Reykjanesviti

Reykjanesviti, Iceland

We saw Reykjanesviti in the distance from a geothermal area. That first image I got from the parking lot of the geothermal area (Lindsey Marks got some great photos of the steam coming up from the Earth). It's Iceland's oldest lighthouse and marks landfall for Reykjavik and Keflavik. At this early point in the trip we were already running behind, and we very nearly left without taking a closer look.

"Well we might as well. We're right here." So we drove on the lighthouse road to the shoreline and were treated to an amazing cliffs and rough water situation.

As will be a running theme for the entire trip, the weather was shitty. Winds and intermittent rain. It was nearly impossible to keep my lens and camera dry long enough to take photos. The first thing we'd do every time we'd return to the car was wipe all the gear down.

At this shoreline the waves would rhythmically batter the rocks kicking seaspray up into the air. It was peaceful yet incredibly violent. A reminder why lighthouses like Reykjanesviti are needed.

I played with the color grading on this image a bit more than usual.

Waves crash the shoreline.

Reykjanesviti viewed from the gap in a rock.

Holmsberg Light

Holmsberg Light, Iceland

This lighthouse wasn't on our itinerary. In fact it's rarely on anyones itinerary. It was a lighthouse that Lindsey found when looking for sights between our destinations. Spots that might be interesting for a stop off. And this just happened to be the first place we stopped.

What I'll always remember is that we were just getting our feet wet in terms of driving in Iceland. I mean driving anywhere is always the same, but when you're driving in a different country there is a heightened sense of dread. The signs are all a little different. And even if you've studied what they mean, you'll doubt yourself the first couple times. Driving to Holmsberg Light we had our first transition from paved road to gravel road. At the time that was a shock. Here in the US, switching to a gravel or dirt road can often mean a private drive. So one starts to think of trespassing. Holmsberg Light is also near some industrial plants, and our GPS guided us towards some of their gatehouses.

But ahead we forged, eventually up a winding gravel road that ended with the view you see here.

As the trip went on, we found that we spent an equal amount of time on paved and gravel roads. Often driving 80/kph (50/mph) on the gravel roads like it was nothing. Holmsberg Light proved to be a first step acclimating to our new environment. From this point on we were better prepared for all the challenges we'd face including rain, sleet, snow, and near gale force winds.