t-blog – Page 8

Plane wreck

5 November 2014 by evo

We pack up to leave Hvoll in the morning and make a list of places to stop off on the way back to Reykjavik.

The first of which is this plane crash.

We turn off the road onto a plain of black rock with no path. Our view is split in two: the upper half is grey sky and the lower half is black rock. No amount of light from the car gives any more detail than that.

Very faintly there are specs of light in the distance: small fluro poles. For about 15 or 20 minutes we are guided by these little poles and just over a tiny rise there is the plane in from of us!

Such an eerie way to find such a thing, and exploring it is even stranger. The tail is missing, as are the wing tips. No instruments remain and the plane is peppered with holes. What happen to the crew?

There is no information except for US military markings on the side.

Later on I found that it was a US transport plane which crash landed in the 70s (possible ran out of fuel). All crew survived, but recovery of the plane was abandoned. A local farmer (may have) sold all valuable parts of the plane long ago. Strange.

Seljavallalaug

5 November 2014 by evo

Our next stop took us on a rainy cold walk in this valley along this river. Another huge field of black rock without a trail or markings. But maybe there was a pool here. A hot spring pool. Seljavallalaug.

Fully rugged in thermals, woollen jumper, boots and wet-weather gear we set off for a swim. (Swimmers in a bag).

In various places along the river were ag-pipes releasing steaming water. Promising?

About 20 minutes up the river a naked man darted out way ahead of us and ran down out of sight. He must have had his ears picked up! Haha. But a good sign that there was a pool this way.

Two wet heads craned from behind a rock just in front of us and looking up from inside my hooded jacket I could see that they were in a pool (clothed). Their mate returned with some boardies on, said hello and jumped in the pool.

The pool is incredible, but I failed to even take a photo. It’s a 25 meter pool, very similar in style to Merewether Baths.

A couple of Christmases ago I was in Japan. One of my favourite experiences was sitting naked in an onsen (hot spring pool) looking out over the snowy mountains before us and having snow fall onto the face and into the pool. So warm and pleasant. This pool was pretty much an identical experience.

The pool was made in 1923 and was used for compulsory swimming classes from 1927.

We talked to the guys who’d slept nearby overnight and were recovering in the pool. We found our way to the warmest places, where the spring water came in. Swimming away from the spring inlets was cold and unpleasant, but amusing to watch someone else do!

We probably stayed for about half an hour, until Kerrie was completely cold, having stood waiting for us in the elements.

Getting dressed got easier as the shivering subsided and the walk back to the car felt strangely warm to me.

We had planned to visit the blue lagoon hot spring on our way to Reykjavik but at the advice of the guys at the pool we decided to give it a miss. Apparently this pool was much better – and free.

We arrived back in Reykjavik in the mid afternoon and spent most of the rest of the day looking through op-shops.

Cave in better weather

4 November 2014 by evo

As we approach the basalt caves for the second time the clouds open up a stream of afternoon light over the island Heimaey. Stunning. And more so in person, as ever.

The basalt cave remains as impossible as ever to capture, but the orangey-yellow light makes beautiful patterns over the rocks.

Time to settle down for another night.

Basalt cave on the coast next to the Reynisdrangar

Sunset in the basalt cave on the coast next to the Reynisdrangar

Streans of afternoon light over the island Heimaey

Skógafoss Walk

3 November 2014 by evo

Heading back towards Reykjavik (East) for about 40 minutes we arrive at Skógafoss: a big old waterfall just off the road.

A long set of stairs takes us to the top, where the first photo was taken. It seems like most people stop there, but there is a stile which goes further along the river.

We (awkwardly) clamber over the fence and head along the track. We’ve been told that the track is around 24km long, so we plan to walk as long as we feel like and then head back.

It is sunny today. Hot even, relatively.

The side of the river that we are on is fairly nondescript, mostly flat rolling hills and a slightly muddy track. The other side is more mountainous and formidable. When there is a dip in the ground across the river we can see the snowy tops of far away mountains. Looking back the way we came we stare straight into the bright sun, making silhouettes of anyone behind. Right now it’s just the four of us, so the silhouettes are recognisable.

The clear day gives a crispness and a clarity to the country that we haven had so far. This walk is supposed to include something like 11 waterfalls in the section we plan to walk, so we keep our ears and eyes trained on spotting the next.

Typically you might expect to hear a waterfall before you see it, but one in particular blows huge amount of water spray up into the air that it looks like a steaming hot spring from half a kilometre away.

The river has long cut itself a deep ravine to flow through, it’s odd to think on why or how the waterfalls remain – why aren’t they all cut down to river bed? I suppose the force of the falling water cuts a hole ahead of the running water cutting a channel so forever there are waterfalls where they formed at the start. The ravine occasionally keeps the river silent from us, only to reveal it again just around a corner in a great roaring surge of noise.

The track starts getting hilly as we climb down, over and then up again into small tributary streams. Slippery but fun.

Further along we begin to clamber over the track more than walk. In places on hand and feet climbing up and climbing back down.

After a little bit of this we rest and decide to head back and have some lunch.

We eat in the shadow of the first waterfall. The damp air and a now cloudy sky bring on chills so getting back into the car to warm up is welcome.

We head back to the basalt caves from yesterday to get a better look in finer weather.

A really beautiful light around our cabins at Hvoll

Walking along the Skógá River up from Skógafoss. A lovely warm day with the sounds of water intermittent as the river ducked deep into the earth and back out again and with the mist shooting up in the distance to signal the location of the next waterfall

Second Hvoll day trip

3 November 2014 by evo

On November 2 we drove back towards the Ice Lagoon, but this time only about 45 minutes.

From on top of this mountain (we drove up there, thankfully) we could look way back along the black beach, past our tiny little cottages and the plains to the huge mountains behind us, looming and surrounding us.

Up here is a lighthouse with a view. Utterly wind swept. There is also a photography class today, completely breaching any working at heights safety. I desperately wanted to hand them harnesses! Haha.

The view is to the west (north-west probably). The other way is the watery arch, staying as strong as it can against relentless ocean and wind.

Below the view to the mountains, under where I stand for the photograph and along the black sand are the basalt caves. Outside the caves are the hexagonal basalt columns (if you don’t want to go as far, you can see some pretty much the same in Kiama…go to Iceland). I believe they are shaped like that because of specific conditions around the cooling rate of lava (?). They are pretty rad however they’re formed. And fun for climbing.

The cave was pretty epic too, but photos really aren’t able to capture the whole view well.

This was out first visit to the caves on Reynisfjara Beach. It was so incredibly cold and rainy by this point and the black sand so wet that trudging about was too arduous to properly enjoy…but it’s okay, we came back later. The next day in fact.