Stykkisholmur to Patreksfjordur , Westfjords - August 29, 2019

Not much of a night’s sleep;  but I’m up at 5:30 so as to leave the bathroom free for the other five people who all have to have breakfast and get to the ferry by 8:30!  That gives me time to do my yoga and pack and all that stuff and be at breakfast by 7:30.  WE get to meet and chat with the rest of the family that is sharing our floor.  They are from Catalan and everyone speaks several languages!  The kids are perhaps high school and college age and as charming as their parents.  The breakfast itself is what we’ve come to expect - hard-boiled eggs, tomatoes, cucumbers, cheese, two kinds of meat, several varieties of fresh bread, cereals, yogurt, coffee, and tea.  The milk is all lactose free!

After breakfast everyone scurries to get packed and into cars, so as to arrive in time to board the ferry.  We’re all queued up and the attendant takes our voucher with no problem.  Once the car is parked we go upstairs and head onto the deck for a few photos.  Our new friends join us and we take a few photos of each other, then realize it’s way too cold to stay outdoors!

The ride is two and a half hours long, with a brief stop at the island of Flately, were a few passengers disembark.  No cars are allowed on the island!

After nearly dozing off a few times, we arrive at the ferry port of Brjanslaekur.  There’s nothing else there!  And we’re off to explore the Westfjords.  We only have two objectives today, the Red Sand Beach, and the cliff at Lartarbjarg, which is famous for its birds.  Sounds like an easy day!  Well, except that most of the roads are gravel, which means our top speed won’t be much over 20 - 30 km/h!  Of course there are several stops along the way for waterfalls that are visible from the road, and whatever else catches our eye!  Like sheep, which are everywhere!

We wind up crossing the little peninsula five times during the day, each time including a substantial rise and fall.

The red sand beach is quite lovely;  but best viewed from above.  We do drive all the way to the end of the beach and then come back, retracing our steps so as to continue on to the bird cliff.  Have I mentioned that it’s really, really cold!  And at the cliff the wind is so fierce that I was a little afraid it would blow me off the steps!  Apparently it is past puffin season here, but there is quite a display being put on by the male shore birds, while the females call for food.  

Time to head for bed!  We only have one false turn before we find Stekkabol Gist.  We have a lovely room, access to a full kitchen, large dining room, free coffee from a wonder machine, and tea.  We drop our stuff and head to the kitchen to prepare black beans and rice for dinner, with wine and crackers.  Marilyn has a couple of Cuties and I have a Kind bar for dessert. I’m trying really hard not to think about the hurricane that is heading for Florida, and all the trouble it will cause Stu and Ole with me being away.  Stu wrote me yesterday to discuss plans and to assure me that they’ve got it all covered.  I feel so guilty! 

With any luck I can post this blog and be in bed by ten!!  

Oh yes - Marilyn started my day by singing Happy Birthday to me!