Our first visit to Heimaey occurred in 2015 on a Crystal Symphony transatlantic crossing. On that day, we tendered to shore, walked around the town and lava fields and returned to the ship after a few hours. It was cold, rainy and dreary and we had no clue about the Island, its history or how some heroic folks saved their harbor. The most apt thing I could say about Heimaey on that day, was that there are pretty lavender flowers growing on the lava fields, the town is colorful and adorable and the Crystal crew served us hot bullion while we waited in the drizzle for our tender back to the ship. I’m really grateful that we returned to Heimaey on Endeavor. Our second visit began pretty much like the previous one…grey dreary skies and cold(ish) temps.
Our morning tour found us at the Eldheimar Museum. The museum’s sole focus is the 1973 volcanic eruption on Heimaey. The eruption began without warning in the middle of the night on January 24, 1973. It lasted for five months and destroyed over 400 homes. The entire Island was evacuated by boat in 6 hours…5300 folks. About 40% of these folks never returned. The focal point of the museum is a house that was covered in lava and ash for 40 years. It was excavated and the museum built around it.
After our museum visit we drove through Heimaey with a new appreciation of just what we were seeing. Here are some photos of homes that came within feet of being covered by lava. The lava field, now covered in vegetation buried so many homes.
We learned that about 200 folks stayed on Heimaey to try and save the harbor. Some cool scientist, Prof. Sigurgeirsson, carried out an experiment that indicated that the lava flow could be impeded by spraying it with sea water. Dredging and fishing boats were employed and a network of pipes was laid over the lava. This was done by a “suicide squad” of residents who braved low visibility due to the steam caused by the seawater hitting the lava. Although there were some serious burns, no one died and the harbor was saved, along with the most important fishing community in Iceland. Here’s another photo showing the advancement of the lava.
After the eruption, the residents used heat from the lava flows to provide hot water and generate electricity. I’m so glad we visited the museum and learned how the resourceful and resolute islanders saved their community.
