The Volcanic Eruption in Iceland
Words and Images by Rowan B, Glacier and Volcano Expeditions guide.
Last updated 13 September 2023.
Mind blown. That would be the easiest way to describe how we felt during our recent visit to the eruption that is occurring right now on the Reykjanes peninsula, Southwest Iceland.
We stood directly in front of magma that flowed up from deep inside the earth. We could feel the heat on our faces, hear the molten rock crackling and creaking as it moved, smell the gas from the vents and experience something that we had only ever dreamed about.
Most of our visit was spent gazing at the magma vent and watching the lava creep across the ground, however we also took the time to snap a self portrait :)
Having the opportunity to see lava bubbling up from a volcano is just incredible. With my zoom lens I was able to get up close to the action!
The lava was right in front of us, flowing across the grass. It was moving at about 30cm per minute and it moved just like wet concrete after being tipped from a wheelbarrow.
The lava flow increased throughout the night. It was mesmerising and we sat down and just stared at it, absolutely transfixed.
New land in rapid formation…
Throughout the night there were moderate rain showers. When the rain hit the lava the droplets made a hissing sound. As it rained the lava actually sounded like 1000 hissing snakes!
Grass vs lava, who will win this battle?!
A photographer’s dream!
It was nice to feel the warmth of the lava from a safe distance, however we made sure that we did not get too close. By too close I mean anywhere that we could actually risk falling into lava or where there were noxious gasses. Sulphur dioxide tends to lie in holes and low areas so it is best to keep to higher ground and be upwind of the gas sources.
Guðný and I understood that the eruption site is an unpredictable force of nature and it is potentially dangerous. We acknowledged the risks of visiting this area before we decided to take them with a very cautious and careful approach. Sulphur dioxide and other noxious gasses are likely to be present during volcanic eruptions and fortunately we were very lucky as there was a constant strong wind blowing toward the volcano that kept the heat and the gasses away which allowed us to approach. We gave the main magma vent a very wide berth and we consciously did not go unnecessarily close to the lava. As professional guides we are used to constantly assessing the natural conditions with regards to safety and therefore safety was at the forefront of our minds the entire time. The hike to and from the eruption side is long and challenging and there is great potential to become lost. Before setting out toward the volcano we checked the route on the map, added a satellite radio to our backpack in case of emergency and we used a GPS to track our route to navigate back to the car. We also wore solid hiking boots, rainproof clothing and took extra spare clothing layers including a down jacket to keep warm on the cold and windy night.
