Jokulsarlon (Part 1) - Thursday 2nd September

After a long drive we arrived at Jokulsarlon, a pro-glacial lagoon, just beyond Skaftafell (where they filmed a part of Die Another Day). We then ate our lunch and then ventured up the slope so we could get a better view of the Icebergs and Glaciers beyond.

After a few group photos with the icebergs behind us we went down to the shore of the lagoon. A lot of us journeyed down to the beach where some icebergs lay stranded.

The group that were left sat around on the shore looking for seals. Suddenly there was an almighty crunch and a large slab of ice broke away from the structure and the back sank raising the front end out of the water. Wow!

After we soaked up the lagoons natural beauty we piled back onto the coach and traveled to Skaftafell Park.

Amelia (Year 10)

Journey East - Thursday 2nd August

Apologies for those following this blog that we were unable to post any reports on 2nd September. There was no internet access in our hostel on that night. I shall add reports and pictures from the last two days of our trip as soon as I can but am limited tonight (3rd) as we wake at 3am tomorrow morning!

The journey along route 1 was really smooth (being a newly tarmaced road - the majority of raods leading off route 1 were invariably dirt tracks!) and apart from the clouds and rain following us along the coast we have had a fantastic two days as the pupils reports will highlight. We also saw lots of amazing sights from the coach as we travelled; from waterfalls plunging off towering escarpments to 11 mile wide glaciers; geothermal-powered greenhouses to various lava flows and awe-inspiring damage caused by glacial floodwaters to steel bridges! Unfortunately Hekla (an active volcano) was obscured by cloud and whilst we passed within 10 miles of Eyjafjallajokull, we couldn't see it since it remains under an ice cap.

Our hostel for our overnight stay on Thursday was quaint but comfy and had fantastic views. We are now back in our excellent hotel in Hafnarfjordur.

CP

Whale Watching - Wednesday 1st September

At 13:00 we left the Reykjavik harbour on a converted fishing boat, to set sail to see some whales. After a 45minute boat journey we were informed to look for Gannets (large seabirds) which feed on the same fish as the Minke Whales do, so after spotting the birds, we saw a whale. When the whales surface they create a still area of water called a footprint. Also, how arched their backs are when they surface, determines how deep they dive. They can hold their breath for up to 20 minutes at a time and can go much deeper than the bay which was only 30-40 meters deep. As the whales only surface for a few seconds, and with the tour guide constantly shouting different directions, the whales were pretty much impossible to get on camera. I thought that the best part of the whale watching trip was constantly trying to spot whales. Also the boat journey was great fun with everyone getting on really well having shared in a fantastic experience!

Aidan and Sam (Year 10)

[Minke Whale photo by Rachel]

Reykjavik Tour - Wednesday 1st September

After another great breakfast, we left the Hotel towards our first stop, which was the Presidential House. It was incredible how close we could go, and how open it was. There was a pretty funny story of a Japanese tourist group that got a little too close, i.e. Right up to the windows leading to the police being called; However, the tourists were long gone before the police arrived 20 minutes later! The grounds were amazing, and there was an interesting church situated in front of the house.

The main centre of Reykjavik was incredible! There was a central park area with seating area, not too far from the pond called Tjörnin (full of ducks, and other birds), a larger church, with interesting features, and the main city hall, where the politicians debate local issues. This was a very modern looking building, overlooking the pond. We were surprised at how small the square was and that the parliament was the size of a large house! The many art galleries, museums and interesting and quirky statues/sculptures we encountered showed what a cultural and very artistic city Reykjavik is.

Liam (Year 10)

Hveragerđl Geothermal Power Station - Tuesday 31st August

After an exciting, yet tiring day, we visited Hveragerđl Power Station for our final excursion. The power plant uses geothermal energy to produce 30% of Iceland’s total electricity supply, where as Hydroelectric power stations make up the remaining 70%.

As we entered the modern looking power station, we were greeted by our tour guide who conducted a brief presentation, explaining the aims of the power plants. By 2012, they are aiming to produce 300 mega watts, which is enough to supply the total population of Iceland with “green” electricity. Most of it will go into industry however, although the plant will supply the majority of hot water to Reykjavik!

After this we were shown upstairs, first to a diagram presentation of how the energy is produced… apparently on the biggest touch screen in Europe. After this we were shown further upstairs where we were shown some sounds of earthquakes in Iceland (in 1998, 2001, 2005 and 2008). After this we were shown the generators and steam extractors before our tour finished.

During the tour, we were told that, in Iceland, the water is treated with hydrogen sulphide, because there is too much oxygen in the water which causes corrosion in pipes. It also reduces the waters boiling level so that the water is more efficient. However even when treated, a smell remains which is similar to rotten eggs, this means that all of the hot water in Iceland smells of egg…: seriously, this is not good!

George and Ben (Year 10)

Keriđ Crater - Tuesday 31st August

After driving for about 45 minutes, we arrived at the site of the Keriđ Crater. The view from the top was pretty funky! It was filled with water at the bottom which we just wanted to jump into, it looked so blue, clear and inviting. We took a slippery and steep walk down to the base of the crater where Mr Pittam told us a few fandabbydosey facts about the fantastic crater, it was jolly good. We paused for a quick picture and just as we took it, it started to pour down with rain, so we made a quick exit, up the very steep path back to the comforting warmth of the coach. The Keriđ Crater was 55 metres from the summit to the bottom. It had last erupted 6500 years ago and the rain water had collected over years to form the lake, the depth of which varies between 7 and 14 metres due to the pressure changing in the underground volcanic system.

Ellie, Evie and Chloe (Year 9)

Geysir - Tuesday 31st August

One of the most exciting and explosive highlights of the day was the hot springs park. This is the only place in Europe where you can see geysers. In fact, it is home of the first geyser to be observed by scientists in Europe. They called it ‘Geysir’, hence their name geysers! Both Geysir and Litli Geysir are now inactive, however Strokkur erupts every 3-5 minutes, shooting water about 30m into the air. It is absolutely fantastic and a great photo opportunity if you can catch it, but it will make you jump if you’re not expecting it! In the same area you can also see other evidence of geothermal activity such as mini vents for boiling water, steaming fumeroles and hot springs such as Biesl which is vivid blue in colour. It was an all round crowd pleaser!

Amy and Rach (Year 10)