The Icelandic Canadian - 01.09.1968, Síða 29

THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
27
4
was flown over Grimsey, an island
north of Iceland, and then over the
most northern tip of Iceland itself.
The midnight sun was observed as the
airplane crossed the Arctic Circle and
then the plane was lowered to bring it
as close to the icefields as was reason-
ably safe.
The ice floes, stretching north to
the horizon, had drifted close into the
deep bays of the north coast of Ice-
land and from the air presented the
appearance of a mass of perfectly flat
floes of ice, broken here and there
where the ocean water could be seen.
The ice floes, however, are not flat,
but somewhat rough (as above de-
scribed by the members of the party
who had walked on one of them).
Here and there where there was a
break in the ice which was diagonal
the clear glacier ice below could be
seen, and appeared to be about six
times the thickness of what was above
the surface of the ocean. (Actually ice
floats higher in salt than fresh water,
but the difference is not very much).
Judging by the thickness of the ice
one can imagine the drop in temper-
ature when there are large floes of ice
on the north shore of Iceland.
The low-flying trip over Iceland was
most fascinating. The cratered tops of
extinct volcanoes appeared as huge
bowls of hardened lava. The barren
wastelands of the inland plateau of
Iceland revealed very graphically how
little of Iceland is fit for cultivation.
All the more credit to the Icelandic
people for what they have accomplish-
ed.
Unfortunately there was mist above
Mt. Hecla so the craters at the top of
it could not be seen. The whole night
journey was in broad daylight and the
richly green “tun”, cultivated hayfields,
in the valleys, were such a refreshing
contrast to the interior.
Reykjavik was reached at 2:30 a.m.,
Sunday morning.
During the whole of the Inaugural
Flight excellent meals were served,
lavish refreshments, and most cour-
teous service rendered.
—W. J. Lindal
THE ICELANDIC AMERIC AN CLUB OF CHICAGO
The 10th anniversary of the Iceland-
ic American Club of Chicago was
celebrated in June at a gathering in
the Swedish Club in that city. Follow-
ing a dinner, club president Dr. Valur
Egilsson introduced Ivar Sigurd.sson
who outlined highlights of activities
during the club’s first 10 years. Guest
speaker was Dr. Richard Ringler, pro-
fessor of ancient Icelandic at the Uni-
versity of Wisconsin. Scrolls were
presented to three members, honoring
them for their efforts in promoting the
club. They were Thrainn Sigurdsson,
prime leader in formation of the club
and its president for the first three
years, Arni Helgason, consul of Iceland
in Chicago, and Rognvaldur Hovden,
manager of the Chicago office of Ice-
landic Airlines.