Strokkur erupts with a Geysir

Update July 2010: An excerpt from this blog post appeared in the "Iceland Highlights" color photo section of the Lonely Planet Iceland guide (7th edition). Hooray for me.




Moving on with Go Travel Iceland's Golden Circle tour led by Gummi, we eventually reached one of Iceland's most famous tourist attractions and the day trip's highlight - the geothermal fields in the Haukadalur valley to watch ol' faithful Geysir strut its stuff - shoot water and steam high up into the air in front of an appreciative crowd.

However, as it turns out, the much-typed star attraction Geysir (the mother of all geysers), once capable of erupting over 200 feet, is currently past its prime and now lies largely dormant. Reports say it had become clogged with rocks in attempts to induce eruptions.

Eyeing a couple of eager tourists traipsing about carelessly, Gummi cautioned us from ignoring the posted signs and ankle-high ropes cordoning off these hot springs - the prospect of a boiling hot shower isn't particularly appealing in case Geysir comes roaring to life to reclaim its former glory.

Happily, seizing the starring role in its place, the underrated-yet-oddly reliable Strokkur lay nearby to ensure visitors would not be disappointed. (In a way, the atmosphere was a bit like Disneyland).

That day there was quite a turnout - despite the freezing cold, tourists from big and small buses alike plying the Golden Circle route were on hand, cameras, video recorders, and IPhones held aloft, fingers poised to capture the perfect Kodak moment. Yes, staring at a huge hole in the ground CAN be an exciting experience.

I stood at the edge of the roped-off area counting down the five-minute interval between Strokkur's eruptions. (That IS quite prolific - imagine all the pressure, below and above the ground, to perform). To better operate my camera, I removed my gloves despite the bitter cold (ouch!) and kept my grip steady while intently observing the water slosh about Strokkur's hole, watching it swell just a tiny bit more each time, gathering momentum and inching closer to the inevitable gigantic climax.

And then - boom! It startled me - just like that, a huge pent-up release of water shot out of the ground, carried by the wind towards where I stood, dangerously close to drenching me with 100 degree celcius bath water. Somehow in the split-second that all this occurred I managed to press the shutter button that captured the gusher (pic above). In the end, regardless if Geysir or Strokkur played the lead role, I went back to the bus happy with the performance.

In case the embedded video below doesn't appear, check it out via this Youtube link. You can also check out more Iceland trip posts here.