Vestmannaeyjar, fascinating island, 9-11 August

Vestmannaeyjar is a set of volcanic Islands. It is the first safe harbour when sailing from Ireland or Scotland.

Yet, the Island has an extended record of disasters...

The first disaster happened in 1627, when a raid of "Turks" attacked the island and abducted 240 inhabitants to be sold as slaves on their way back to Algeria and Morocco, under the control of the Ottoman empire at the time. This was possible because their boats were equipped with square rigs under the direction of renegade pirates from the Netherlands, allowing them to sail across the Atlantic.

Icelandic representation of the abduction by Turks, from the blog "Once Upon a Time" by Dirk Puehl

From 1963 to 1967, a new island, Surtsey, South of the Westland islands, appeared as a result of a submarine volcanic eruption. It raised to 155 metres above sea level. Since then, the island has shrunk by half due to sea erosion. It has been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but access is restricted to scientists only, that are studying the appearance of life on such an island.

View to the South from the Eldfell volcano on Heimaey, the main Island in the Vestmann islands

View to the North from the Eldfell volcano on Heimaey, the main Island in the Vestmann islands

The Eyjafjallajökull volcano on the picture below is remembered for its eruption in 2010 that resulted in the closure of most airports in Northern Europe. The small house on the top of the Bjarnarey island is the only one authorised on the island. It is a bird hunting house belonging the the hunting association. We were told that only men are allowed in the house... The small sail on the right of the island is Boa Vista, a French boat that we met in the Heimaey harbour.

Bjarnarey Island and the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in the back. 

Life growing on the slopes of the Eldfell volcano

On 23 January 1973, the Eldfell volcano went erupting, resulting in the emergency evacuation of the Island by boat and air. Volcanic ash destroyed 400 houses and the lava flow threatened to close the harbour. However, pumping sea water on the lava resulted in stopping the flow of lava towards the harbour and secured it. 

View from the top of the Eldfell volcano, towards the city and the harbour

In the Volcano museum, you can explore a house that was covered with ashes and later excavated. Most interesting place, on the way to climbing on top of the volcano.

 Nowadays, the city has rebuilt houses at the edges of the lava fields. 

117 nautical miles to Reykjavik, 1091 since Galway...