The White Falcon - 12.03.1999, Page 4

Hvalfjor3ur, or Whale Bay, is home to an abandoned WWII base, Iceland’s highest waterfall,
breathtaking panoramas, not to mention a variety of whales during the summer.
Making Tracks to Whale Bay
Story and photo by Karin W. Tramm
Where: Hvalfjdrciur (Whale Bay)
Getting There: From Akranes, follow
Highway 51 to Highway 1. Turn left towards
Borganes, then turn onto Highway 47 and follow
it around the fjord.
What to Take: 1,000 Kr. for the tunnel, cam-
era, picnic lunch
Hvalfjonlur means “whale fjord” and is home
to many species of whale during the summer
months, especially in August. The fjord is 30
kilometers long and 84 meters deep. Beautiful
scenery lies on both sides and the fjord is breath-
taking any time of year.
If you’ve taken the tunnel and are coming
from the direction of Akranes, after seven miles
you will pass Saurbaer, a church and parsonage,
on the right. Take a quick drive down and look
at the stained glass windows designed by artist
Gerdur Helgadottir.
Another mile down the road is an information
map at the Olis gas station. Continuing on
Highway 47, there are numerous black crescent
beaches edging the fjord.
You will soon see a number of quonset huts
on the left. These are part of Iceland’s only
whaling station, although it has not been in use
since 1989. Nearby are several large fuel tanks.
During WWII, this was the headquarters of the
U.S. Navy. Many ships, both military and com-
mercial, used this fjord as refuge from German
subs during the war. It is said that so many ships
crowded into this area that one could walk across
the fjord on their decks. Currently this area is a
NATO fuel facility.
Continuing to the back of the fjord, there is a
turn off on the left. Many birch bushes make this
area especially beautiful in fall. A small water-
fall can be seen here on the Botnsa river. This
river flows from far within the mountains.
Further up the river can be found another set of
falls, Glymer. Rising to 200 meters, it is the
highest waterfall in Iceland. The river winds
Page 4
around Hvalfell (whale mountain) and into
Hvalvatn (whale lake).
An Icelandic story tells of a man who was
transformed into a whale and killed many fisher-
men. A spell was cast on the whale and he was
forced to swim into Hvalfjdrciur. He continued
up the river and up the falls, Glymer, and at last
into the lake. It is said that whale bones have
been found in Hvalvatn. The lake is 160 meters
deep and the second deepest in Iceland. A trail
leads to the falls and the lake, but it takes a few
hours to make the trek in and back.
Back on Highway 47, you are soon heading
across the far end of the fjord and out again.
Look for the Fossa river and a pull off to the left
hand side of the road. If you are ready for a
snack or would just like to stretch your legs, this
is a great place to stop. A waterfall, Sjavarfoss,
flows right beside the road. Ruins of stone sheep
pens are right below in the meadow and can eas-
ily be explored. Be aware that the meadow area
can be rather marshy, so be sure to wear boots or
shoes you don’t mind getting wet. There are a
number of hiking trails on the hillside above,
details of which can be found on an information
map posted by the picnic area. On the hillside
you can also see many trees that have been
recently planted in an attempt to reforest the
area.
Just past the Fossa river on a point in the fjord,
you will see a rusty old pier. This is Hvitanes,
the site of an abandoned farm and WWII British
Navy headquarters. Some ruins remain in the
area. An overlook provides a picnic table and a
sweeping view of the fjord. Highway 47 curves
around and crosses the scenic Laxa River
(Salmon River). At different times of the year
fishermen can be seen trying their luck. This is
surely one of the most scenic rivers in Iceland.
Continue out of the fjord and meet Highway 1.
Drive back around Mt. Esja towards Reykjavik.
You will pass through Mosfellsbasr again and if
you have time, stop at the Alafoss outlet store
there. Once in Reykjavik, watch for signs for
Highway 41 to Keflavik and you’re on your way
back home.
lAfews You Can Use
Elementary School
• A.T. Mahan Elementary is
offering a Child Find Screening
Program. The community-wide pro-
gram is designed to identify
preschool children who may be
exhibiting developmental delays and
need early intervention. Screenings
will be held March 23 and 24. For
an appointment call ext. 3134 before
March 19, between 7:30 - noon. The
screening is not needed for entrance
to kindergarten.
Navv/Marine Corps
Relief Society and Air
Force Aid Society
• Air Operations and the
Organizational Maintenance
Division will host an aircraft wash
fund raiser today at 2 p.m. Votes
cost 25 cents and the 10 people with
the most votes wash the base P-3.
Chapel of Light
• The Chapel Wide Lenten Soup
Supper Potluck continues on
Wednesday’s at 6 p.m. in the Chapel
Fellowship Hall. Everyone is wel-
come to attend.
• Sonshine is coming! The
Chapel of Light is the place to be
this weekend. Sonshine ministries
is sponsoring six musicians to
brighten our lives by the shining
light of Christ in our community.
On Sunday, the 11 and 12:30
Services will be led by this ministry
team, featuring a variety of gospel
sounds and a powerful evangelistic
message. Sonshine also perform at
the S.A.L.T. Ministry cook-out
today at 5 p.m. at the chapel; tomor-
row afternoon at one at the Jr. and
Sr. High Youth’s cook-out at the
chapel; and at a special concert on
Sunday evening at six at the chapel.
To find out more call the chapel at
ext. 4111.
American Red Cross
• The American Red Cross will
be having a Community First Aid
and Safety class at the Wellness
Center on March 20, from 8 to 4
p.m. For more information call ext.
6255.
The University of
Oklahoma J
• Earn a graduate degree in
Human Relations in 14 to 16
months. You must enroll for the
next course, Seminar in Strategies of
Social Change, before March 22.
Call Jim Rail at ext. 2405 to start
your graduate degree now!
The White Falcon
March 12,1999