Under the Northern Sun

The north of Iceland lies just a few kilometers south of the Arctic Circle. Day and night were significantly shifted here. Polar day and polar night could be sensed, especially since even at the end of August, twilight lingered until after 10 PM. So far, so familiar. However, what was new to me was the position of the sun. While the sun is directly overhead at the equator, here it followed a much lower path. This resulted in the light coming in more from the side during the day, casting long shadows even at noon.

Particularly nice weather and temperatures above 20 °C meant that the sun warmed and dazzled differently during the day, comparable to a sunny late afternoon in Central Europe. Golden light made the barren landscape and colors glow.

However, on Friday morning, not much of this was felt, as a thick fog covered the city and countryside when we set off from Akureyri around 8 AM. I had met my friends there and continued my trip with our small travel group. The next few days had a well-structured itinerary. A rental car was ready, accommodations were reserved, and activities planned.

The first excursion destination was the town of Husavik (2,200 inhabitants) by the Arctic Ocean, a well-known center for whale watching. We had booked a boat tour for 10 AM. As the morning progressed, the fog lifted and we succeeded in accompanying a humpback whale in the bay. The majestic creature surfaced on the starboard side and showed off its magnificent tail as it dove. We accompanied the marine mammal for about half an hour. The second highlight was then the serving of hot chocolate and cinnamon pastries for the approximately 50 passengers on board. Before leaving the harbor, we enjoyed a foot bath in the chilly ocean, with water temperatures below 10 °C.

From there, we passed by a particularly impressive waterfall, the Goðafoss. The massive rivers flowed from the gigantic ice cap in the southeast of the island, carving deep through the barren desert landscape of the northeast.

Next, we headed to Myvatn, known for the lake of the same name and geothermal activity. On one side, birches and meadows lined the lakeshore, while on the other, steam and rugged lava rock led to the nearby mountain range. The earth's crust was particularly thin here, allowing high-temperature groundwater mixed with sulfur to bubble up to the surface. The smell of rotten eggs hung in the air. Rock and sand glowed sulfur yellow in the evening light.

At sunset around 8:30 PM, we visited a spa. Similar to the Blue Lagoon in Reykjavik, the hot springs were utilized here, and the outdoor pool offered a fantastic view of the landscape, which the evening sun bathed in a magical light. There was a bar in the swimming pool. In addition to selling drinks, they catered to the special needs of bathers. The menu included waterproof phone cases and after-sun cream.