Sea kayaking at last! It seems like I booked this trip so long ago and it’s finally here. Unfortunately, that means it’s also my last night in Iceland.
It was an early morning as the trip left the city at 9. We had a short ride to Hvalfjörður fjord where we were to kayak. As most of you know, sea kayaking was one of the big reasons that I chose this trip to Iceland over others. And I really, really wanted an opportunity to see some whales while I kayaked. But…I didn’t see any. Which is interesting, seeing as the name Hvalfjörður is derived from the large number of whales which could be found and caught there prior to the 1980s. And until then, one of the biggest whaling stations in Iceland was located in this fjord. But still…no whales. But the fjord was as breathtaking as the rest of Iceland has been. And it was fascinating to learn that during World War II, a naval base of the British and American navies could be found in this fjord because it offered them some protection. You could still see the remains of some of the buildings used during the war and our guide explained that there were submarines docked in the fjord during the war.
I had one of the same guides for this tour as I did for the Blue Ice tour on the glacier – Simmi. He and Rowan, a Brit who had a summer to kill, explained the trip and how to gear up. I’ve been kayaking before but this was my first time in a proper kayak with proper gear. We wore wetsuits and spray jackets and a flotation device as well as spray skirts – which is what straps you into the kayak. We were taught to paddle and spent a few minutes learning how to escape if we capsized. Yes, those were the words used. But I wasn’t scared! Ok, I was a little scared. You had to have the mind to figure out where your spray skirt was attached to the kayak while underwater in order to escape. Luckily, I didn’t capsize – although one of the men in our group did. Finally we were off.
We kayaked around the shore of this gorgeous fjord for about an hour. Mostly people were spread out so you couldn’t hear anything but the sound of the wind and your breath and your paddle hitting the water. It was very peaceful. And the weather turned out to be perfect. It was a bit windy but that only made the trip more exhausting and exhilarating. And a bit painful; my arms and shoulders are still screaming at me!
After an hour or so we stopped for lunch on a little beach and then headed back. All in all we kayaked for about 2 hours and it was as great as I’d hoped – except for the fact that I didn’t see any whales. I didn’t even see any fish unless you could the enormous jellyfish that we saw near the shore.
One of the guides, Rowan, had lived in New Zealand last year. I told him I was heading there for a 40th birthday trip next year and asked if he’d mind recommending some spots. He proceeded to draw a map of both the North and South islands, complete with where to go and what to do. He also completely changed my mind on what time of year to go. It was awesome! And it makes me even more excited for that trip!
Probably needless to say, by the time I got back to my room I was tired and very, very sore. I need a rest from this vacation! So I took a quick nap. I woke up at 5, however, and remembered that most of the non-tourist stores here in Reykjavik close at 6. I needed to get moving in order to purchase some artwork. I made my way down Laugavegur which is one of the main shopping streets in Reykjavik and found what I wanted in a store called Art 67. I had seen this store on my first day in Iceland and knew I’d find something incredible there. I bought a glass bowl and 2 glass candlestick holders from a local artist that will always remind me of this harsh, yet gorgeous place. The proprietor also helped me find a restaurant for my last night in the city. I told her I wanted something that had Scandinavian food, was frequented by locals, that had a good atmosphere and of course, good wine! She pointed me to Grillmarkadurinn.
Grillmarkadurinn literally translates to the Grill Market. It was the sassiest restaurants I’ve ever been to. It was hidden in an alleyway and I never would have found it without the recommendation. I sat at the grill bar, which is the bar surrounding the grill. It was fun to watch them grill the food. And all I ordered was fish soup and it was the best fish soup I’ve ever had. Filled with BIG chunks of lobster and shrimp and mussels. That the and (loaf!) of bread with it was more than enough for a small army and it was an absolutely perfect last dinner in Reykjavik.
