Visiting Vestmannaeyjar, Eldfell Volcano, and boat tours
Westman Islands, Iceland
Welcome to the Westman Islands — Iceland’s overlooked and undervalued gem! The islands were formed by a submarine volcanic eruption, leaving behind a fascinating history.
The largest island, Heimaey, has a population of 4,100+, most of whom live in the archipelago’s main town, Vestmannaeyjar. *The other islands are uninhabited, but six have single hunting cabins. (Scroll down to read more about these insane cabins.)
Vestmannaeyjar is also considered one of the largest puffin colonies in the world, as well as housing two new beluga whales (Little White and Little Gray) and rescued Cornish Seals that are part of the Sea Life Trust‘s Beluga Whale Sanctuary and Cornish Seal Sanctuary by the harbor. The sanctuary also houses rescued puffins and an aquarium called Gridarstadur Mjaldra. You can learn more about Sea Life Trust and their efforts here.
Interested in rescuing puffins and setting them free? It’s the experience of a lifetime! Read all about how to do it here.
Eldfell Volcanic Eruption, 1973
In 1973, Eldfell volcano erupted, destroying many buildings and forcing nearly the entire island of 5,000 to evacuate. The eruption went on for 6 months, covering the island in ash and raising the temperature of the sea water to 111 degrees Fahrenheit. About one-fifth of the town was destroyed before they could pump enough cold sea water in to stop the lava flow. (Check out The Atlantic‘s photo gallery here.)
Today, about 400 houses are still buried underneath the lava, with archaeologists nicknaming the island “Pompeii of the North”. See a map of how the eruption changed the island, plus learn more about this historic tale by clicking here.
Check out this rare footage and personal account of the eruption.
An entire museum, Eldheimar, has been built around the remains of one of the homes. With audio tour options, the museum is a must-see for those interested in the island’s history, the horrors of what happened that fateful day in 1973, what the evacuation efforts were like, and how the eruption has forever changed the island. There’s also a quaint little coffee shop on the second floor, where you can stop afterward and look out over the islands.
Surprisingly, the locals say the eruption actually made the bay better by increasing the protection from the open ocean — talk about a silver lining to a volcanic eruption!
STÓRHÖFÐI — THE WINDIEST SPOT IN EUROPE
Stórhöfði is a peninsula and the southernmost point of Heimaey. It is claimed to be the windiest place in Europe! The name means great cape but was renamed in 2015 to Svarthöfði (black cape), which is the Icelandic term for Darth Vader.
Stórhöfði is the location of one of the oldest lighthouses in Iceland, having operated since 1906. Here, there’s also a small bird-watching hut for puffin viewing about halfway up the hill to the summit.
Hunting Cabins On Uninhabited Islands
If you go on a boat tour through the Westman Islands, you’ll see these crazy, rugged little islands jutting up from the ocean, as well as the insane so-called “hunting cabins” built precariously on top of them. Our boat tour guide told us they were initially built back in the puffin-hunting days as posts, but today are used by locals for collecting eggs, tending to sheep (yes, there are sheep up there!), and occasional bird hunting.
Most common though, they are “man caves” where men go to drink with buddies. These cabins can be difficult to get to, as you must tie off your boat and climb up the cliff face (which is perhaps another reason why he says woman are not allowed). We were told they do have electricity up there, though we have to imagine it’s from a generator.
Westman Island Boat Tours
We did the recommended 1.5-hour round boat tour through a company called Boat Tours in Vestmannaeyjar, which we highly recommend. The boat was comfortable and could seat about 50, though in early September, we only had maybe 10 other riders with us.
Our guide — a built, knowledgeable, and friendly guy named Inge — told us all about history of the islands, settlement/viking sagas, the geological history, bird species, folklore and local traditions, the volcanic eruption, and more — all while adding his own humorous stories, jokes, and island tidbits.
The Miracle That Led To The Movie: Guðlaugur Friðþórsson
One such story — a modern-day true miracle! — is the reason why there is a bathtub on Heimaey Island: Guðlaugssund, a memorial to Guðlaugur Friðþórsson and the fishermen who perished in the cold Atlantic ocean on March 11, 1984. 
Watch the 2014 movie “The Deep” by Baltasar Kormákur, and you’ll see for yourself. It’s based on Guðlaugur‘s phenomenal story.
The tragic shipwreck
Late that night, Icelandic fisherman and modern-day Hercules Guðlaugur Friðþórsson (23 years old that fateful night) was aboard a boat, Hellisey VE-503, that had capsized and sunk east of Stórhöfði on Heimaey island.
The 5-man crew were all breadwinners of their families. Two of the five men died when the boat went under, but three survived and began swimming frantically in the miserable 6-degree water. 
Deck Officer Guðlaugur was the only man who survived the long swim through the frigid, angry North Atlantic Ocean. Despite being tossed about, he did not succumb to the waves, nor — incredibly — did his muscles seize up from hypothermia. 
The lights of Heimaey Island kept him swimming until he reached a tiny island off the mainland — but still, nobody came to his rescue. So onward he had to go! 
Westman Islands’ true Hercules
An astounding 5 hours later, he reached safety on Heimaey — after swimming 5.7 km or 3.5 miles! His story (and inherent toughness) was celebrated far and wide.
After coming to the United States to be studied (what superhuman could pull off that feat when no other man survived?), scientists did find something miraculous about Guðlaugur: his skin was literally thicker than the average man’s! That was what had kept him alive. He was a human anomaly. 
Now, a shelter has been built on that tiny island he first swam to, so should any other shipwrecked passengers make it there, they will find relief.
I think it’s safe to say — quite literally — that Icelanders are a thick-skinned people. May we all have that drive to keep going when the odds seem insurmountable; for we never know what kind of an anomaly we might be underneath it all. ♥️
While on the tour, we visited two sea caves, most interesting was Klettshellir, which is known for its marvelous acoustics. Inge even pulled the boat into the cave backward and played music from the boat to let us hear how it echoed.
Getting to Westman Islands From Iceland
You have two options to travel from the mainland Iceland to the Westman Islands: by sea or by air. You must either book a ferry ticket or buy a plane ticket. Our choice? Ferry.
Click here to see our top 5 reasons we recommend taking Herjólfur ferry from Landeyjahöfn to Vestmannaeyjar.
Need more information?
To learn more, see reviews, and gather excursion ideas, check out the official Westman Islands’ tourism website: www.visitwestmanislands.com. Here, you can find tours and special events, book accommodations, rent bikes or a car, and much more.
