Atlantica - 01.06.2004, Page 32

30 A T L A N T I C A
mammal, the blue whale. Sightings are
not guaranteed, but the blue whale is
prominent off the western peninsula, as
are the orca, minke and humpback
whales.
From Ólafsvík, drive to the storied
hamlet known as Stykkishólmur. For cen-
turies, Stykkishólmur, a major fishing
port, has been at the centre of the
Breidafjördur area. Many of the old
homes once occupied by traders and
merchants at the close of the 19th cen-
tury have been restored. Today, the
small village features these quaint hous-
es, as well as local handicrafts and a
convent and Catholic church built by the
sisters of St. Francis back in 1936. The
look of the village can, occasionally,
make a visit to Stykkishólmur into a trip
back in time.
BLACK STONES
Time to drive on HWY 574, which wraps
around the western tip of the lava-
scarred peninsula, meandering along
the southern seashore to Djúpalóns-
sandur beach, one of the most revered
Power peninsula
Thúfubjarg cliffs. The area is home to thousands of sea birds.
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