Iceland: Day 13 - The Eastfjords

July 7, 2004

The geology of the Eastfjords is 13 million year old bedrock and extinct volcanos. One finds mainly basalt rock but there is also some rhyolite, minerals, semi-precious stones and fossils.

The Eastfjords cover a 120-km stretch of eastern Iceland's convoluted coastline and are fairly evenly populated, having been farmed since medieval times. Coastal villages - each with its own small harbour and fishing fleet - really took off during the herring boom of the ealy twentieth centurey, and a few were even used as Allied naval bases during World War II. The scenery, although not as spectacular as the Westfjords, is vivid, with the villages sitting between flat blue sea and steep, steel-grey mountains.

One such village is Fáskrúðsfjörður - also known as Búðir was one of the main bases for French fishermen operating off the East Fjords during the 19th century. To this day, street names are in Icelandic and French. A traditional open-deck boat, built by Einar Sigurðsson, is displayed on the lake in the town park.

Another coastal village is Djúpivogur (pop. 388), an old trading post. Towering over Djúpivogur is Mt. Búlandstindur (1069 m), a triangularly formed basalt mountain that many claim possesses mystic powers. Nearby is also Teigarhorn, a protected natural area famous for crystals and other minerals, of which many specimens have been collected by a local woman named Petra.

The first town along route 1 in the Eastfjords

The mist along the ocean adds mystique and in the distance you can see a typical Icelandic lighthouse - small and yellow.

The boat in the town park of Fáskrúðsfjörður.

An example of Iceland's small local airports...
if the sign wasn't there, you'd probably overlook it completely!

"Mine!" Most of the bridges in Iceland are for one car only so the first car to the bridge gets the right of way... to amuse ourselves, we would yell "mine!" to claim each bridge.

Fishing nets - these are surprisingly rare in Iceland, even along the coast.

The mist over the cool waters.

Rubby next to an odd 1922 lighthouse
(black and white instead of yellow, and much bigger than usual).

 
Fleabane and other roadside flowers; Amazing rock formations on Mt. Búlandstindur.

Interesting rock formations in the Teigarhorn area where many crystals and minerals can be found.

This rest stop was not one of the nicer ones but we stayed long enough to have the rest of the licorice pasta.

 
Views of Mt. Búlandstindur from the lookout in Djúpivogur.

The road through the Eastfjords - ocean on one side, steep mountains on the other!

[ Iceland Vacation Home Page ]