Iceland - July 2017

Stephen, Julia and I spent 3 weeks camping and trekking in Iceland. The highlight of our adventure was a trip to Hornvik Bay; a 4 hour boat trip on the Greenland Straights to an uninhabited wilderness refuge (Hornstrandir). We camped for three days in the region, encountered 2 families of arctic fox and observed them as they made their living along the northern shores of Hornvik Bay. During the summer, the fox subsist on ground nesting birds, avian carrion, crabs, mussels and a variety of invertebrates.

Icelandic Ponies
Icelandic Ponies near Lake Myvatn in north Iceland.
iceland horses ponies
Somewhere in Iceland
With my Viking son and Icelandic daughter.
iceland snaefellsnes peninsula Svöðufoss family stephen julia
Genesis
Svöðufoss in west Iceland.
iceland snaefellsnes peninsula svöðufoss river waterfall
A Frame Shelter
An old A frame hut surrounded by tundra and tarns in west Iceland.
iceland snaefellsnes peninsula hut
Hiking at Hornstrandir Nature Reserve
iceland west fjords hiking hornstrandir hornvik bay
Caribou Antlers
A caribou antler monument erected on the hills surrounding Breiðdalsvík in south east Iceland.
iceland breiðdalsvík antlers caribou
Skalasnagi Lighthouse
A typical Icelandic orange colored lighthouse, Skalasnagi Lighthouse is situated on the crest of Saxholsbjarg Bird Cliffs on Snaefellsnes Peninsula in West Iceland.
iceland snaefellsnes peninsula lighthouse orange volcanic
Arctic Fox Kit
An Arctic Fox kit on the north shore of Hornvik Bay in northwest Iceland.
arctic fox vulpes lagopus canidae hornstrandir hornvik iceland kit mammal
Arctic Fox Kit
An Arctic Fox Kit on the north shore of Hornvik Bay in northwest Iceland.
arctic fox vulpes lagopus canidae hornstrandir hornvik iceland kit mammal
Icefields and Glaciers
Icefields surrounding Jökulsárlón in south Iceland.
iceland jökulsárlón glacier mountains
Icelandic Church
An Icelandic church situated beneath a glacier and adorned by endless meadows of Lupine, near Ólafsvík in West Iceland.
iceland snaefellsnes peninsula mountains glacier lupine
Black Beach
On a stormy afternoon near Vik in south Iceland, Black Beach, a black sky, and black water were all delineated from each other by sharply contrasting light and white surf creating a natural geometric landscape display.
iceland vik black beach ocean
Icelandic Home
A typical Icelandic home in West Fjords.
iceland west fjords homestead house
Ringed Plover
common ringed plover charadrius hiaticula bird wildlife
Below Svöðufoss
iceland snaefellsnes peninsula svöðufoss river waterfall
Icelandic Ponies
Icelandic Horses near Ólafsvík, Snaefellsnes Peninsula.
iceland horses ponies snaefellsnes peninsula olafsvík
Arctic Terns
Arctic Terns nest on the ground and ferociously protect their eggs and chicks when danger approaches. At times, I was literally attacked by hundreds of terns and had to retreat as they dived and screeched their displeasure at my presence. The Terns return from the shore with fish and eel for their young but as they approach their colony, other Terns try to steal their prey. They are beautiful birds; the cloudy skies white background enhance the elegant nature of the species.
iceland arctic tern bird wildlife
Arctic Fox
An arctic fox returning to her den with an avian carcass, north shore of Hornvik Bay in northwest Iceland. During the summer, coastal Icelandic Arctic Fox subsist on ground nesting birds, avian carrion, crabs, mussels and a variety of invertebrates.
arctic fox vulpes lagopus canidae hornstrandir hornvik iceland kit mammal
Arctic Fox Vixen and Kit
An Arctic Fox and Kit on the north shore of Hornvik Bay in northwest Iceland.
arctic fox vulpes lagopus canidae hornstrandir hornvik iceland kit mammal