Kylie (14), Jeffrey (12), and their mom, Debbie, traveled from their home in Canada to Iceland. They report back on its unique geothermal wonders and wildlife.
By Kylie, Jeffrey, and Debbie R.
Iceland is an island located in the North Atlantic Ocean between Greenland and Norway. It has a population of 377,000 people and is home to many of the coolest natural wonders on Earth.
Is it noon or midnight?
In Iceland, the sun behaves in a unique way. During the summer months, the sun doesn’t really set, which means that Iceland experiences nearly 24 hours of daylight, known as midnight sun.
We enjoyed the long sunny days, as it gave us extra time to explore the magnificent surroundings. But when it was time to go to bed, we had to use blackout curtains and wear dark sleeping masks to trick our bodies and minds into believing it was time to sleep.
In the morning, when we woke up, it was already bright outside. In the winter months, the days are very short, with only a few hours of daylight, known as polar nights.
A geothermal wonderland!
We had the chance to watch geysers erupt every 6–8 minutes that sent hot, steaming jets of water 30 meters (about 100 feet) high into the air. There were active geysers and dormant ones, which don’t erupt, as well as hot springs and colorful mineral deposits.
We visited Natthagi, a valley formed by the eruption of the Fagradalsfjall volcano in 2021. The black hardened lava created unbelievable dark pathways throughout the lava field. We had a chance to touch the old lava.
Kerid Crater is a stunning volcanic crater lake, created thousands of years old. The bright colors of its slopes make it very beautiful and full of breathtaking views. The lake is approximately 55 meters deep, 170 meters wide, and 270 meters across, or about 180 feet deep, 560 feet wide, and 890 feet across.
It is made up of volcanic rock. Visitors can easily walk around the rim of the crater and even down to the lake’s edge to get closer to the water. It was formed when a cone volcano erupted and emptied its magma reserve. Without the magma to support it, the cone collapsed in on itself. Over time, it filled with groundwater, which is the lake we see today.
Puffins
Iceland is home to 8–10 million puffins, or 60% of all the Atlantic puffins in the world.
Puffins are great swimmers and use their wings to “fly” underwater to catch fish to eat. They have beautiful, colorful beaks, which resemble a mini rainbow.
In the summer months, puffins can be seen nesting on cliffs and making burrows for their eggs. Puffins spend the winter months out in the open sea, and when they return to their nesting area, the males arrive first to ensure the nest is cleaned out and prepared for the female’s arrival.
Both the mother and father puffins will work together to help feed and raise their young babies. We found the puffins to be curious birds, who were interested in our movements as much as we were fascinated with them. They were very active and a loud, lively colony of birds.
Kylie and Jeffrey also went horse riding. Image courtesy of the Richardson family.
Iceland has many more magnificent things to explore, including glaciers, the northern lights, and captivating volcanic landscapes.
Editor: David Brown
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