Iceland. There are 171,476 words in the Oxford English Dictionary, and I don't think any of them could effectively sum up the spirit of this volcanic rock in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. It is truly a place with a personality of its own, and as you move your eyes over every part of it - every tearjerker of a sunset, every horse in every lush pasture, every frozen peak piercing the clouds, every menacing volcanic silhouette looming in the distance - you feel as if you're engaged in a dialogue with the Earth itself, telling you the secrets of its past, present, and future. It is a place simultaneously young and fiery but also frozen and eternal. Its harshness and remoteness might lead one to be amazed at the sociability and warmth of its people. Over the last millennium they have learned not to wrestle with the sometimes cruel nature of their motherland, but to recognize and respect her temperaments. She first took them in as weary seafarers and has allowed them to thrive on her natural bounty ever since, and in return they pay homage to her in their legends and architecture. They are fiercely proud of their home and their history, and it shows in their desire to both share it, and protect it.
I was humbled by Iceland at every turn. No picture can do it justice, and no force of man can tame it. It inspired me to take a deeper interest in my field, and to continue to travel to far-flung corners of the world to better understand the living, breathing planet we so often take for granted. As for my 19 travelling companions, I could not imagine a better group to share in this experience with. All of them are amazing people, all totally and perfectly unique. I am proud to call them my friends. To the professors, Dr. Suresh and Dr. Ranson, you are the ones who really made this trip. Needless to say, none of this would have been possible without you, and I am so grateful for the amount of work that you put into this trip, and the work you put into being teachers, mentors, and friends every day.
This has been Mitchell Freyermuth. I hope you've enjoyed reading. May your travels take you farther from your cares, and nearer to yourself.
Friday, June 3, 2016
Day 20 (final day in Iceland)
Our final day in Iceland found us reunited with the city where it all began, Reykjavik. We had departed from our prior hostel early that morning and made the two hour drive to make sure that we had the entire day to spend in the capital city. Our first stop was supposed to be at an art exhibit, but we found it to be closed. Instead we went to the hostel, which was the first hostel we had stayed at, and dropped our bags of in the luggage storage room, making sure to only bring what we wished to carry.For me, that was my phone and my wallet. After driving to the central square in one of Reykjavik's most touristy areas, we first ate lunch at a delicious pizza joint, which marks probably the eighth and last time I ate pizza on the trip. After lunch, we were essentially set free in a foreign city to our own devices. Of course immediately the group splintered off into subgroups. The group I was initially with wanted to shop at one of the overpriced tourist shops, and I wasn't having it, so I left with Lettie, Sarina, and Emily R. The only issue was we didn't have a town map, so we took a look at a directory and decided to swing it from there. We knew we were at least headed in the direction of the University of Reykjavik, which was next to our eventual meeting place, the Nordic House. We spent our time mostly at the local beach, collecting stones and talking funny stories and tattoos. We then took a mostly guessing walk to the Nordic House, finding ourselves to be early. We took the opportunity to try some delicious desserts and coffee at the house's cafe. Eventually everyone turned up, and we were given the option to either continue to explore Reykjavik, or go whale watching. It wasn't a very hard decision. Our old friend Thorleifur drove six of us to the harbor and we boarded our vessel. I had never been whale watching before, so I didn't know what to expect. I knew not to expect too much though, because sometimes the whales don't show up. But my skepticism had been squashed by a dream had the night before in which I had seen 3 whale tails of different sizes, one huge, one a little smaller, and one small, rising out of the ocean. Surely enough, we quickly came upon some white-nosed dolphins numbering about 10. While the dolphins were cool, I wanted more. I wanted a whale. Pretty soon, I got one. A tumult around the ship alerted me to a humpback whale that had surfaced directly in front of the boat. After 10 minutes or so, it surfaced again, and I was awestruck at its size and beauty. It even treated us to a good view of its iconic tail fluke. We pursued the humpback for a while, but eventually it evaded us. Further out we crossed paths with another whale species, the minky whale, a small relative of the blue whale. As quickly as it appeared, it had gone. But in the end, my dream had come true. I had seen 3 whale species of 3 different sizes, representing the 3 differently sized whale tales I saw in my dream. Sailing back towards the harbor with the sun setting at our backs, I remember thinking it was a poetic, satisfying end to an unforgettable adventure.
Day 11
We took a look at the Gabrokargigar Craters Natural Monument. These picturesque scoria cones represent some of the most recent eruptions of their type in Iceland, estimated to be less than 3600 years old. There are three craters in total: Stora Gabrok (big), Litla Gabrok (small), and Gabrokarfell (just right). By 1962, Litla had mostly disappeared due to gravel mining, a popular industry in Iceland due to the abundance of volcanic rock which is of commercial value. The cones are composed of alkal olivine basalt, which is common for similar cones in Iceland. At the top of the largest cone we took a moment to discuss its formation and magmatic composition, taking a closer look at the olivine and plagioclase phenocrysts scattered throughout the rock with our hand lenses. We also partook in an activity where we tried to reconstruct the geologic timeline of the area using only our eyes to scan the geological features around us, hoping to put arrange these features by age of formation from oldest to youngest. It is a nearly impossible task in reality, given our distance from the features themselves (sans the craters) and lack of sophisticated dating techniques, but we ended up coming up with some conclusions that were almost certain and some that were at least believable. It was really a moment where we got the entire group, including the SUS majors, to think like real world earth scientists doing field observations, and it was nice to apply something I had practiced doing with pictures in the classroom to a real world setting.
Saturday, May 21, 2016
Day 10
Today was a rather slow day as far as stops go, seeing that we actually never got in the bus to go anywhere. However, we did opt to take two hikes on local trails, one led by Dr. Ranson and one led by Dr. Suresh. The former would lead his group up a nearby trail that was rumored to go all the way to the next town approximately 10 km away, while the latter would lead his group along a less strenuous seaside trail with hopes of spotting whales. Because I did not think that there was a particularly good chance of actually seeing any whales and because I wanted to get in a better workout, I decided to go with Dr. Ranson's route, which ended up having more participants. The hike started with some confusion since we couldn't actually find the trailhead, but luckily we came across a local woman who pointed us in the right direction. The trail was not particularly well marked, which led to us getting led astray by some wooden posts that apparently didn't actually mark the trail. After crossing a broken old concrete bridge, we eventually found an old service road that we hoped would take us farther. This path did seem well blazed for a while, but eventually it disappeared into a maze of crow berry bushes further up the mountain. At this point our legs were beginning to feel a but tired and our stomachs were rumbling, so we stopped for lunch in a low point out of the wind and ate sandwiches and cookies. After lunch, the hike began to get more precarious. The crow berries disappeared and gave way to lichens, and the grasses we had been hiking on ceded to broken up boulders that were loose and difficult to traverse. The temperature also started to drop and snow became more abundant on the ground. Though we were freezing and our legs were barely holding us up, we sum mired one of the peaks and stopped to take a moment of silence and rest, then took a group picture. When we started back down, there was some confusion with the route we were taking, and Brightin, Eric and I decided to go down a different way than the rest of the group. This resulted in a stern lesson from Dr. Ranson about the two most important rules of being in the field: 1) don't leave the group and 2) communicate with the group leader before doing anything. In the end it was harmless, but it was a mistake we won't make again. Eventually we made it back down, our legs absolutely wrecked at this point. I crashed on a sofa as soon as I got in the hostel. Suresh's group had gotten back just before us, and they had actually seen Dolphins, which was surprising and fortunate. We dined on a delicious vegetable soup, and spent the rest of the night journaling and doing our group report.
Friday, May 20, 2016
Days 8 and 9
Day 8:
We traveled to the cliffs of Latrabjarg, the westernmost tip of Iceland, and by extension, of Europe, to view some of the diverse species of sea birds that nest there. These cliffs, sheared by wave constant violent wave action, are the largest "bird cliffs" in the world, plunging a dizzying 440 meters into the sea at their crest. Of the dozen or so bird species that are known to nest there, we saw Common Gulls, Fulmars, Kittiwakes, Razorbill Auks, two varieties of guillemots, gannets, and last but not least, puffins! To be honest, the puffins, with their chubby cheeks, sad eyes, ornate bills and photogenic personalities were the main attraction. We spent probably 30 minutes lying prone by the cliffs edge to get up close and personal with the tiny avian mascots. After we had satisfied ourselves with puffin pictures and gawked at the fat seals that we sunning themselves on the rocks below, we started back to our hostel. That evening, Eric and I took a clandestine hike up the table mountain near our hostel, where we discovered samples of basalts with cubic zeolite crystals, which we returned to our professors to be returned to Furman for further analysis (and so that we might seem impressive as field geologists).
Day 9:
Today we drove to see the magnificent waterfalls at Dynjandi natural monument. Of course, along the we we had to stop to terrorize some nesting Eider ducks by taking photos of their eggs, and also of some migrating Arctic terns. Dynjandi was designated a natural monument in 1981, and its name means thundering noise, which is appropriate. There is one main fall and seven smaller falls, each with their own name, the largest being Dynjandi. Dynjandi is 99 meters high, 30 meters across at the top, and 60 meters across at the bottom. An old farmyard, dated back to the 15th century, was once
maintained by wealthy tenants on the slopes of the falls. Since the falls are a protected natural feature,
they have abundant flora and fauna that are less common elsewhere. Commonly seen animals are seals (by the coast), terns, eider ducks, and colorful harlequin ducks. Plants around the falls include birch and Rowan trees, dwarf birch, woolly willow, sundew, and long beech fern. The falls are sourced by the Dymjandis river, which is fed by several lakes and glacial meltwater. The river has eroded down through the terraces of basalt layers in the mountainside from eruptions occurring up to 16 million years ago, the oldest in Iceland. This all combines to form a truly stunning jewel in the crown of the west fjords.
Thursday, May 19, 2016
Days 3-7
Continued recap from the last 3 days:
Day 4:
We enjoyed our final morning in Reykjavik and departed to look at fjord terrain in the town of Borgarnes further North. From the Borgarnes water tower we viewed characteristic features of glacially shaped terrain like u-shaped valleys and rouche montane. We then headed further north and had lunch before tackling a hike up Eldborg Crater. Upon reaching the summit, we discussed the geological and biological factors that shape the slopes of the spatter cone. After hiking down, we then continued driving, taking quick stops to taste natural mineral water at Olkelda, then to view birds near the seaside, and then to explore the gorgeous pebble beach at Snaefellsjskull National Park. Lastly we drove to our beautiful Grandarfjurour.
Day 5:
Our first stop was a large geothermal spring in the scenic countryside of Deildqrtunguhver. It is the second largest thermal spring in the world, and is thought to be fed by groundwater from a glacier that is 1000 years old, based on oxygen isotope dating. From there we went to the ruins of the once regal home of a monk named Snorru Sturluson (1179 - 1241). We saw a reconstructed version of the elaborate bath house that he built to celebrate his wealth. The main event was our guided glacier tour of the Langjokull glacier, whose name means "long glacier," which is appropriate since it is the longest glacier in Iceland. We assailed the glacier in our modified military vehicle, whose original purpose had been to haul nuclear war heads ✊🏼🇺🇸. On our way up we drove through the protected Husafell forest, which was nearly wiped out during the 11th century settlement of the island. At around 500 meters, we left the forest line and entered the highlands, which cover 70% of Iceland. We
saw interesting features like table top mountains, which are flat, layered basaltic monoliths created when volcanoes erupt under glaciers. Once at the peak, we decended into an artificial ice cave to see the inner workings of a textbook temperate glacier, including trapped air bubbles that provide climatic information that has been crucial evidence for global warming cycles. On our way back from the ice cave, we stopped at a magnificent waterfall, where we played a game casting stones into hole on the opposite bank. We returned to our hostel and enjoyed a much needed dinner, crashing like stones that night.
Day 6:
The main attraction was our tour of the Shark Museum just outside of Grandarfjurour. The farmstead which houses the museum was one of the first in Iceland to have a landline. More importantly, it is one of the only, and by far the largest and best, provider of Greenland Shark meat in Iceland (and by extension, the world). Our guide is the third generation to carry on with preparing the elusive sea monster, although he no longer hunts the Sharks like his grandfather did, as all hunting ceased in the 1950s. The Greenland Shark, though large (up to 21ft and 2500 lbs, making it the second largest predatory shark in the world) is rarely sighted and poorly understood by humans due its tenancy to live at depths of up to 3km and in waters hovering around 0 degree Celsius. The Sharks are now provided by large fishing boats that catch them by accident. The meat must be cured to be edible, because it is otherwise toxic due to the antifreeze-like urine that is filtered through the shark's tissue. After 2 months of fermenting in boxes and 4 months of drying, the toxins are broken down, and the shark is ready to eat. Whether or not you are ready to eat it is another story altogether. It certainly has a distinct taste and odor.
Day 7: We drove about 8 hours to the most beautiful place in Iceland, the West Fjords. We got to our hostel that night, so there was not much time for sight seeing, but we could tell already that we were in for a treat when we awoke the next day.
Day 4:
We enjoyed our final morning in Reykjavik and departed to look at fjord terrain in the town of Borgarnes further North. From the Borgarnes water tower we viewed characteristic features of glacially shaped terrain like u-shaped valleys and rouche montane. We then headed further north and had lunch before tackling a hike up Eldborg Crater. Upon reaching the summit, we discussed the geological and biological factors that shape the slopes of the spatter cone. After hiking down, we then continued driving, taking quick stops to taste natural mineral water at Olkelda, then to view birds near the seaside, and then to explore the gorgeous pebble beach at Snaefellsjskull National Park. Lastly we drove to our beautiful Grandarfjurour.
Day 5:
Our first stop was a large geothermal spring in the scenic countryside of Deildqrtunguhver. It is the second largest thermal spring in the world, and is thought to be fed by groundwater from a glacier that is 1000 years old, based on oxygen isotope dating. From there we went to the ruins of the once regal home of a monk named Snorru Sturluson (1179 - 1241). We saw a reconstructed version of the elaborate bath house that he built to celebrate his wealth. The main event was our guided glacier tour of the Langjokull glacier, whose name means "long glacier," which is appropriate since it is the longest glacier in Iceland. We assailed the glacier in our modified military vehicle, whose original purpose had been to haul nuclear war heads ✊🏼🇺🇸. On our way up we drove through the protected Husafell forest, which was nearly wiped out during the 11th century settlement of the island. At around 500 meters, we left the forest line and entered the highlands, which cover 70% of Iceland. We
saw interesting features like table top mountains, which are flat, layered basaltic monoliths created when volcanoes erupt under glaciers. Once at the peak, we decended into an artificial ice cave to see the inner workings of a textbook temperate glacier, including trapped air bubbles that provide climatic information that has been crucial evidence for global warming cycles. On our way back from the ice cave, we stopped at a magnificent waterfall, where we played a game casting stones into hole on the opposite bank. We returned to our hostel and enjoyed a much needed dinner, crashing like stones that night.
Day 6:
The main attraction was our tour of the Shark Museum just outside of Grandarfjurour. The farmstead which houses the museum was one of the first in Iceland to have a landline. More importantly, it is one of the only, and by far the largest and best, provider of Greenland Shark meat in Iceland (and by extension, the world). Our guide is the third generation to carry on with preparing the elusive sea monster, although he no longer hunts the Sharks like his grandfather did, as all hunting ceased in the 1950s. The Greenland Shark, though large (up to 21ft and 2500 lbs, making it the second largest predatory shark in the world) is rarely sighted and poorly understood by humans due its tenancy to live at depths of up to 3km and in waters hovering around 0 degree Celsius. The Sharks are now provided by large fishing boats that catch them by accident. The meat must be cured to be edible, because it is otherwise toxic due to the antifreeze-like urine that is filtered through the shark's tissue. After 2 months of fermenting in boxes and 4 months of drying, the toxins are broken down, and the shark is ready to eat. Whether or not you are ready to eat it is another story altogether. It certainly has a distinct taste and odor.
Day 7: We drove about 8 hours to the most beautiful place in Iceland, the West Fjords. We got to our hostel that night, so there was not much time for sight seeing, but we could tell already that we were in for a treat when we awoke the next day.
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