Vestmannaeyjar
Information
Vestmannaeyjar (Westman Islands) consists of around 15 islands and 30 skerry's.
The southernmost island, Surtsey, was created during the longest historic eruption of the country in 1963 - 1967, and it is the youngest (newest) island in the world.
Heimaey is the largest island of them (13.4 km⊃2;) and the only one that is populated (around 4,500 inhabitants).
History
The Vestmannaeyjar was settled in about 874 AD, originally by escaped Irish slaves belonging to Norse settlers on the mainland. These settlers gave the islands their name, Ireland being west of mainland Scandinavia.
Since the settlement, no eruptions had been known to occur on the islands until 1963, when a new island, Surtsey, was formed by a four year eruption which began offshore about 20 km south-west of Heimaey.
During the Turkish invasion in 1627 was around 100 people hid in the cave Hundradmannahellir (100 men's cave) to avoid being kidnapped.
Nature
Westman Islands is the largest puffin colony in the world. Over 10 mil puffins live here. Around 30 types of birds lay eggs in Westman Islands.
There is a tradition about puffins. Every child collects baby puffins in the middle of September. At night "baby puffins" try to fly to the moon but they are disorrientated by the light of town. Children collect them and keep them at home over night and in the morning they choose good site where the birds have easy access to the sea, and then the birds are taken one by one and thrown high into the air.
The killer whale Keiko (Free Willy star) lived in a special made pen located in Klettsvík in Westman Islands from 1998 until 2002.
Geology
Vestmannaeyjar are quite young. The islands were all created by several volcanic eruptions originating on the seabed. Volcanic activity in the area probably started about 100-200 000 years ago.
At a depth of 10-30 km below this volcanic area, there is a magma chamber of molten lava which supplies the central volcanoes with raw materials.
Read more about the eruptions
How to get there
- by ferry Herjolfur from Thorlakshofn
- by flight from Reykjavik or Bakki airport
What to do there
- museums: The Aquarium and Natural Museum, The Folk Museum
- movies: Volcanic film show (only in summer time)
- sport activities: golf courses, soccer, handball, swimming pool, sport center, horse riding
- sightseeing: Viking tours
- restaurants, shops, ..