The White Falcon - 18.06.1971, Qupperneq 4

Westman Island adventure
The Westman Islands received
their greatest notoriety eight
years ago with the emergence of
Surtsey from the sea. Since that
time, they have enjoyed an ever
growing popularity that is well
deserved.
The largest island, Heimaey,
sports a town about the size of
Keflavik, an airport that places
the island withih a 15 - minute
flight from Reykjavik and a harbor
throughout its volcanic topogra-
phy. Other areas that dominate
the island's five-mile length in-
clude Blatindur, a former volcano
crater which shields a beautiful
camping area and a nine-hole golf
course whose greens, unencumbered
by either sheep or fish racks,can
be tough competition. Helgafell
is another volcano overlooking the
town. During the eruption of
Surtsey, local pranksters burned
old tires within the crater to
scare residents in believing ano-
ther eruption was starting.
Saturday morning, an 18-foot
boat takes visitors around the
island and into some spectacular
grottos, each with a distinct at-
mosphere that separates it from
the others. The boat also travels
to other nearby uninhabited is-
lands, where birds by the thou-
sands make their home along the
cliffs; the gannet, known as the
queen of the Atlantic; the puffin,
Story & photos by
QM2 John Getker
stocky and colorful and numerous
other species live in a cacophony
of nature.
The boat doesn't go to Surts
however. No boat does. It
forbidden to all but a few scie!
tists who are studying the growtfT
of life on the island. It is
close enough to observe though.
The Recreation Department is
sponsoring a tour to the Westman
Islands on the June 25 weekend
for $59 per person. The cost will
include the round trip transpor-
tation, hotel accomodations in
town, the Saturday boat ride and
a tour of the island. Golfing is
also available and there is a
dance on Saturday night.
mam
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