The morning announcement came a bit earlier than advertised. A special sighting of a magnificent size drew many people to the outer decks and up to the bridge before 7:00 a.m. A large iceberg – later determined by glaciologist Andreas Alexander to have broken off from one of three tidewater glaciers of Greenland – arrived in Icelandic waters by means of ocean currents. We continued sailing to Isafjordur for an exciting afternoon of activities, including hikes, culture walks, and a bike tour.

As we pulled into the bustling port in Isafjordur, the first group set off for the bike tour. The spectacular scenery did not disappoint as we peddled through fields of blooming purple lupine. The scent of flowers and the sound of cliffside waterfalls made for a truly sensory experience. We rode through tunnels and around fallen boulders from landslides along the seaside cliffs until we arrived at the Heritage Museum where we learned about the age-old tradition of shark fishing in the waters between Iceland and Greenland.

On other tours, guests enjoyed a hike to a waterfall that ended at a local brewery near the ship, flower garden tours, and a tasting tour.

We boarded the ship once again to make it to Vigur, a special island with only three year-round inhabitants and a huge number of nesting seabirds in the spring and summer months. We ended the day with cake prepared with fresh rhubarb from the garden, and it was a truly sweet ending to a spectacular day.