If there is a common thread that runs throughout this expedition, it is our guests’ desire to see puffins up close and personal. We have observed puffins throughout our journey, but today was the day when everyone’s dreams came true. We were in the town of Bakkagerdi, which is the home of a wonderful puffin colony, complete with a boardwalk to make visiting the puffins much easier. Puffins are not the only seabird you will find in a typical seabird colony, and today we were treated to close views of puffins, in addition to fulmars, kittiwakes, and a host of birds that make the cliffs of Bakkagerdi their home.
- Daily Expedition Reports
- 07 Jun 2025
Bakkagerdi, 6/7/2025, National Geographic Explorer
- Aboard the National Geographic Explorer
- Arctic
Steve Morello, Naturalist/Certified Photo Instructor
Steve Morello has had a long and colorful career in the natural history world. Born in New Jersey, he was lucky to be able to summer on the shores of Cape Cod. Whether it was exploring the tidal pools, snorkeling along the beach, or hiking in the dun...
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Fire and Ice: An 8-Day Sail Around Iceland
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6/15/2025
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It was a majestic day on National Geographic Explorer . We headed to the frontier of the east of Iceland to observe everything from ice chunks on black sand beaches to reindeers galloping across fields of green. The 4x4 off roading added adventure to the journey, and the falls took our breath away with their impeccable beauty. Even a quaint walk through town gave us a sense of tranquility. Guests enjoyed delicious traditional Icelandic hotdogs, which have been praised since the beginning of the voyage. The highlight of recap was a presentation from the undersea team. Their macro footage brought color and wonder to a gray day. Who knew so much beauty could be found in the depths of the fjords? To complement this exciting recap, kelp cocktails were on offer. As we ended the night, guests learned about Norse mythology during a lecture from Dorothee Hippel. It was another memorable day in Iceland.
6/14/2025
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National Geographic Explorer sailed into Borgarfjörður Eystri early in the morning, and fog was still covering the whole landscape. Fog is a specialty of the East Fjords of Iceland and can sometimes settle for days. But we were fortunate, and it lifted as the morning passed. We had a lot of activities planned, including hiking, mountain biking, and nature walks. We wandered the trails covered in Nootka lupine and wild native flowers. We observed many birds, like the golden plover, the whimbrel, and the black-tailed godwit. These birds landed on the trail repeatedly for us. As the morning went on, temperatures rose, and it became sunnier and sunnier! We took advantage of some free time in the afternoon with an opportunity to visit “Puffin Hill.” The boardwalk allowed us to get quite close to the puffins, and we could see them coming and going from their burrows with their beaks full of fish for their young pufflings. We also visited the lovely hamlet of Bakkagerði and enjoyed a tasting at the local brewery. It was an absolutely perfect day, filled with nature, wildlife, and meeting the locals.