Hvalfjörður (Whale-fjord) is situated in west Iceland between Mosfellsbær and Akranes.
The fjord is approximately 30 km long and 5 km wide. It is around a 40 minute drive from downtown Reykjavík.
The name is derived from the large number of whales which could be found and caught here. The only whaling stations in Iceland is still located in this fjord. In the past the fjord also contained a large number of herring fisheries.
During World War II, a naval base of the British and American navies could be found in this fjord. One of the piers built by the United States Navy is today used by the Hvalur whaling company for the processing of fin whales, partially for the domestic market, but mostly for export to Japan.
Until the late 1990s, those travelling by car had to make a long detour of 62 km around the fjord on the hringvegur (road no.1), in order to get from the city of Reykjavík to the town of Borgarnes. In 1998, the tunnel Hvalfjarðargöngin, which shortens the trip considerably, was opened to public traffic. The tunnel is approximately 5,762 m in length, and cuts travel by car around the fjord by about an hour. The tunnel runs to a depth of 165 m below sea level.
The innermost part of the fjord shows an interesting mixture of volcanic mountains and green vegetation in summertime. At Botnsá i.e. lupins are to be seen, different sorts of other flowers and moss, as well as small forests of birchwood and conifers. The area displays a good example of the planting of forests, a project that has been going on in Iceland for some years.
A hiking trail to the formerly-highest waterfall in Iceland, Glymur, has its origin at the innermost end of the fjord. The area is also referenced in the novella, The Odd Saga of the American and a Curious Icelandic Flock; as they pull to a stop at the toll before Hvalfjörður. Tunnel, Alex begins to draw an important secret from an intoxicated Snorri.
I'm an pro landscape and nature photagrapher. I offer photo tours and photo guidance. I also publish photo books and usually have one photo exhibition every year were the subject is Icelandic landscape and nature. I started taking pictures 2007, first I bought Canon 400D and 2010 I upgraded to 50D. Spring 2012 I upgraded again my camera to 5D Mark III and again in autumn 2016 to 5DM4. I was living in the north part of Iceland, Skagafjörður where I was surrounded with beautiful nature and landscape for seven years, 2005-2012. I had my first exhibition in summer 2009 in Hofsós, Skagafjörður. Since then I have had several exhibitions alone or with others. In the spring 2011 I published a photobook; Light and Nature of Skagafjörður. Included with the photobook is a CD with my wife Alexandra Chernyshova. In December 2013 I published my second photobook "Light and Nature of North west". Now I live in Keflavik where I operate my photographic business - photo tours, photo guidance and publication.
