Day 7 BackRoads Day 6-day at Sea

Because of the weather as explained in an earlier post, we had to turn back after Seydisfjordur.  The waves were quite rough until we passed the Western Fjords and the winds were then behind us.  So no pictures. I am placing some Iceland and Viking information here.

…”Chasing Ice” –(photographer)-excellent documentary about glaciers and their disappearance.

Mid-Atlantic Ridge-spreads 2.5 cm annually. The Earth crust cracked in 17 major rigid Tetanic plates. Earthquakes, volcanic activity, mountain building and oceanic trenches occur at the tetanic plate boundaries.

Iceland was formed by the emerged portion of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge shaped by a hot spot.

Mantle plumes are fixed at core at about 2900 km. The plate moves, but the plume is fixed. Iceland’s hot spot is under

Eyjafjallajokoll “Eyjaf”-island, “jalla” hill”, “jokoll”-glacier

30 volcanic systems in Iceland
Eyjafjὄll-erupted in 2010 and caused major air traffic problems.

Viking lore/culture:  Gods/Goddesses-Odin created the world-carries a spear, a raven and wolf are by his side. Oden rides Sheipuir-8-legged winged horse. It was a world of rivalries and conflict between Gods and Giants. Oden sent fire waves to take over the world. Only Lif & Lifprasir escape alive

Neolithic period-retreat of the glaciers, 12,000 years ago. Vikings from the Scandinavian countries explored and raided Iceland. Pagans-no interest in Christianity. Seafaring from 8-11 AD. Explored and expanded into State of Russia (founded Kiev), explored several rivers including Volga, Caspian and Black Sea. The Vikings often raided Christian Churches because they were wealthy and poorly defended.  Charlemagne forced Christianity  so many of the Viking raids were quests of revenge also.

Runes-chiseled into stone, runic alphabet has 24 letters. Latin was introduced in late 11th C and written for the first time in Iceland in the 13th C. 200 years of Viking terror was first recorded in June 798AD.

Erik the Red was born and raised in Iceland, but was banished for 3 years for a crime. He sailed to Greenland and returned after three years with 5,000 Vikings. His son, Leif Ericson, sailed on to Newfoundland around 1000 AD where there were vast forests.








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