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Monday July 25, 2005
July 25 - Porlakshafn, Iceland - Today we spend the entire day visiting one of Iceland's ice caps, as well as an active Geysir and we will explore some of Iceland's spectacular countryside!
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JOURNAL ENTRIES
Monday July 25th
Geoff Green
Expedition Leader
Posted: 8.15 PM ET
Hello All,
Another unbelievable day! Its 1030pm Iceland time. (6:30 pm ET Ottawa). The ship tonight is just buzzing with excitement and energy. It started with our morning arrival to the fishing village of Olavsvik. We spotted our first whale, a Minke, at about 730 am just before dropping anchor. Then after breakfast our adventures began, the highlight of which was our trip up to the Snaefellsness Glacier! A 4x4 bus picked up our first group around 900am to take us up the winding dirt round leading up and up and up from the village.
As we ascended the fog got heavier and heavier until we were in the clouds and visibility was very poor. After about 30 minutes of driving through the fog, we arrived to the end of the road and disembarked to find a very barren, cold and misty landscape. But we were here to see a glacier, so our intrepid group began to climb. And climb we did, for about 1 ½ hours! We had to be careful to keep the group together with the cloudy conditions, and then just when we were beginning to wonder if we were going to reach the glacier, the sun broke through, the clouds opened, and there we were standing at 1200 metres, on the glacier with the most breahtaking view of the rugged Iceland coast stretching far below us. There was a moment of silence to allow us to totally absorb what we were seeing. Wow! Our group hug at the base of the mountain had paid off! For the next 45 minutes, our geologists and glacialogists Fritz, Eric, Ingrid and Peter conducted some classrooms on ice, and taught the students about glaciers, snow and ice. We were officially Students on Ice today! So many lessons, and moments and awe inspiring things. This is what we call the greatest classroom on earth. You could really see the kid's spirits coming to life today. The seeds of transformation, and a reconnection with Nature being planted. And so much more. We also visited the village, some of the students were invited to tour a fish plant, others explored a waterfall, and others examined the Iceland architecture. At the end of the day, there were a lot of red, happy faces.
This evening we were joined by the two newest members of our group, Justin Trudeau and Sophie Gregoire. At our recap and briefing after dinner we welcomed them aboard, and then celebrated our incredible day with stories, impressions and reflections...It was a great way to wrap up, and also say farewell to Iceland, because this evening we begin our journey to Greenland. It is hard to believe that we've already been here three days! Three days our group will certainly never forget, and a great start to our expedition. Iceland's national newspaper even came to interview us and take photos of our group as we were getting set to depart. Tomorrow morning look for lots of photos and more journals about today from the students!!! ... All the best to everyone following our journey.
Geoff Green
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JOURNAL ENTRIES ... Posted Tuesday 8:00 AM ET (photos bottom of page)
July 25th
This morning we stopped offshore of Olafsvik, a small fishing village here in Iceland. The plan was like yesterday's where the group splits in two to do different things. The first thing I did was get on a zodiac to get onto shore. We were going to go up to the top of the glacier, Snaefells-jokull. Apparently, this glacier is famous because it is the start of the hole to the center of the earth in Jules Verne's novel, The Journey to the Center of the Earth. Anyway, the trip to the base of the glacier was done in a 4 wheel drive bus. The surroundings once again were amazing. During the trip one of our educators mentioned a ram and a ewe (pronounce "you" for those of ewe who do not know). He then made the following joke. Why did the ram jump off the cliff? (sorry again for the morbidity). Because he didn't see the ewe-turn. Get it? Haha. Anyway we reached the base of the glacier and the "glacier manager" started running away. It's only been three days...we can't smell that bad!! After that we all got out, wore our rubber boots (they actually have a use) and started hiking in the snow and ice to get to the glacier. At our first stop we were all exhausted. I am training for my second degree black belt in Tae kwan do right now and my instructor got mad at me for going on this trip. He said that two weeks of no exercise would be horrible. No exercise? Yeah right. At the first stop we found out that it was another 60 minute hike to the top. We had a choice of going all the way or turning back. It was a unanimous decision to push forward. We made 2 or 3 stops on the way and at the first we got to see the Hawaiian in our group throw her first snowball. At this point, I realized I never threw a real snowball either. I have, however, thrown a clump of snow in some yet unnamed shape. So being deprived of this necessity, I picked up some snow and made a very nice snowball and chucked it into the middle of nowhere. I never saw it land because the mist was too heavy. Eventually, we got to our last stop but the mist was so heavy we were thinking of turning back. We just hiked a little over 1 km (no I don't think in kilometers, so it's about 2/3 of a mile). Just as we were about to turn, the sun shone and the mist cleared. "I can see clearly now, the [mist] is gone" "I can see all obstacles in my way..." What obstacles? We were above the clouds. Everywhere you looked you saw snow and ice. Nice and flat. We were on top of the glacier. We were in heaven. You might have noticed I say "we" a lot instead of "I". This is because this expedition is a team event. On the way up, we all knew it was a grueling hike and morale was low. We kept each others' spirits up and helped people from slipping down. A few of the chaperones started singing some song about the sun to cheer us up. We got to the top together. After looking at the heavenly view of the ocean, we headed back down because we were late for lunch. We got to skip out on the snow pit experiments because of time constraints. The two educators who were going to lead the experiment stayed behind to make the pits for the afternoon group. Poor guys. You lose all your energy on the hike up. Anyway, the trip back down was easier yet scary. We were always afraid that we were going to slip. Near the end some people decided to freeze their rear ends off by sliding down the rest of the way. The bus ride back to the zodiac was just as scenic of course. Once we were on the ship, we went for our late lunch. Luckily the kitchen staff was nice enough to keep it out for us. After lunch, we went to a lecture about the different whales in the Arctic. After this we boarded the zodiac once more to go into town. In town, we were lost. How were we supposed to know where everything was? Luckily a building with a big "i" was nearby. Gotta love the international sign for "information". There I waited as others in my group got information for the local ATM and phone. Olafsvik is a quaint little town. And as the Iceland tourism board says, "The way life is supposed to be". No wait, it's the way life SHOULD be. Life is filled with these little examples yet we are always afraid to follow them, regardless of what we say. Anyway, tonight we disembark for our two day journey to Greenland. Yo ho ho and a bottle of...water.
Ankur Gupta , San Jose, California
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My first things that I may have done and seen today are:
* Waking up at the excitement of seeing a whale, but I did not get to
see one :-(
* Visiting another town of Iceland
* Going to the first supermarket of Iceland
* Seeing a glacier and also climbing it
* Sliding down a glacier on my butt
* Seeing the most western part of Europe
Now the day is not over quite yet, so maybe I will see a whale also!
My day yesterday was great and so was today. Being on top of a glacier, over the clouds was amazing. Seeing snow again and feeling like I was home was also pretty nice. On the way to the glacier the scenery was beautiful. Most of the landscapes remind me of some kind of scene in a movie that Orlando
Bloom might play in.
Anyways here is a little entry from my journal that I have here:
"Today we went on the zodiac and being there looking at the landscapes, which was amazing, beautiful, unique and full of adventures, a thought came to my mind: I am in Iceland, the farthest I have ever been so far. I am in the North Atlantic Ocean looking for seals, birds and hopefully a whale. I am seeing a unique nature in this crazy world. Thinking of this, a little feeling of being afraid shot through me, and it came out as I sat there thought some more.
From that point on I knew I was now out of this crazy feeling shock. I am now seeing where I am going and where I am from. These last words make me think: living in such a big world and traveling it can change how you are. I now honestly feel that if I go back on the zodiac or anywhere that I am one with nature. I know that may sound cheesy or something, but it is how I feel."
Now that was my journal from the 24th, I thought it was pretty good. Anyways now the ship is leaving Iceland and moving on to Greenland I hope to see more whales there. We also had a lecture on whales this morning. I took most of the notes and drew a couple of pictures. Knowing more about them I would
like to see them.
Now this is a shot out to my mom. Hey today was great I wish I could share this with my voice to you, I know you are going to read this everyday to see what the group is up to. I want to send a post card to you in Greenland! Post card is the only way, since my phone card has expired hehe... I got some
great souvenirs for some of the family! Well O:nen kiwahe (See you again in Mohawk)
Victoria Ransom , Ahkwesahsne Ontario
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Aloha Everybody,
My name is Lisa Fox and I live in Hawaii, on the island of Oahu. Today (7/25) was a very exciting day for me. I had never seen snow before and today that all changed. (I will talk about that later)!!!!
Today went something like this. Everybody woke up at 7:15AM, we were supposed to wake up at 7:00AM but the wake-up call came late. After waking up we all had breakfast in the dining room, buffet style!!! The food on the ship is very good considering we are all out in the middle of the Arctic Ocean. Some of the food at breakfast included: bacon, sausage, fruit, pastries, juice, and many more things.
After breakfast we split up into our two groups (bus #1 and bus #2) and went on to our daily planned activities. My group (bus #1) went to climb a glacier first. The ship was parked in the middle of the ocean so we had to ride zodiacs in order to get on land. After all of bus #1 were on land we climbed into a bus and went on a 30 minute ride to the bottom of the glacier. Once arriving there we all put on our rubber boots (because we would be hiking in snow) and went on our way. The hike started out on lava rocks and eventually we got to snow. This was my very first time seeing snow so that was an amazing experience for me. The snow kind of reminded me of shaved ice (or snow cones), if felt as though I was walking on a bowl full of shaved ice, but with a twist, we were going uphill!!!
The hike was extremely long and I had to take at least 15 rest breaks but once we got to the top and saw the glacier I felt as though all that hiking and hard work was worth it (plus, it was keeping me in shape!!). At one of the stops on our way up Geoff (our expedition leader who knew I had never been in snow before) gave me a moment to shine. I got to make and throw my very first snowball with everybody watching; it was really cool. After I threw the snowball everybody started cheering and clapping so that made me feel really good. Hiking down the glacier was very fun, it seemed at least 10X shorter time than it took us to walk up (I think it took us more than 1.5 hours to walk up). On the way down we got to slide down the slopes on our butts; it was really fun.
After riding 30 minutes back to the shore and riding the zodiacs back onto the ship we all had lunch. After lunch it was time for bus #1 and bus #2 to switch activities. It was my group's turn to learn about whales of the Arctic and then explore the town we were anchored nearby. The whale lecture by Richard was really interesting. The most interesting fact I learned was that there are two different types of killer whales (even though they look the same). Some of them eat only fish and others eat only other mammals. The ones that eat other mammals are quieter than the ones that eat fish because it is easier to kill their food that way. Richard told us what these two groups are called but I forget their names.
After the lecture was over my group went to the town of the island we were anchored nearby (getting there by zodiac of course) and spent about 1.5 hours exploring the town and doing a little souvenir shopping. Souvenir shopping is really hard though because there are hardly any shops to shop at. After exploring the town for that hour and a half we returned to the ship and had some free time. I spent that time writing in my journal and hanging out with some of my new friends.
At 6:45pm we set sail again, at this present moment we are on our way to Greenland and leaving Iceland behind us. 48 hours at sea. We ate dinner at 7:30 and then came into the lecture hall to talk about our day. During this time we split up into groups and talked about our "wows" of this trip. Everybody had their own highlights so it was really cool to hear the variety of opinions. This whole day was extremely fulfilling and I can't wait to explore Greenland in the next couple of days.
 Lisa Fox (Hawaii)
P.S.
Hey Mom, Dad, Grandma, and Grandpa,
I miss you guys so much. Being homesick (and sometimes seasick) really made me realize how much you guys really mean to me. I love you and miss you and can't wait to see you all again on August 6.
Love Always,
Lisa
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I'm sitting in my lecture about whales right now. Funny thing is, I awoke at 7am this morning to an alarm about a Minke whale off the front bow! We are leaving this beautiful country of Iceland. I'm really going to miss it! The wonder and awe still is with me. I stood atop a volcano and looked out to see glaciers, rolling green hills, and islands all in one moment. I've made it to the top of a glacier and better yet, slid down it on my backside! I've seen exotic birds and whales and we still have 11 days to go! Expression of this magnificent creation is beyond me as I sit on the top deck watching for whales along the horizon. I look into nothingness, and yet I am able to see into eternity. This is what the whole world is made of! I'm among great and beautiful people and things as I absorb these influences like a sponge.
Mary Ann
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Hello, once again! This was our first full day on the ship and it was jammed packed! We docked at Heimaey Island near Iceland. As always the food was wonderful with everything you could imagine. After breakfast we had a lecture on puffins and field journals. We each got our own book/journal, pencil and ruler. We split into two groups and the first group went on a Zodiac tour, however we were in the second group which was going hiking. We hiked up a volcano taking temperatures at various spots. The first location was at the bottom of the volcano and the temperature was only 15.5ºC. In the middle of the volcano the temperature only went up 16ºC. However by the end of the long and intense hike we found the temperature to be 268ºC! People bring bread to bake on the top! The second group burnt the turkey thermometer (Yes we know we are on an all scientific excursion and we use a turkey thermometer!). The walk down was easy and we had some free time to go shopping! We got back on the ship, had lunch and then Geoff gave us a small information briefing on zodiacs. Group 2 (our group) got all dressed in the warmest clothes we had because we heard that it was going to be windy! We all hopped on the zodiac and went traveling through the Heimaey Islands. We went into caves, saw birds and other animals such as seals. The ride was over 2 hours long. By the end our butts were really soar! We then rushed into dinner, our ship sailed away from Heimaey. We then had a great lecture about ice and glaciers, had a few minutes of free time and then went to bed. Over all it was a great day with many activities!
Jessica Pietrusiak and Rebecca Cameron - Canadian Geographic winners
To Jessica's Friends and Family:
Mom, Dad and Amanda wow I am taking so many great pictures and I wish I had brought more chips! I miss you guys and this ship is kinda rocky. I am having some trouble but over all I am good. Last night I had to go to bed before dinner because I was feeling sick. It is much rockier than Hawaii. Well I love you all and miss you guys!
Friends- I miss you guys, Jess I hope you had a safe return from Italy! Everyone else I will see you guys when I get back home. Love you all
Jessica
To Rebecca's Friends and Family:
Hey everybody I am not sea-sick yet, but I could really use some more sleep and free time because the day is so jammed packed! I hope you guys are all doing great. Keep on reading these journals and don't worry if I miss a few journals as it is very busy with limited time to write. Love you lots,
Rebecca
To Amanda and Holly:
Me, You, Her, EW!
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Hello from Olasvik, Iceland!!
Today we have arrived in Olasvik, Iceland. Around 7:20am there was a sighting of Minke whales. It was an awesome experience. My name is Megan Pizzo-Lyall and I am from Taloyoak, Nunavut, Canada. So far the trip has been extraordinary. There is no real way that I can explain how much fun I am having. The first day was great, our group just started off with the 7 of us. We toured Ottawa, waiting for the rest of the group to join us. We saw the Parliament, the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami office and grabbed a bit to munch on. The friendships grew immediately. It is simply amazing to meet people from all across the world and learn about their lives and share the stories of your own.
When we got to Iceland, we went to the Blue Lagoon and had our own little spa morning topped off with the mud masks and steam room, it was so cool. After the Blue Lagoon, we were on the road again. I was so breath-taking that I literally couldn't keep my mouth shut. It reminded me so much of my own home; no trees, very flat, not HOT, and everyone's friendly faces.
Yesterday we got to the Westmann Islands and it was my first time in the zodiac boats, wow!! I'm used to going out onto the ocean, but being in the zodiac seeing so many different things was just spectacular. We are starting the day off with a lecture on the whales by Richard and later on tonight we will be going to Greenland, another place that will be new and exciting!
To my Mom and Dad; I miss you lots and can't wait to show you the pictures and tell you stories!! Love, Meg
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Today we sailed from Heimaey to Olavsvik, where we are currently anchored - yesterday was amazing! In the morning we hiked up an active volcano overlooking the town, past buried houses from the last eruption. It was foggy, desolate, and windswept, with red and black hills of lava and ash. I imagined it to be like Mars. On top of the volcano we measured the temperature near a vent - registering 270 degrees celsius a couple inches
down!
In the afternoon, we had a zodiac cruise around Heimaey island...the sun was out and everything sparkled. At the front of the zodiac i bounced around, as puffins paddled with their wings until hurriedly getting airborn. It was beautiful: caves, cliffs full of birds, and icelandic stories.
Today we just came back from a hike up the glacier overlooking the town. The fog was covering everything again. We hiked up through the fog, over
the snowfields, and finally got to the glacier. Magically, the fog slid aside, and the snow, ridge, and sea lit up. It was a moment to remember.
Alysia Garmulewicz , New Denver, BC
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It's overwhelming the way that Iceland triggers one's sense of surroundings. Standing at the peak of two volcanoes within a two day period really brings forth one's understanding of how lilliputian we really are compared to this gargantuan globe that we call 'earth'. Waking up today, similar to every morning, we had no idea what to expect; every turn we take has surprises waiting for us. Getting off the zodiac this morning after a brief yet detailed lecture on whales, we decided to take a walk around town. Most of the group wandered about the streets of Olavsvik, while a separate group walked along the shoreline looking for whales. This portion of our day proved to be both a natural and cultural experience; romantic in essence. However the memories of our morning were briskly swept away by the fogs of Snaefellsjökull as we trekked up its snowy slopes. The eeriness of the base only furthered our curiosities. It wasn't until we emerged from the clouds that we fully understood the true beauty of the fog flowing through the slopes of the surrounding mountains. It was at this very point when I fell in love with Iceland...for the nth time. We reached the glacial portion of the mountain and met up with our fellow Eric, Ingrid, and film crew who had spend their afternoon on top of the glacier. The snow hole being already dug, we quickly began the scientific portion of our hike. Using the apparatus provided, several students we able to participate in the snow layer analysis. The hole was dug to 90cm deep and consisted of three layers. Each layer was characteristically different due to the time given to metamorphose. Calculating the density of the ice/snow, we were as well able to determine the glaciers capacity for water up to a certain depth.
- Logan
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Hello Everybody!!!
Wow, what a day we had today! We started the morning off with an excellent breakfast and then zodiac group #2 (which I am in) loaded up in the zodiacs and made a landing at an Icelandic town named Olafsvik. It was so windy today that our hopes were beginning to die down as we stared into the dark and gloomy skies. However, I was awe-struck by the look of Olafsvik. There were so many beautifully coloured and architecturally amazing houses capping the mountainous landscape. I was actually a little confused at the fact that there were no Icelandic people in sight as my group of eight students and two chaperones strolled through the avenues with houses built on either side. I had heard from one of the chaperones that on Sundays it is common for people living in Iceland to sleep in until about one or two o'clock. (It is Monday though...so I don't know what happened this morning...) Since we often visit these towns early in the morning, this could probably be the reason why I didn't have the opportunity to communicate with and meet an Icelandic
person.
In the afternoon, zodiac group #2 made a shore landing and then boarded a bus that took us on a twenty-five minute ride to a glacier near Olafsvik. We actually climbed this mountain...or a couple mountains to be honest. It was a pretty tough hike - comparable to that of the Deception Island hike in Antarctica this past Christmas. It was absolutely amazing though, and it was worth all the work to get to the top so that we could walk on the glacier!!! I have never walked on a glacier before or seen crevasses, and it was so exhilarating! It was also extremely hot, and luckily we all brought our Students on Ice water bottles (which were sponsored by a company called BFI Canada) with us to keep hydrated. We got back to the ship after about three hours of climbing up and then sliding down, and it was great to have dinner waiting for us.
Anyways, we are in a briefing right now and I am typing away on the computer trying to write to you. We are going to go out on the deck to do some whale watching hopefully before bed and I can't wait. Sitting out on the deck staring into the distance is one of my favourite parts of the expedition. Just sitting there with ocean and mountains and glaciers all around makes you reflect on where you are at the present moment and your feelings about the expedition.
I will write again tomorrow hopefully so I'll talk to you soon! Stay cool...(literally and literally...because I know I sure am.)
- Kelsi Prince -
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