Háey

Took a ride on ATVs around a glacial plain, onto the black sand beach and up through / around a glacial melt stream. Carl and Claire on one with Claire driving and Gail and Roger on another with Roger driving. Was a 2 hour ride with a few stops along the way. Nine total ATVs and we would stay on the “roads” and be single file following the guide. Of course the roads are just ATV trails - rough, rocky, full of muddy puddles and plenty of washboards.

The guide told us we would be driving mostly 30-40 km/hr (18-24mph) and that we should maintain about 30 feet of distance between each other. But, of course, if there were any laggards we would have to wait for them. As it turned out, Claire and Carl were right behind the guide and Gail/Roger 2nd in line. We had no trouble keeping up with the guide but it become clear in the first few minutes of the ride that many of the rest couldn’t handle it. We had to stop and wait after maybe 5 minutes for the laggards, some of whom were probably already a half mile behind. Many more stops followed. At our first scheduled stop on the black sand beach, I commented to the guide that we had some slowpokes. He said: yes, I wish I just had you first 2 pairs.

All in all though was a fun time. Saw the remnants of an old DC-3 that made an emergency landing there 50+ years ago. Not much left of it now. Traveled along an expansive black sand beach. Went through streams and puddles some of which had to be 18” deep. At one point we did get past 60 km/hr (36mph).

After the ATV ride, we took a little detour to see a glacier. Short hike out to it, but it had receded substantially the past few years, so we didn’t get all that close. There was a bride and groom (we presume) who were walking all the way out to the glacier for pictures.

Finally we stopped at the Reynisfjara beach with large basalt columns.Read more