Day 2

Arctic Circle Day

News flash! I gave in and went to bed at 23:30. It was still very light and when I woke for a gentleman visit at 3:00 a.m., it was still very light. So I can only assume he never really went dark at all. 

Feeling extremely grateful that I brought my sleep mask to block out the light, I wake refreshed 5 minutes before my alarm is due to go off. I have a hasty check of my ferry ticket to make sure I have got the date and times right!! Satisfied that I haven't got things mixed up again, I have a leisurely fruit breakfast and get dressed ready for the ferry. Google tells me that there is a good chance I will see whales and dolphins from the ferry. I have seen numerous excursions for whale watching advertised at far more cost than I am laying out for my crossing.

The Sæfari has the appearance of a working fishing boat that has been converted to take passengers and freight to and from Grimsey Island. The crossing each way is ISK4000 (about £24) so I'm not expecting anything lavish. The vessel is a means to get me to a place where I can tick off an entry on the 60B460 list.

As I board one of the crew points out where the toilets are and where the seats are and that is the only brief any of us get prior to setting sail. There is a sign to say where the life jackets are (under the seats) but there is no announcement on any of the emergency procedures. It seems we are just expected to know what to do, which is refreshing. At least it is to those of us who probably do know what to do!

  

Setting sail for the high seas

As we cast off and exit the harbour, most of the passengers are outside the main seating cabin, enjoying the view, taking photos and breathing in the bracing sea air. But, as the waves start to get bigger, all of us become much less valiant and find our seats to settle down for the journey. I have managed to get myself in the front row of seats which means plenty of leg room. I stretch out as best I can, pull my cup over my eyes and attempt to go to sleep. 

The waves are feeling quite big after only half an hour on the boat is behaving as you would expect for the type of vessel. I feel that I'm coping quite well with the ups and downs and become quite settled in my sleeping position. 

About an hour into the crossing people are beginning to suffer the effects of the rolling waves and there are a lot of noises that I won't to elaborate on. But it's safe to say that they are not very well. 

The scene quickly sounds like a zombie movie, as one person becomes ill, this has effect on the next person and so on. I am protecting myself by keeping my eyes closed and my cap down. But all too soon I feel I am succumbing to the mass infection of mal de mer.

I decide I have to make it away from my seat and find somewhere to take care of myself. But the movement of the boat almost throws me upon my sleeping neighbour. I sit down again and try to tough it out but it is no good. I simply have to get up and get past the guy. I race down the aisle, hastily grabbing a specific type of bag and throw myself through door into what appears to be a cleaning store with some stairs leading up to the bridge. I sit on the stairs and make full use of the bag. It is a position I maintain for the remainder of the journey. 

I ponder during my seated time how quickly I transferred from having a rock hard stomach to being a sweating mess unable to move. I look up occasionally through the window in front of me to see a woman who has decided the best place to be is outside. I hope for her sake she has taken account of the wind direction! 

Mercifully we eventually dock in Grimsey harbour and the zombie parade staggers off to shore. It appears that every single person that isn't crew has deposited a bag in the bin!! And at the end of the day we have another 3-hour journey in the other direction. That is something to look forward to!!

Sandvik village - only slightly less to do than Dalvik

Grimsey Island is 5.5km in length and I have done an initial map study suggesting that I can cover all of it in the time available. There is of course a more detailed blown-up version of the map on a big notice board which confirms where all the sites are. Before setting off an old woman is attracting everybody to her gift shop and coffee shop by waving and shouting. It seems to have the effect as lots of us head that way to see what wares she has on offer. The obvious article for me is a fridge magnet and happily there is a small selection. Unhappily the cheapest ones are approximately £12, rising to nearly £18. I'm not that desperate for a magnet, that I'm prepared to pay that price, so I make my leave and set off for RV1 - the marker for the Arctic Circle.

A clue!

I am surprised to find it so quickly. As on the map, it seemed to be at the very tip of the island only just dissecting land, but to where they have marked it with one of those mileage markers to various places on the planet is about 2.5km south of the tip. Also, it is not very obvious that it is there and I only find it because I noticed the signposts from an internet picture. I take a couple of standard photos, congratulate myself on making it and then set off further north.

 

More clues!

The cliffs are proliferated by gulls and puffins, which reminds me what I have planned for lunch later. I begin to have doubts for my choice of food. Firstly because the little chaps look so cute, secondly because price is over £40 for a plate full and lastly, I don't want to spend that much on something that might not stay in my stomach very long on the journey back to Dalvik! I have a banana and apple in my day sack and decide that will do until I until I make it back to the mainland.

Cute. Happy to be photographed, not eaten

A bit further north, I arrive at the wonderfully strange Orbus et Globus. On the map this is located at the very northernmost tip of the island but here it is some 1.5km shy of that. I will discover when I get home that the latitude of the Arctic Circle moves annually and the OeG is the marker for the current position. This means, every year, someone takes the trouble to move this thing and re-site it. That can be no mean feat as this thing is around 3m in diameter. I wonder what happens if the line of latitude nips off the north edge of the island one year!! For today I am ignorant of the significance of the sphere but do marvel at its presence in this remote part of the world.

Someone's job to move this around each year!

A bit further on there are some horses and the scene reminds me somewhat of the Carneddau back home. The horses there are always a welcome sight.

A reminder of home

For a short moment, I am the most northerly person in Iceland and I stop to ponder that thought. About 11 years ago on holiday in Portugal, I considered that at certain point of the day I was the most westerly person in Europe. Doesn't really mean much but it's a nice personal thought. 

Somewhere out there is Greenland

After that small achievement I turn around and set off on the 5.5 km to the other end of the island. By the harbour there is a small settlement called Sandvik, which I suppose is the capital of Grimsey. There is even a small schoolhouse but it is closed and I can't see any children anywhere. I don't suppose that means much but it just seems a little bit weird. 

The only place on the south end of the island worthy of note on Google maps is the Grimsey lighthouse. As I get close to it, I am amused by the bright orange colour but as lighthouses go it isn't exactly spectacular. It just does a job I suppose. I am more impressed by the land feature that it protects. Much of this is only visible by the behaviour of the waves which are obviously crashing over something. It strikes me as being quite impressive and I stop to gaze at it for a while.

Grimsey Lighthouse

The last point of interest before returning to the boat here's some information boards and a monument to the benefactor of the island a Mr. Daniel Willard Fiske, an American scholar and chess enthusiast. Although he never actually visited the island, he did do a lot of good for the people living there, including the donation of a chess set to every home on the island (admittedly there's not that many). I'm being a bit flippant as he did support the island financially during his lifetime and through a bequest in his will.

Part of a sculpture for Mr Fiske

Full of new knowledge I make my way back to the boat. I am satisfied I have made the right decision not to chow down on one of the islands indigenous birds. Doesn't seem right somehow and I'm sure my stomach will thank me for it.

 
Some local curiosities

I've been marvelling at the weather ever since we landed and this seems as good apart and the story as any to describe it. On landing there was a brutal wind with very fine rain at times which felt like needles attacking the face. As the day wore on the wind abated but there were snow showers and periods of bright sunshine taking it in turns to have their moment. Other than when it was the sun's turn to shine, it was bitterly cold. 

Intrepid explorer nicely wrapped up

I found it slightly odd that I only chose to wear my gloves for about 5 minutes before deciding my coat pockets afforded greater protection against the cold. What's the point of gloves if they don't keep your hands warm? 

 

Grimsey coastline

As I board the boat and start to climb the stairs to the seating area, I notice that there are two beds for rent. I had spotted these on the journey over but had assumed that they were beds for the crew who may live on board. They are a mere ISK1100 and could be a lifesaver but I have noticed that the sea seems to have calmed during the day and I am confident of a less brutal crossing.  

The Sæfari waiting to take me back to civilisation!

I pitch myself this time in the centre row of seats which also have leg room, with the additional benefit of quick access if I need to get up quickly. As everybody joins me and takes their position, I noticed that everybody is preparing for the worst and grabbing a handful of bags. 

The crossing is not as calm as I imagine and the wind has obviously changed direction as the rocking of the boats is side to side this time as opposed to bow to stern. I have been tipped off on a WhatsApp group in between crossings that I should fix my gaze on the horizon and don't look down. This isn't easy as the horizon keeps disappearing! 

As it turns out the crossing is without incident and there are no casualties this time. Land appears very quickly, but seemingly takes an age to make it back to Dalvik harbour. But then I remember the lay of the land and how long the channel is from the port to open Sea. 

As I disembark I realise that I never got round to eating my banana and apple and am deciding that I'm a little bit peckish. I know that I have some leftover stuff in the hostel fridge so I decide that along with the half bag of Lays I have left and a couple of beers will be plenty before a shower and an early night.

As I walk into the kitchen and main communal room things look a little out of place and I realise I am not alone tonight. I had assumed when Bjarni told me that the Polish guys weren't coming last night that I had the run of the house for the entirety of my stay. It seems not, but no problem. I have my light meal, then settle down for a couple of beers and a couple of chapters of my book.

As I am sat reading in an armchair a figure appears at the door with a cheery hello. It is a German chap about my age who declares he has been whale watching. He has been told I've been to the island so was expecting me to return. He doesn't hang around though, bids me a good night and heads off to his room.

It is not much later before I decide it is time for me to go to bed. I have a 6:30 alarm call in the morning as there is a detour I want to make rather than go straight back to the car hire place. Details on that in tomorrow's section. 

As I am settling down I can hear voices downstairs by the entrance hall and realise that there are more fellow residents. I don't dwell on who they might be as it is very unlikely that our paths will cross in the morning. 

My trusty eye mask is donned, I slip under the covers and am asleep in moments.