We met the luckiest man in the world today. Gisli Gislason is the helicopter pilot for Reykavik Helicopters who took us on a private volcano ride today. I can hardly come up for the words for this experience. AMAZING is one. We left from downtown Reykavik and flew (over the President’s house) to the Reykjanes peninsula. This is the southwestern arm of Iceland where the airport is, as well as the Blue Lagoon (more on that later) and the nexus of all of the last few year’s volcanic activity here. In fact, when Jo and Mark were in Iceland not 6 weeks ago, it was erupting. But sadly it stopped. For now. The entire area is a lava field, with active lava tubes underneath the town of Grindvik, which has resulted in the evacuation of the town, and compensation of the town’s citizens for their loss of home. The road to this area is also the road to the Blue Lagoon. It was covered in lava and had to be rebuilt/rerouted.
When we flew over this area, you could see the lava, but it was driving to the Blue Lagoon that impressed on me how deep the flow is. Easily 10-12feet deep. And football fields wide.
This was my first helicopter ride, and the weather, according to Gisli, was the best it had been all summer. Perfect blue skies, no wind, We circled the entire area, and the latest cone. There are several, actually. We could see the folks hiking up the mountain to get to the top. And then we got to land on the lava field of the 2021 eruption, which is still steaming with fumaroles and fissures abounding. So. Cool.
I am including a few pics, but since I am posting this from the airport, I don’t have my chip reader for all my pics.
Here is the kicker. Gisli said they monitor the area (of course) and can typically predict when there will be another eruption. Now predicted for about 4 weeks away. There is another active magma tube UNDER THE BLUE LAGOON, which is where it’s growing. But it was also the same lasst month, and let loose elsewhere. I tell you, I wouldn’t want to be there, for sure.
And did you know that the Blue Lagoon is the cooling pond for a power plant?
Comments
Post a Comment