Heimaey Island is the only island in the Westmann Islands group that is inhabited. There are currently about 4,300 residents on the island, down from the 5,300 that lived there before the 1973 eruption of the Eldfell volcano. Because of bad weather, the entire fishing fleet was in port, and was able to evacuate the entire island in just a few hours.
About 420 homes were destroyed by the lava flow, and the flow threatened to sweep into the island's harbor, which would have had a devastating impact on the island's ability to survive. What the islanders did, was to pump almost 2 billion gallons of cold sea water on the lava flow, and managed to stop the flow before it reached the harbor.
The island is also home to about 40% of the world's Puffin population.
:: The Puffins of Heimaey Island ::
Irridafoss waterfall on the way from Keflavik airport to the ferry for Heimaey island
An Eider Duck and Chick
The ferry to Heimaey Island
The port of Heimaey Island
If you get lost, follow the fish
Islanders like to paint pictures on the side of buildings
Eldfell volcano on the left, Helgafell on the right
Picture of pictures from the eruption of Eldfell
The remains of a house destroyed by the Eldfell volcano
Partial excavation of a house buried by the volcano
The lava field as it was flowing down to the harbor
Plants growing even in the lava field
Markers showing where houses stood before the volcano
A boat trip along the coast of the island
Thousands of nesting birds
Boat captain playing the sax to hear the acousics inside a cave