Reykjanes and Westman Islands
Peninsula Reykjanes
|
|
|
The Blue Lagoon
|
|
Those who arrive by aeroplane, gain a first impression of Iceland on the drive from the airport to Reykjavík. In comparison to other areas, the peninsula Reykjanes has
hardly been made available to tourism although one can find some interesting villages here.
Iceland’s most famous bathing place is the Blue Lagoon, a few kilometres north of
Grindavík. Since 1978 the geothermal power plant supplies the airport and surrounding villages with hot water and electricity. The salt base, extracted from a
depth of 2,000 metres, is used to heat freshwater. The saltwater is lead into an adjacent dike, which forms the Blue Lagoon. By now, this is commercialised as a
tourist attraction and currently registers more than 200,000 bathers annually. Additionally, a health resort has been erected in the neighbourhood. The mineralised
water of the laguna has a healing effect on skin diseases, as for example psoriasis. Also skin care products have been
brought onto the market and are available in every gift shop. In 1999 the Blue Lagoon has been moved by several hundred metres and the institution has been modernised.
|
|
|
The Mid-Atlantic-Ridge on Reykjanes
|
|
The peninsula Reykjanes though has more places of interest to offer. It is located in
Iceland’s active volcano region. Therefore, more hot water springs and solfatara fields can be found here, like for example near Krýsuvík, from where some hikes
can be undertaken.
The west coast of the peninsula is also interesting. A specious avifauna can be
observed close to the lighthouse in the southwest. A few kilometres further north one comes across the rips of the Mid-Atlantic-Ridge, which ascends out of the
ocean here and “goes onto land”.
Eldey
About 21 kilometres south west of the peninsula Reykjanes the ”Fire Island” eldey rises out of the sea. This rock with its 70
metres high cliffs is not accessible for tourists. It accommodates the largest northern gannet colony in the world. Up to 40,000 birds of this species nest here.
Also for the flightless Great Auk this little piece of land was a favourite nesting place. After the species had already been
extinguished in Canada, Greenland and on the Faroe Islands, Iceland was the last refuge. However, the world wide last two
birds of the extincted Great Auk were killed in 1844 on the island of Eldey. The island is not accessible for visitors. In good
weather conditions, however, one can see it as a big rock in the sea from the west and south side of the Peninsula Reykjanes. In 1974 Eldey was put under conservation.
Vestmannaeyjar (Westman Islands)
|
|
|
Heimaey and the vulcano Eldfell
|
|
The 15 small volcano islands of the Westman Archipelago are located about eight kilometres south of the Peninsula, spread over an area of 1,000 square kilometres.
Most of them are only small rocks and uninhabitable for humans, yet they are nesting place for innumerable sea birds.
With 13.4 square kilometres, Heimaey is the biggest and only by humans inhabited
Westman island. On its east side two cinder cones catch one’s eye. The most southern of both is the about 5,000 year old Helgafell and the northern Eldfell which
was formed in 1973. Through its formation in 1973 the “fire mountain” Eldfell has made the Westman Islands popular worldwide.
Not far from the city, which counts around 5,000 inhabitants, a 1.6 kilometres long volcanic rift had opened in the morning of
23rd January. All inhabitants of the village could be evacuated in the same night. A few days later the rift was bundled to only a
funnel, from which 1,100 centigrade hot lava was ejected. With the help of 6 million cubic metres of seawater, which was
sprayed onto the lava stream, the village could finally be cooled down. Also the harbour entry, which was in danger of being
buried, could be saved. However, the material damage was considerable. 400 houses were buried under the ashes and lava
and several hundreds were damaged or destroyed. The island though was also enlarged through the lava outflow by 2.2 square kilometres.
The birth of a completely new island through a sub marine eruption in the years from 1963 to 1967, which started in 130
metres depth and carried on shortly after above sea level, shows that new land can accrue through volcanic activity. The first
plants settle fairly quickly on the new land of lava and ashes. The new accrued island was named after the fire giant Surtur,
who, according to Edda, came from the south and put the world on fire. ”Surtsey” is the most south island of the Westman
archipelago and is being examined by geologists and biologists since its becoming. In the meantime it has also become clear
, why plants could settle so quickly on this hostile piece of earth. Birds that nested there brought seeds in their coat onto the
island, which fell into their nutritious dejection and this way plants could grow quickly. Until today the access to Surtsey is only
granted to scientists. However, sightseeing flights start from Reykjavik from which one can view the young island from the air.
  
|
