Wondrous Reykjavík Old Harbour

The Old Harbour in Reykjavík is a place for dreams.

Host of departures and homecomings.

Setting of the magnificent Harpa Concert Hall,

Seasonal haven for harbour seals.

Home base for Landsbjörg’s Search and Rescue training ship.

Old Harbour attracts contrasts – of old against new.

Simple, fast food- perhaps a quick bowl of lobster bisque at The Sea Baron:

The Sea Baron’s famous lobster bisque

Or a fine dining experience with multiple courses - such as a meal at Harpa’s Kolabrautin restaurant.

Whale watching ships at port right next to whaling vessels.

These two whaling vessels are tucked behind buildings and docked next to the long row of whale watching tour operators’ huts

This current construction of a luxury hotel is sited adjacent to Harpa

Every Old Harbour visit seems to reveal some new layer of interest.

A starfish on a slip of beach below Harpa

This has always been an active, everchanging place to watch and to explore.

Throughout the summer of 2016, a temporary art installation homed in on a stretch of derelict land by the harbour that has been destined for reclamation as a future housing development. The Travelling Embassy of Rockall fashioned their transient venue for artmaking with donated and found objects – shipping containers, wooden pallets, nets, cable reels, pavers, stones, fabric, wool and more.

With these supplies and a will to create, volunteers built a stage. Organiser René  Boonekamp and his team planned many intriguing performance events.

I was thrilled to be invited to read some of my work at this venue, beautifully sited by the harbour. I read two stories I had written about whales and also presented some of my whale research.

This led to a good discussion. I was also delighted to receive an invitation from an audience member to go whale watching the next day! Thank you so much to Anthony for that introduction to Special Tours and a huge thanks to Special Tours and the captain of the vessel Andrea for this fantastic, unforgettable experience : )

The forecast was for rough seas. I was nervous about feeling unwell but it worked out absolutely fine. My top tips for a good experience on rough water are:

-accept the seasickness pill offered by tour operators

-sit somewhere comfortable outside on the ship, if possible, and try to stay there throughout

-wear one of the warm suits provided by the tour operator even if it seems unnecessary at the onset

-find the most stable part of the ship, which will probably be the central rear deck (ask your captain’s advice when you board)

-spend as much time looking towards the horizon as down at the water

Dress warmly even on a nice day!

During our sail, we briefly spotted three minke whales

It was also lovely to see a different perspective of Reykjavík from harbourside.

Heading out

Reykjavík

And what beautiful cloud formations that day!

Next to The Travelling Embassy of Rockall was another art project called The Maze of Yggdrasil, which was built by Huldufugl.

Envisioned and organised by artists and project leaders Nanna Gunnars and Owen Hindley, numerous other artists were also invited to design various areas/rooms of this outdoor installation. There were a total of 16 different but interconnected sections within the maze. The journey through was interactive, with lights and sounds in various areas. 3,000 people experienced this maze, with 1500 visiting on the opening day. Construction took five weeks, required 250 pallets, 4,000 screws and covered an area of 370 square metres. Performances, a cinema screening and some food events took place within the maze.

Nanna Gunnars of Huldufugl at the entrance/exit of the maze

I was fortunate to be able to visit this maze twice, once during daytime and once at dusk, which turned into night time while I was inside. My visits were a week apart and I noticed how beautifully the maze journey had evolved over that time.

Some images from my journey through the maze during daylight -

Amazing origami

Reminiscent of reflections on water

The long table

A trail of pieces and prints

Passage through a laying of un-hands

Banners from a knit-in

Spiral walk around the tree of life

Yggdrasil – the focal point of the maze

A room of readings from two sources – one in Icelandic and one in English

Way out

Some images from my dusk to night time visit a week later:

A visitor at the entrance

Twinkling curtains of light

Slivers of white

Tangles of flack

A queue of barriers

Incredible musical rocks for echo-making. My favourite spot!

Which of us is voyeur?

A sprig of green foreshadow

Another favourite moment – Yggdrasil, the tree of life, is greened by light : )

Bird flock glides through the reading room

What an awesome experience this maze was!

Reykjavík has a vibrant artistic culture. Be sure to investigate whatever events are happening during your time in town. By visiting an exhibition or attending a performance, perhaps something outside your usual range of entertainment choices, you could be supporting local artists and you may, as I did, discover a precious gem : )