The early morning on National Geographic Explorer started out incredibly, like usual. Flexibility is key, especially when you are in the Arctic, where the weather can change drastically in a few hours. Instead of starting the day with the magnificent waterfall Dynjandi, National Geographic Explorer repositioned to the fjord, Geirþjófsfjörður. When the ship arrived in Geirþjófsfjörður, the kayaks were launched. The fjord was mirror flat and quiet. The only thing you could hear were the songs of loons and other birds. The conditions were absolutely perfect for kayaking as well as Zodiac rides.
There is a singular summer home, along with a boathouse, in Geirþjófsfjörður. However, there is no road leading to this fjord. The locals that own the summer home must arrive by boat. That is not the only interesting thing about the fjord either. This fjord is where one of the Icelandic sagas took place, where one of the most famous outlaws had his last battle.
In the afternoon, National Geographic Explorer sailed towards Dynjandi, the thundering waterfall. This is a pretty good description since Dynjandi translates to thundering in English. First off the ship were the long hikers, who actually had a little rain at the beginning of their hike but ended up walking into the sunshine. Dynjandi never disappoints. There are seven smaller waterfalls after Dynjandi, each with its own name. They are called Bæjarfoss, Hundafoss, Kvíslarfoss, Hrísvaðsfoss, Göngmannafoss, Strompgljúfrafoss, and Hæstafjallafoss. Those smaller waterfalls really give Dynjandi its charm. But what is also interesting about Dynjandi is its baked layer at the very top of the hiking route. It is brick red in color. It forms when a volcano erupts, and on top of new layer of lava, soil starts to develop and plants start to grow. Then another eruption happens, and new lava flows over the soil, therefore “baking” it.
Dynjandi was not the end of the day, though! When everyone returned to the ship, a barbeque was waiting for us on the sundeck. The sun was bright with the magnificent Dynjandi in the background. A perfect ending to a perfect day!
