We started our day by strapping on crampons and heading up to the Falljokull Glacier (actually, "Jökull" means "glacier" in Icelandic). A river runs under the glacier, and most of our merry band filled their water bottles from the frigid, sparkling, delicious stream. From where we stood, the top of the glacier field is filled with crumbling wall, and numerous crevasses and water cauldrons dot the landscape. One of my favorite finds were "glacier mice." The Audubon Magazine said, "The frigid, barren expanses of glaciers may not be as hostile to life as long thought--bizarre creatures have been discovered thriving inside mysterious balls of moss called "glacier mice. A pebble serves as the anchor, with moss growing around it." Our guide said these green mice take 40+ years to develop, and are very friendly . . .
I'm a mere shadow as I photograph the Backroads group heading to the glacier
The group makes its way gingerly onto the Falljokull Glacier
Allison Watson takes a shot into a crevasse with a guide making sure she doesn't fall in
Allison's point of view of the crevasse
Green "glacier mouse" is actually a moss covered rock on top of the glacier
On the Falljokull Glacier with Rebecca and James.
The Backroads group on glacier minus me (I took the shot).
One of my favorite shots from the trip. The contrail of a jet over the glacier
All that glacial walking left us hungry, so our next stop was for lunch at a farmhouse. An outstanding feature of the place was that it had the most extraordinary backyard. Beautiful natural volcanic sculpture jutted out of the landscape, and made for a dramatic scene. James shot a few photos of the natural wonders with his Hasselblad, and also memorialized four of the girls who were with us.
This was the view from outside the house where we had lunch
James Kennerly and his Hasselblad
James photographs some of the kids on our trip
Showing my young friends how to take pictures with the Nokia Lumia 1020--it's about to become my new favorite camera phone
Then it was on to the next location, (our Backroads shepherds Jillian, Zuzanna, and Eva), kept us busy, but not exhausted!). We were off to Dyrholaey, a 400-foot-high coastal promontory on the southernmost point in Iceland. I was excited to see the puffins living in the cliffs, because shooting birds, (photographically speaking), is one of my real pleasures.
The Backroads vans on the road to Dyrholaey, the southernmost tip of Iceland.
Our capable Backroads leaders, Jillian, Zuzanna, and Eva
On the road to Dyrholaey
A horse in the Icelandic landscape
Two sea puffins at home
A puffin on approach to his home in the cliff
It slows down, flapping furiously
Wheels down for landing
The puffin, beak filled with fish, is safely back home
Coming up soon, Iceland - Day 4!