Flaxafloi Bay

Three more days passed since we left Arkranes and we have paddled hard in Flaxafloi area. Iceland continued to show the best weather we could wish for. The wind was playing hide and seek with us, sometimes blowing strongly from side to suddenly die only to appear in our faces. The low land with many sandy islands was replaced by cliffs.

Yesterday we landed in a village of Arnarstapi. It was a long day, and by the time we landed in the small harbour, moved the boats and had a quick look around it was quite late and we were just too tired. Then a man appeared, or rather, he arrived as we arrived and since we then put our boats next to his car, we had something to talk about. In the end we have asked whether he could give our bags a lift the 200 metres uphill to a place, where we thought we could pitch our tent. In the end, we ended up in his living room, and later in his summer house occupied by his sister. What’s more amazing, we got to have our first coffee and cake of the trip!

Arnarstapi is an amazing place, once a busy fishing place, now only has two people living here permanently through the winter. Þórkell Geir and Hafdýs who we were staying with as the weather was not paddleable. The village lies at the foot of two volcanos, Mt Stapafell and Sneafell, and has beautiful coastline full of stacks, basalt columns and arches and lava formations.

We also had to check the statue of Bardur, half human and half troll, who came to this area long longtime ago. He had several daughters with human wife. However the most significant fact for us was that one of his daughters, during a play, was accidentally pushed on a pack ice and sailed all the way to Greenland.