Sabin’s on the Sea 2023 - Day # 12 - Isafjordur, Iceland
by Nina Sabin - Travel Blog
Today I woke up to the excitement of having internet and fast speed at that. Before the cruise John looked into how we can get internet through our phone carrier as we travel. For only $10 a day we can have unlimited wifi. Then we can use a hotspot to connect other devices.
I don’t know how people can be unplugged for weeks, months, or years. Five days felt like an eternity to me.
Since it was pretty foggy, very chilly, and we have over thirteen hours at this small town; we decided to have a leisurely morning catching up with e-mail, social media, posting our blogs, and YouTube shorts.
We also were able to chat with our family and it felt great to hear their voices.
By 11:30 am, after a nice breakfast in our room and refreshed, we were ready to go outside. The sun was barely peaking through the clouds but we assumed this is what the weather is going to like for the day. The temperature was around 42 degrees and a little windy.
The port is still under construction, so we had to be careful walking directly off the ship. The good news is one can see the amazing views of Isafjordur from anywhere on the ship.
Isafjordur, Iceland is home to fewer than 3,000 residents. It is more than triple the size of the last two Greenland ports we went visited.
Isafjordur is a beautiful area separated from the mainland by a 30-foot-wide isthmus.
According to local legend this isthmus was formed by three trolls who wanted to live apart from humans. There is a flat part of the mountains that looks like a chair where the trolls sat.
This charming town is located on the Westfjords peninsula in northwest Iceland.
It is a short walk from the port to town. There visitors enjoy admiring the mountains that surround the town, a maritime museum which has a statue at the front honoring those fishermen who died at sea, and the colorful wooden houses that line the narrow streets.
There is also a nice hike up the mountain to get even better views. They call it the troll walk. Even on a cloudy day, the views are breathtaking.
There were stairs to the trail and the rocky terrain. We went as far as we felt comfortable, the trail became very steep and rocky. With my back and legs hurting and John’s knees we didn’t want to be the next one to be airlifted on a medical emergency.
Besides the high waking trail there were also others that lined the road as you walked beside the mountain.
From the mountain trail, we walked back through to town to the walkway that lined the water for more views that are hard to describe because they are so amazing.
The last part of exploring Isafjordur was enjoying traditional tastes of Westfjords. John had a local beer, Fossavatn Lager and I had a Prosecco. Then we received a platter with local lactose free cheese, sheep jerky, dried fish, local butter, and three different types of chocolate. John really enjoyed the sheep jerky and the beer. I found everything quite tasty, even the dried fish from Vestifiski.
Dolan Brugghus, the brewery where we had our flavors of Iceland, is right next to the port.
Just up the road from the brewery are whale bones and a fisherman museum.
10,650 steps and three hours later we were ready to go relax on the ship.
Our bodies were so sore and tired we decided to order a late lunch and enjoy the luxury of room service while still being able to look out the balcony and admire the views.
We still have three and a half hours till our ship departs. Since it stays light until after 11:00 we will be able to enjoy watching the ship leave port.
Tomorrow will be another sea day till our next port at Akureyri, Iceland. It is not very far from Isafjordur. The captain announced today that we will be cruising over the arctic circle and then cruising at seven knots along the fjords. This will be a great day for whale watching.
With our French Polynesian trip and this trip we can say we have just about been from pole to pole.