1. Scuba Diving
In the beginning of summer we did a trip with Dive.is and some of their people. The objective of that trip was to explore some new and exciting diving spots, spots that are hard to access and have even never been dived before.
Our friend Simbi caught this amazing video when they were scuba diving with razorbills and guillemots under the great bird cliffs of Hornbjarg and Hælavíkurbjarg.
2. Fishing
In mid summer the waters in our region are teeming with life. Birds are everywhere and seals, whales and porpoises swimming around us. One evening last July while anchored in Hornvík bay we heard strange sounds from the outside.
We rushed out and saw thousands of Arctic Char jumping up from the water all around the boat. One of the guests, an eager fisherwoman from New Zealand, took out the rod and caught 10 fine char within a few minutes!
3. Arctic Fox
Playing with Arctic Fox pups in Hornvik. The young Arctic Foxes that live in Hornvík are used to human traffic and they don't mind the attention they get from visitors.
4. Arctic sun never sets
At summer solstice in Hornvík, only few miles from the Arctic Circle, the sun doesn't set at all but just touches the horizon to the north.
But most of the summer we have these amazing “prolonged” sunsets such as here right under the Kálfatindar and Jörundur peaks.
5. Arctic Tern
The Arctic Tern makes an annual round trip from the Arctic to the Antarctic and back and can in its lifetime fly a total distance equivalent to around three return journeys to the Moon! So it's no wonder that they are protective of their nests and habitats when they decide to settle for a short summer in a lovely place like Vigur island.
6. Hornstrandir
On our way home from one of our Hornstrandir trips we did a little detour to the arctic circle itself on around 66.6°N. Half an hour later we sailed under a rainbow.
7. Hornbjarg
Walking on top of the Hornbjarg cliffs, peeking 200 meters straight down to the ocean. Here are some of the world's largest colonies of guillemots and major populations of kittiwake, razorbill and fulmars.
8. Vigur Island
The island of Vigur is a unique place where man and nature have coexisted in balance and harmony and where thousands of birds such as puffins, Arctic Terns and Black guillemots come to breed during the short summer. While Aurora is anchored nearby the guests take out the kayaks and visit a few of the 80.000 local puffins.
9. Fjords
Close to Ísafjörður is the lovely fjordscape of Seyðisfjörður and Hestfjörður. One of our favourite anchorages is in front of the abandoned settlement of Folafótur. The view to the open ocean to the north is unbroken giving us many wonderful summer sunsets.
10. Hælavíkurbjarg bird cliff
Hælavíkurbjarg is one of the three largest bird cliffs in Iceland with huge colonies of seabirds. Under the 400 m cliffs is a freestanding rock called Súlnastapi or Gannet Rock. Number of guillemots, razorbills, kittiwakes, fulmars, shags and other birds nest on this little rock and good water depth allows Aurora to circumnavigate it and look at the birds up close.
11. Travel deeper
There is something extra exciting about being so up close with nature. Travelling silently, for example by feet or SUP board, has given us some very memorable experiences.
