Experience Iceland ... at its icy best
NOBODY is ever going to look dignified in a flotation suit. But better to look undignified than to fall into Jökulsárlón without one. The water is just above freezing point, and the shock factor alone could be lethal.
For the most notable inhabitants of the lagoon, however, the water is a touch too warm. The icebergs that break off Iceland’s largest glacier face a slow melt, then eventual disappearance. But there are always more waiting to take their place.
It’s quite the spectacle, and it’s no coincidence Jökulsárlón is often used as a movie location, including for the Bond film Die Another Day. Our craft for the adventure to the glacier’s edge is a Zodiac rigid inflatable – small enough to get up close and manoeuvre, but exposed to the elements. Those massive, puffy flotation suits seem an even better idea now.
The icebergs are not placid beasts and a great deal of care has to be taken while weaving around them when one chunk of ice falls off. It’s not so much the piece falling off that’s the problem, but the unbalancing effect that it has. The distribution of weight changes, and the iceberg can suddenly flip. And when nine- tenths is under the water, that can be worrisome. Spotting the ones that have flipped recently is fairly easy: they have a lot of eerie blue colouring which is actually the standard colour – it’s only exposure to the outside air that turns them white.
Eventually the Zodiac pulls up next to the glacier wall. Not too close – this is the most dangerous part of the lake as chunks 600ft tall can break off. This time, nothing is breaking. But tomorrow, the lake will look totally different again.
Discover the World (discover-the-world. co.uk, 01737 886 131) offers a seven-night Essential Iceland adventure from £950pp.