Grindavik, Iceland: Waiting for the volcano

The volcano near the small town of Grindavik, Iceland, is currently releasing a huge magma flow underground. No one can predict exactly where it will surface. Unfortunately, Grindavik is very threatened, and the inhabitants have been evacuated to safer locations. As of this morning they hope the eruption will be out to sea, but the people are still not allowed back home.

Our Visit to Grindavik 

In August, 2022, on the final day of our tour of Greenland and Iceland on the National Geographic Explorer, we took a bus tour of the area south of the Reykjavik airport before our flight back to the US. We spent a few hours in Grindavik: our schedule had featured a walk in the lava fields first, but we were stopped by the heaviest and most prolonged rainstorm I have ever seen!

Fish and chips, lobster soup, and a glass of water —
a good lunch before a long plane trip! That's why no alcohol for us.
The fish was fresh catch from the local fishing boats.

Adjacent to the restaurant dining room was an area where the fishermen were 
working on their nets.

We didn’t see the mountains because of the dark low cloud cover and the pelting rain.
This is the famous Blue Lagoon, which has also been closed because of the threat of volcanic eruption.
Some of our fellow passengers opted to bathe in the Blue Lagoon despite the weather: not us!

Grindavik is located on the Reykjanes peninsula near the Fagradalsfjall volcano (one of 33 active volcanos in Iceland). After eight centuries of dormancy, the volcano erupted in March 2021, August 2022, and July 2023, but these events were distant from populated areas. It’s hard to imagine how terrible it must be to have your home and entire town in such danger!

Photos © 2022 mae sander