Jan Mayen, Norway, 6/21/2018, National Geographic Explorer
Aboard the
National Geographic Explorer
Arctic
There is something mysterious and mystical about a foggy morning at sea. For a ship full of guests expecting to make land on an isolated island in the High Arctic ─a difficult feat even on clear days ─fog is a bit disheartening. Such was the case as we awoke this morning, sailing towards Jan Mayen, a group of volcanic islands belongs to Norway. You could say that Jan Mayen is the very definition of “out of the way,” or even “in the middle of nowhere.” A weather map of the islands could include the words foggy, misty, chance of rain, and heavy winds, and it would be accurate about 85% of the year. The fog this morning was merely testing our resolve, however. As we approached the islands, the fog lifted, and bright sun and blue sky appeared. As the curtain of mist rose, a wondrous sight met our eyes: beautiful Jan Mayen.
Steve Morello has had a long and colorful career in the natural history world. Born in New Jersey he was lucky to be able to summer on the shores of Cape Cod. Whether it was exploring the tidal pools, snorkeling along the beach, or hiking in the dune...
National Geographic Explorer visited the tiny, isolated village of Djúpavik for the first time ever. After traversing the choppy waters of the “deep bay,” after which the community is named, we spent the morning exploring the village and its surroundings. While some brave hikers climbed the cliffs overlooking the decrepit herring factory that was once the economic engine of the region, most of us took a more leisurely guided tour through the historic ruins. For a short time after its construction in 1935, the herring factory was one of the largest concrete structures in Europe and a major producer of fish oil and meal. Today, Djúpavik is the least-populated municipality in Iceland with just 53 full-time residents.
The sheer cliffs of Latrabjarg loomed over us as we sailed along the west coast of Iceland. The air was a flurry of life as fulmars, common guillemots, razorbills, puffins, and kittiwakes soared and buzzed around us. The noise of thousands upon thousands of birds returning to the sheer cliffs was a beautiful assault while the fresh sea air battered our faces out on deck. Fulmars wheeled around the monkey deck, showing a lazy interest in the humans onboard. The cliffs themselves were awash with green; the guano deposited by generations of birds acts as fertilizer for the vegetation sprawled across the hillside. The cliffs offer sanctuary to razorbills, guillemots, and other nesting seabirds, keeping them safe from predators as they find precarious flat ledges or hollows to lay their single, beautifully patterned eggs. On the waters around us were many adult birds accompanied by their jumpling chicks. As few as 18 days after hatching, guillemot chicks fling themselves from the cliffs into the sea, where they bob around with their fathers for several weeks before they’re able to fend for themselves. After working our way along the cliffs, we headed off into slightly deeper coastal waters where we heard a fascinating talk on sea urchins. The magical world beneath the waves here is rich in marine invertebrates, and the urchin family is incredibly diverse. Next, we heard a talk on fisheries in the Northeast Atlantic and the U.S. This covered wild stocks, aquaculture, and how to make informed choices when it comes to eating fish. Another deeply interesting talk from the undersea team. After lunch, we headed to the beautiful, secluded Flatey Island. Flatey is a tiny, remote gem with houses in a small village that all date to more than 100 years ago. The island is also home to Atlantic puffins that cooed and stood proud around their burrows, their mouths full of sand eels, and arctic terns that dove and squawked and shrieked just above us. We returned to the ship for the captain’s farewell cocktail party—a nice evening as we all reflected on new friends made, experiences had, and moments shared. A journey of such different adventures. The cold shores of Svalbard seemed a distant memory as we looked out the window at the green, volcanic shores of Iceland. From whales and bears to ice and dramatic landscapes—it was truly the trip of a lifetime.
A thin layer of fog shrouded the troll seat mountain tops of Isafjordur as National Geographic Explorer approached this morning. Ready or not, we were launching back into civilization by coming alongside the port and heading out onto a dry dock, followed by a variety of bus tours. Some opted for the long hike towards Valagil, a spectacular canyon with a waterfall made from layers and layers of ancient lava. Cotton grass was scattered in patches throughout the journey, indicating moist and boggy areas. Everyone got to experience the Icelandic “forest” of stunted, demure birch. The second part of this adventure included a visit to the Arctic Fox Center and a coffee and cake break. Others chose the fjords and flowers tour, which included a visit to the first Icelandic botanical garden, with plants and vegetables grown farther north than anyone thought possible. Another stop along the way was a visit to an old bookstore in the town of Flateyri. Books lined every wall, and the rich, rustic scent of the old pages of history wafted through the shop. The tour was not complete without a stop for coffee and cake! And yet another tour was a culinary exploration of the town of Isafjordur, where the sweets of the 19 th century were sampled: rhubarb stalk dipped in sugar! Not to mention a sampling of smoked lamb on flatbread and traditional Icelandic schnapps, Brennivin, made from potatoes and caraway seeds. After our various tours, which also included 19 brave souls who opted for a mountain biking excursion, we set sail towards the stunning island of Vigur, home to nesting birds galore! With clear visibility and calm seas, we were greeted by common eider females shepherding chicks, black guillemots squeaking in their high-pitched voices, and Atlantic puffins frantically flying with bills full of fish for their chicks. The island was a cacophony of Arctic terns and common redshanks as we walked around the island towards the grand finale of the most amazing cakes in all of Iceland!
