Arctic Circle

Monday morning drive from Akureyri to Dalvik to catch the 9:00 o’clock ferry to the island of Grimsey; the only place in Iceland that extends into the Arctic Circle.

Rough 3-hour ferry ride, not ideal for anyone prone to sea sickness. There were several such people on board. Did not envy the young woman in charge of clean-up.

Grimsey is situated 40 km north of the mainland. The island is small – just five square kilometers – with a population of 70-80 people. Birds outnumber the people by about 10,000 to one.

Moments after docking in Grimsey the majority of ferry passengers made a beeline to the sole restaurant for a bowl of hot soup, followed by a chilly hike along the coast to take photos of the puffins while avoiding the dive-bombing Arctic terns.

The goal of the 45-minute hike is a selfie with a gigantic concrete sphere that marks the current position of the Arctic Circle. It is marked on maps at 66.5 degrees north, but actually fluctuates with the wobble of the Earth’s tilt. The sphere design allows the monument to be moved along with the fluctuations.

Just in case the circle had moved and nobody got around to moving the sphere, I continued another few hundred meters north the the edge of the northern-most cliff to ensure I actually did visit the Arctic Circle.

 

Similar Posts

  • Conversations, Part One

    Random bits and pieces of conversations with people I’ve met along the way. You’re Lying Standing in McDonalds waiting for my coffee, wearing my backpack, trekking pole in hand. A woman walked up to me and said she saw me walking along the highway the day before. Woman: “Why are you walking? Don’t you have…

  • New Orleans

    I had my route planned out from Baton Rouge to New Orleans – walk down the River Road on river left. Visit Houmas House Plantation. Cross over the Mississippi River on Hwy 70 bridge to river right. Visit Oak Alley and Laura plantations. Then on to New Orleans. Google Maps says the distance is 82…

  • Dr Carlson?

    It popped up on the kiosk when I was signing in for a flight from LAX to Hong Kong. DR CARLSON RICHAR. Somehow the D at the end of Richard and my middle initial – R – got moved to the front of the line. I brought it to the ticket agent’s attention, but she…

  • Packing Light

    Traveling over the years I have learned one key to packing light is selecting attire that meets these criteria: (1) high quality and performance, (2) versatility, and (3) easy maintenance. With these criteria in mind, my packing list for this trip includes: BOTTOMS 1 pair quick dry nylon convertible pants, mocha (Ex Officio) 1 pair…

  • The Best Plans

    I couldn’t have started this adventure without a plan, but now that it has begun I see far less utility in having a plan. Along the way there will be problems and there will be opportunities. I want the flexibility to make adjustments when I encounter either and now I have encountered both. Plan has…

  • Riding Lori

    I rode Lori hard that day. Well, at least as hard as I dared. She is obviously well-past her prime. As much as I hate to admit it, I’m a bit past my prime as well, so I needed to rest often. But after every break Lori let me climb back on top of her…

Leave a Reply