The first port stop on our Holland America cruise was Heimaey.  It is a tiny place so we had to take a tender to shore.  Apparently, it is generally a rough trip.  They started the tenders at 9am, but there were issues to due rough seas near the boat.  The tour we booked did not leave until 12:45, but we decided to go get tender tickets a little after 11.  It was a good thing we did! It took 35 minutes for our number to be called. The ride was quick though, maybe 10 minutes.  It did take them an extra five minutes to dock it though.  

The port area is not very big, but we couldn’t figure out where our bus would be waiting.  We stopped at a bakery and got something to snack on during the trip.  My cinnamon roll was delicious.  I liked that they put powered sugar on the top instead of icing.  It gave it a sweetness, but not super sweet.  It was messy though. 

We finally found the bus and, of course, it was right near where we disembarked.  We had to wait another 20 minutes because the first bus was full and the second was late.  Apparently the first tour was supposed to leave at 9 and it was over an hour late.  We still got the full tour, even if we started a bit late.  

As we drove to the first stop, our tour guide told us a story about some of the first settlers on the island and why it was called Westman.  One of the stories was about a man who took control of all the water for the village. His daughter would fill as many vessels as she could with water to give to the townspeople.  When she returned home a raven stole her shoe and she chased after it.  When she was away from her home, there was a rock avalanche that buried her home and killed her family.  They say it was Odin’s raven that saved her.  This is area where we first stopped.  They even have a replica home of what would have been there in that time period.  

As you can see, these mountains are immense. They make you feel very small. 

There was also a highly rated golf course in this valley.  It was about 55 degrees F outside and everyone was golfing. The guide said it was a beautiful day for golf. 

On the drive we also went by “Elephant Rock”.  It was closer than this picture demonstrates, but I couldn’t get a picture of it because we were on the other side of the bus.  It’s the island on the right.  The trunk is in the water and closer you can see the eye. We could not stop because the area is privately owned by the golf course. 

Our next stop was to see the puffins!  This cliffside is the nesting area for 20% of the puffin population.  They arrive in June to prepare their nests.  Puffins mate for life. They have one baby each year and they arrive in August.  

After they leave the nesting area, the puffins just hang out on the ocean for the rest of the year.  Many baby puffins can get confused when it is time to fly away due to the lights of the town, but they have a puffin center right by the docks and they make sure any puffins in trouble get help.  

Usually a bus tour will allow you about 15 minutes to watch the puffins.  Our guide gave us 30.  I was so happy.  It was awesome to see them up so close.  

They do this little hoppy jump to get around on the ground.  We could watch them disappear into their hole.  Many of them were always flying around.  

These birds look just as unreal as their pictures.  I loved every minute we had to watch them.  We were the last two people to get back on the bus (still on time). 

 The last volcanic eruption was sub marine in 1972.  A fissure opened and ended up destroying 600 homes.  The women, children, and elderly were evacuated, but a group of men stayed.  They managed to stop the lava flow into the port by putting sea water on the flow!  We stopped by the hill created from the fissure. 

We climbed up the hill, walking over the area where houses were buried in lava and ash.  

The views of the small town and the port were amazing. 

In the distance you can see the end of the lava flow.  

It is also right next to the other crater from 5,000 years ago.  

The driver drove us to the area where the lava flow stopped.  There is an old fish tank that was mostly over taken by the lava.  

You can also see where it stopped.  

There is a wooden church that was built in the traditional way. It’s on a wooden pedestal and the outside is covered with tar, which is why it is black. 

The inside even smells like wood. 

Heimaey was a really cool place to visit.  The island itself is only about 5 square miles, so it was quick to get around on the bus (although the bus was big for many roads).  This island is one of the only islands inhabited by people in a string of islands off the coast of Iceland.  They have a ferry that runs several times a day and many people that work there do not live on the island.  It definitely started a new obsession with puffins for me!