barely escaped with their lives. We only have one more day on our cruise. Our ship will sail back to Reykjavik tonight and we have a Golden Circle bus tour of the “Big Three.” That includes the Guillfoss waterfall, Geysir hot spring and Thingvellir national park.

Here is a view inside a home that that was excavated inside the museum. A family of five lived here and barely escaped with their lives.

We only have one more day on our cruise. Our ship will sail back to Reykjavik tonight and we have a Golden Circle bus tour of the “Big Three.” That includes the Guillfoss waterfall, Geysir hot spring and Thingvellir national park.

John Simons