Day 171 – Ísafjörður, Iceland

What a difference a day makes! Although it was still cloudy, it wasn’t dreary, if that makes any sense. Plus, it wasn’t windy, and the temperature was much warmer. The sun even came out this afternoon! I was a happy camper, or cruiser!

We docked in Ísafjörður, Iceland, the same port we visited six days ago, and it was a completely different experience today. I lasted all of five minutes outside that day, but I thoroughly enjoyed my time here today.

Ísafjörður is the largest settlement in the Iceland’s Westfjords region and is known for its breathtaking scenery and rich cultural heritage. Ísafjörður grew rapidly during the sixteenth century and became a center for trade and fishing thanks to its natural harbor. The town has played a significant role in Iceland's fishing industry since the mid-nineteenth century, with one of the largest fisheries in Iceland today.

I set out early this morning on the included excursion, “Ísafjörður & Bolungarvík Village,” to explore the history and culture of the Westfjords peninsula. This was the description:

Discover the wild beauty of Iceland’s northwest corner, and the culture and history of the region’s small towns. Embark on a scenic drive around Ísafjördur, the principal town of the Westfjords peninsula. Surrounded by mountains that offer endless opportunities to enjoy nature and wilderness during all seasons of the year, the town is also known throughout the country for its rich cultural life. The fishing industry, however, has traditionally been the mainstay of the town and surrounding municipality, known as Ísafjardarbaer. Visit the Ósvör Maritime Museum, a fascinating replica of an old fishing outpost that offers a glimpse of how life treated the Icelandic fishermen until the beginning of the 20th century. Continue to Bolungarvík and enjoy a guided tour of the village before returning to Ísafjördur.

Our excursion began with a stop at the Bunárfoss waterfall, where our guide offered us cups of Icelandic water from the waterfall. One of Iceland’s greatest natural treasures is its water, and it was fresh and clean.

Bunárfoss Waterfall

Beautiful Flowers

Along the coastline on the way to the neighboring town of Bolungarvík, we passed many fish drying sheds that reflect the region's strong fishing history. These structures, which are still in use today, are used to dry fish.

Fish Drying Sheds along the Coastline

We drove through the Bolungarvíkurgöng tunnel that replaced one of Iceland's most dangerous roads between Ísafjörður and Bolungarvík.  On the way to our destination, we passed the Óshólar Lighthouse, which was built in 1937 and is still in operation.

Óshólar Lighthouse on the Shores of Bolungarvík

We stopped for a visit at the Ósvör Maritime Museum, a reconstruction of a nineteenth century fishing station. On the site, we saw a crew hut with tools and equipment used for fishing and fish processing, a salt house, and a drying hut. The crew hut and salt house were made of stone and wood, and the roofs were covered with turf to provide insulation against harsh weather conditions.

Ósvör Maritime Museum

The museum guide, dressed in a traditional fisherman’s sheepskin outfit, stood by a traditional rowing boar and provided us with an insight into what life was like for fishermen in the Westfjords centuries ago.

A Traditional Icelandic Fisherman, and Sarah

We retraced our route back to Ísafjörður, where we stopped for a performance by a local musician. 

A Performance in Ísafjörður

Instead of heading back to the ship on the bus, I stayed in town and walked around the old town, admiring the timber frame houses with corrugated tin roofs built by fishing merchants in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

A Few Historic Buildings in Ísafjörður

Back at Viking Sky, I noticed that the sun had come out, and there were patches of blue sky. It was a very welcome sight after so many days without even a peek. Tim also returned from his whale watching expedition and was happy to report that he had seen three whales.

The Sun Shining Over Ísafjörður

Later in the afternoon, Captain Markus announced an update to our upcoming itinerary in Greenland. Because of large expanses of ice moving back towards the coast, and after consultations with local ice pilots, the Captain determined that the concentrations of ice surrounding our planned ports of call would not disperse in time for our arrival. Therefore, he made the decision to cancel our scenic sailing in Prince Christian Sound and port calls in Qaqortoq and Nanortalik.

The Captain did have a bit of good news, however. Ice conditions farther north in Greenland will allow us to spend a full day in Paamiut. Information about shore excursions will be forthcoming.