Today started at 6:30 AM, we grabbed some breakfast and took a mad dash back to Jökuksárlón’s glacier bay. This day is solely focused around glaciers found around the Jökuksárlón area. Most of the day it was snowing quite heavy so we did not want to risk driving out too far once our tour was done.
We arrived shortly after 8 AM for our Crystal Ice Cave Tour. We booked with guidetoiceland.is for approximately 250 CAD each and our tour was called Iurie Belegurschi Photography Ice Caves. The main reason we booked with this tour company was timing. After reading multiple reviews from various tour companies we decided we wanted the earliest time slot possible to view the caves. Waking up and making the effort to get out to these caves was definitely worth it. Our tour was scheduled to start at 8:30 AM and while we got their just after 8 there were already multiple cars in the lot. Our tour guide and super jeep driver showed up shortly after. Yve and I were the second small group to enter the super jeep after a short and friendly introduction from our driver. We had talked with another small group while waiting. Some American lads who had camped the night out to get on the same tour. Unfortunately for them they did not make it onto the first jeep as it was full.
These super jeeps are large jeeps designed for off-roading and climbing the mountain and glaciers. Interestingly, you do not need a special license to drive one but you do need a special license for carrying passengers. Our destination was on Breiðamerkurjökull (a local glacier west of Jökuksárlón). While on the paved and gravel roads they keep the tires of the super jeep pumped to a healthy 25 PSI, but once on the mountain and glacier they drop their tires’ pressure down to 8 PSI. This allows for a better grip and smoother ride. All of this was done with a flip of a switch as they had automated pressure release and compressors in the jeep.
Now the ride up was quite bumpy and I am glad I didn’t eat much prior, as we were tossed to and fro inside the jeep. The routes change day to day and the drivers do not always know which way is the smoothest. After 20 minutes of climbing the mountain we reached the a bridging point for the glacier and mountain. Did I mention it was still snowing in nearly white out conditions? Well it was and our Icelandic driver just smiled with his sun glasses on as he explained how the ice caves are formed.
If you want to know (or else skip this paragraph), ice caves are created by run off water running through the glacier. In Iceland the glaciers sit at 0°C and Overtime these tunnels get bigger. During the winter months these tunnels are vacant because the water freezes (glacier temperatures reach below 0°C). In the summer months (or if there is long periods of rain) they are flooded and rendered unusable/unsafe.
Around 9 AM, we reached the entrance to the cave we parked 50 m away to put on crampons and helmets (both are mandatory). The glacier is exactly as one would expect almost entirely ice covered with a small amount of sand and rocks. The ice cave entrance looked like something from Hof from Starwars as the snow made it hard to make out. We followed our guide to the cave as he explained that we can not leave the cave entrance and we should follow him closely. He showed us a hole. 10m away from the entrance of the cave was a 3m deep hole that was 1m by 1m wide, created by water. Glaciers are a minefield of these holes and every year some poor souls fall into them and get stuck.
Entering the cave was stunning. Walls and ceilings of ice and the first 10 m had some gravel on the ground but after it was just ice. The ice was crystal clear near the entrance and you could make out air bubbles and rocks stuck in the ice. Deeper in the ice started to take on a blue hue and once you were 30m in the ice was a dark royal blue in some areas. The cave walls were not entirely uniform as there were waves and ripples that ran the length of the cave. Interestingly some holes in the ceiling where water entered.
In one spot water was dripping down and made for some interesting photos. The cave extended 60m and after the initial 40m the cave was too dark to see, so flashlights were used. As it narrowed the ice lost its luster and became opaque white. At the end of the cave was a pool of water blocking any advance into the darkness.
We were in the first jeep to come up for the day and we got the cave to our small group of 13 for under 10 minutes before the other group showed up. With 25 people in the cave there was still room to get wide open shots as seen but you really needed to act fast and understand your camera. By 9:30 another 2 jeeps came up and there were a about 60 people in the cave. We left at 10 and there were by far too many people for that small cave to hold and take any good shots.
When we exited the cave we followed our guide back to the jeep and we saw at least 8 jeeps outside. Apparently that number continues to climb daily too, as it is not just one tour company that uses that cave. Multiple tour companies use these caves and the overlap between companies create these crowded conditions on top of the glaciers. Yve and I found ourselves very satisfied with our crystal ice cave tour, but with that being said it would not have been worth 250$ if the cave was crowded. We were glad we woke up at 6:30 AM to be the first group who arrived if only for 30 minutes.
Once our tour was complete we took our time checking out Jökuksárlón’s Glacier Lagoon and not as popular Diamond Beach. Glacier Lagoon holds numerous icebergs in its vast bay. Since it was snowing today we couldn’t see the mountains across the bay. It was still interesting to watch the icebergs shift and look at the different hues of white and blue. After viewing Glacier Bay we quickly went into the Jökuksárlón’s Cafe were the sold souvenirs, sandwiches and drinks. You could also book the Ice Cave tour there with another company. The little cafe was packed with people waiting for their tour guides as most companies use the Cafe as a pickup spot.
Diamond Beach is just on the opposite side of the bridge spanning the lagoon and sits facing the ocean. It was here you could see stranded icebergs beached on shore or some even floating around. Once again the sand was black and contrasted strongly with any white ice left. Most of the chunks floating still had their blue hue or were crystal clear. As the waves pounded the icebergs some crashed into others or some just shifted around. It is fun to watch and a great opportunity to take pictures. Once again I found myself enjoying the smaller side attractions more then the major one for the area.
After our long day in the Jökuksárlón’s area, Yve and I had dinner at Hafnarbuðin, a local seafood restaurant. Yve had a lobster sandwich, while I had a 2 piece fish and chips. We shared both again and I found the lobster sandwich not as filling as I hoped. Meanwhile the fish and chips was probably one of the best non-beer battered fish I’ve had. once again the pink mystery salt showed up and was just as tasty as last time.
Tomorrow is another travel day. We drive through eastern Iceland stopping off in Egilsstaðir and make our way deeper into northern Iceland.
-Dan
P.S. Managed to do a little astrophotography tonight. It was super windy out so I didn’t want to stay out for too long. Drove probably only 15 minutes away to get away from enough light pollution. In Toronto I would have had to drive at least 2 hours to get the same effect.
YipYip 
Very exciting to see and hear about.
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