We also went up-n-over some mountains again instead of around the edge of the fjörds. On one of the headlands we crossed, the road seemed to disappear into nowhere. I pictured this sign in my mind:
It actually would be a relatively short drive (in USA cross-country terms) except that we stopped constantly to take pictures of the striking scenery. Bright blue water, ocean birds everywhere, fish farming pens. Countless waterfalls cascading down towering cliffs of basalt, which are layered up like vinarterta, honed sharp by ancient glacial activity.
We also spent some time with a family who tend a heritage site called Litlibær on Skötufjörður. Grandson Elis was the excellent translator for his grandparents. Our conversation-starter was that we both had ancestors who migrated to North America during the time of the mass emigrations from Iceland (late 1800's). So we'll look up our genealogy and see how closely we're related.
Once we got to the eastern side of the Westfjords, down into Steingrímsfjörður, the fjords all of a sudden seemed ocean-like rather than extremely-large-lake-like. The water smells more like the ocean, and the waves are definitely ocean waves. Also, on the north-facing coast of Steingrímsfjörður and Kollafjörður, there were piles and piles of driftwood. Huge logs. There being no huge logs in Iceland anywhere,* we figured they had traveled on the strong ocean currents up from the coast of North America.
After days of commenting on how beautiful, pristine and trash-free the Icelandic countryside is, we were dismayed to find piles of plastic garbage among the piles of driftwood. Clearly, the ocean is spitting out the nasties that we have tossed into it. I'm sure the farmers along the shore, who keep their lands meticulously tidy, constantly try to keep things cleaned up, only to be shot down by the great garbage patches in the oceans.
My navigational aids, which started out as a huge stack, have been winnowed down to the most important and useful few. Islandskort has regional maps, and today's map was Nordvesturland. There's a book that I couldn't find in the USA (wished I'd bought it the last time we were here) and now have, called Iceland Road Atlas, a huge hunk of book that has detailed descriptions of every road, plus detailed maps. It's sort of a “Roadside Tourism” book, like our “Roadside Geology” or whatever. (Speaking of which, I want a “Roadside Geology” book of Iceland but don't know of any.)
An additional document, which isn't for navigation but just for fun and education, is the USGS Open File Report 95-807, “Icelandic-English Glossary of Selected Geoscience Terms.” You may think I'm geeky, but most places here are named for their physical features, and I've learned words for “fields,” “slopes,” “farms,” etc. Handy.
Tonight we are at Gauksmýri, which is mainly a horse ranch, but also a great spot for bird-watching because of the lakes right across the road. I'm going to quit typing and go to sleep so I can look at birds in the morning.
Tomorrow, we're going to Mývatn, which is named for the midges that swarm the lakeshore and annoy the birders. We are prepared – we brought netting to hang from our hats.
Next blog will be in a few days, maybe. I'll be spending my time watching birds and visiting with cousins.
*Q: How do you see out of the forest in Iceland?
A: Stand up.
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