Lögberg-Heimskringla - 27.11.1987, Síða 8

8-CENTENNIAL YEAR/ALDARAFMÆLISÁR, FÖSTUDAGUR 27, NÓVEMBER 1987
Drángey in the Skagafjörð
This is an island in the Skagafjörð
of Northern Iceland. The island can
now be reached by the speedboat
Vík, which came into service last
summer.
The island is an awesome rock for-
mation rising high above sea level,
with steep sides as described in one
article many years ago; there is real-
ly only one place where it is possible
to land a boat. To reach the top is
almost the equivalent of a mountain-
climbing feat. The paths that lead up-
wards are precipitous and in one lo-
cation there is a chain anchored to
the side of the cliff-like wall which
one is required to grasp onto while
climbing a steep path with the gap-
ing sea down below.
Why do people climb this inhospi-
table cliff-like island? Well, over the
centuries it was a source of food be-
cause of its large bird population and
also eggs to be had for the taking. It
was a source of sustenance when dif-
ficult weather conditions hampered
farm production and the fishing of
the ocean waters which surround
Iceland. It has often been referred to
as the lifebuoy of life for the people
in the communities in proximity to
Drángey.
Another reason is to visit the top of
the island where Grettir Ásmundsson
is said to have lived. Gréttir is the
main character in Grétti's Saga,
which is one of the well-known
Icelandic Sagas.
Grettir, having been declared an
outlaw, meant that if he did not leave
Iceland he was fair game to anyone
who did him in. In other words it was
not a crime to kill him. He chose to
stay in Iceland and that put him in
Accident preventions
With improved techniques and
progress in nursing methods, deaths
due to accidents have decreased
more and more. Seriously injured
people have been saved. As a result
the number of crippled people have
increased due to accidents. This fact
became evident at the National Con-
ference on Accident Preventjon.
While forewarnings are expensive, it
is evident that the government will
inherit costly maintenance outlays
within a few years due to the in-
crease in younger crippled people.
This became evident at the
conference.
Records show that accidents have
increased but deaths decreased
which indicates that the health serv-
ices are steadily saving more and
more accident victims from death,
according to Dr. Oladfur Olafsson,
Chief Medical Officer in Iceland. The
implications are that each year
preventable accidents will be 60 to 70
thousand each year, add one thou-
sand to the total annually. Cripples
are increasing so rapidly that it can
be expected that a serious proportion,
if not half, of those injured will be-
come cripples through accidents.
This is due to the many people of
young age who are injured by
preventable accidents and can be
kept alive for a great many years.
This is becoming a serious matter,
according to Dr. Ólafsson. He points
out the need to inform the public of
about the seriousness of this trend.
While the costs are a matter of con-
cern the suffering caused to the vic-
tims is very serious.
Among the increased accidents are
those caused through sports acci-
dents, but on the other hand deaths
due to drugs has decreased, accord-
ing to Ójafur. Deaths at sea and
drownings have decreased by more
than half during the last quarter cen-
tury. Again, he pointed out, consider-
ation has to be given to the annual ac-
cident rate of between 2 and 3 thou-
sand on the highways, although the
death total on the highways has
decreased.
He went on to point out the need
fcr intensive accident prevention,
even though there has been improve-
ment during recent years, and to
remember that the younger people
are not the least affected by this
problem.
Note: The foregoing is taken from an article
appearing in the Tímin of Reykjavík.
Last year during the spring when
Dr. Axelsson and his research team
from Iceland travelled through the
Interlake gathering physical data
amongst Icelanders, Dr. Ólafur Ólafs-
son paid a visit to Manitoba and Lög-
berg-Heimskringla was able to inter-
view him. His concern for the pre-
ventative aspects of health problems
Icelandair, re-equip fleet
According to TRAVELSCAN, a tra-
vel management letter from Den-
mark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and
Sweden, the following is a news item
in their Sept.-Oct. newsletter.
With three years of solid growth
behind it — 65% in its European serv-
ices alone — Icelandair plans to re-
equip its aging fleet of mostly
American-built aircraft, according to
President and CEO Sigurður Helga-
son. He predicts that demand wiil
continue to increase from Iceland to
Europe and says the company is
evaluating different aircraft that will
adequately handle demand. Those in-
clude the Airbus A320, Douglas
MD-80, Boeing 727-200 and 727-400.
As far as its U.S. routes are con-
cerned, Helgason says there are no
plans to replace the DC-8s used be-
tween Reykjavík and New York,
Boston, Chicago, Baltimore-Washing-
ton and Orlando.
the position of always having to be
on his guard. This caused hime to set-
tle on Drángey, where he lived at the
very top and the approach was by
way of a single path which he was
able to guard in company with his fel-
low beings, who shared life with him
at the time.
During recent times the attraction
of the island is mainly its remoteness
to access, to observe the bird life, and
visit this site featured in one of
Iceland's better known sagas.
In an article dated Sept. 15th in
Dagur, a daily published in Akurey-
ri, the writer describes the feeling
one gets on arrival at Drángey. The
large bird population and noises they
make is so intense that nowhere else
does one feel as close to nature. He
describes it as a feeling of being in a
large concert hall. Apparently parts
conference
was very evident. This reflects itself
again in the above excerpts from his
address to the recent national con-
ference of accident prevention in
Iceland.
In layman's terms the same warn-
ing can be expressed by saying, "You
have only one body during this life-
time, so look after it. It is not like a
car that can be straightened out,
welded and spraypainted in an Auto
body shop."
E.A.
Working To Keep Our Heritage Alive
CANADA ICELAND
FOUNDATION
SECRETARY: 1 - 204 - 772-8989
Mrs. S. Borga Jakobson
1145 Dominion St.
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3E 2P3
of the cliff overhangs and drops of
water are released. When one of
these drops land on your nose, the
first reaction is that a bird must have
let go in flight.
During a visit as an invited guest
to Iceland, the Western Icelandic
poet Stephan G. Stephansson was
taken out to the island and escorted
to the top, where Gréttir's abode was
alleged to have been located.
On your next visit to Iceland read
a couple of the sagas, memorize a few
of the highlights, quote one or two of
them and ask your host the signifi-
cance, and you will be rewarded with
a fairly lengthy explanation, or at
least words of appreciation for hav-
ing read some of the sagas. If you can
get by in Icelandic conversation do
not mention you read them in Eng-
lish, or if you tell them, that while
you read a couple of síories you
cheated and used the English
translation.
E.A.
Tallin & Kristjansson
Barristers and Soiicitors
501-55 Donald St.
Winnipeg, Manitoba
R3C 1L8
942-8171
CANADIAN FRÓN
Send membership fee of
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to
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Icelandic Canadian Frón
nresents
PETER EYVINDSON
children's author and story-teller
The Wish Wind
at our annual
Family Christmas Party
Other entertainment will include carols, dancing 'round the Christmas tree.
Delicious Icelandic treats will be served.
2:00 Sunday, December 6
at the First Lutheran Church 580 Victor St.
Join us — Everyone Welcome!
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