Today was the best day weather wise we’ve had so far. It was mostly sunny with no rain, which made everything we did even more enjoyable. Driving along the south coast with clear skies made it easier to really take in the beautiful views of glaciers and mountains around us on the way.
Our first stop was Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. Huge pieces of ice break off from the glacier and float through the lagoon before eventually reaching the ocean. The ice was different shades of white and blue, and some of the pieces were huge. One of the coolest moments of the day was spotting a seal sitting on one of the floating ice chunks. It honestly felt like something straight out of a National Geographic episode.
Right outside the lagoon there were a few food trucks, and I decided to try an Icelandic hot dog. It came with mustard, ketchup, and crispy onions on top, which was super good! It was a great quick lunch before venturing over to the beach.
Just across the road was Diamond Beach, where pieces of glacier ice wash up on the black sand. Seeing the clear ice scattered across the dark sand was so beautiful and unlike anything I’ve ever seen before.
Later we hiked through Vatnajökull National Park to see Svartifoss, a waterfall surrounded by tall basalt columns. The hike was a bit of a workout, but the unique rock formations around the waterfall made the climb worth it.
After this, we stopped at Dverghamrar to see the unique volcanic rock formations. Before this trip I saw pictures of these formations in textbooks and on TV, but seeing it in person was completely different! The basalt columns almost look like something you’d see on the moon.
Swanson School of Engineering 