Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
THE 1973 ERUPTION
Without warning, at 1.45am on 23 January 1973 a mighty explosion blasted through the
winter's night as a 1.5km-long volcanic fissure split the eastern side of the island. The
eruption area gradually became concentrated into a growing crater cone, which foun-
tained lava and ash into the sky.
Normally the island's fishing boats would have been out at sea, but a force-12 gale had
prevented them from sailing the previous afternoon. Now calm weather and a harbourful
of boats allowed all but two to three hundred of the island's 5273 inhabitants to be evacu-
ated to the mainland. Incredibly, there was just a single fatality (from toxic gases).
Over the next five months more than 30 million tonnes of lava poured over Heimaey,
destroying 360 houses and creating a brand-new mountain, the red cinder cone Eldfell.
One-third of the town was buried beneath the lava flow, and the island increased in size by
2.5 sq km.
As the eruption continued, advancing lava threatened to close the harbour and make
the evacuation permanent - without a fishing industry, there would have been little way
to survive on the island. In an attempt to slow down the inexorable flow of molten rock,
firefighters hosed the lava with over six million tonnes of cold sea water. The lava halted
just 175m short of the harbour mouth - actually improving the harbour by creating extra
shelter.
The islanders were billeted with friends and family on the mainland, watching the fire-
works and waiting to see if they could ever go home. Finally, the eruption finished, five
months after it started, at the end of June. Two-thirds of the islanders returned to face a
mighty clean-up operation.
The fantastic new
Eldheimar
museum gives a view into it all.
Sights & Activities
The island's sights cluster in the main village, on the point around Skalinn and then in the
fascinating fresh lava field and volcano, plus puffin viewing cliffs.
Pick up a copy of
Hiking High in Vermannaeyjar
or ask at the tourist office for a de-
tailed walking and cycling map of Heimaey. Walks through the lava fields, along puffin
nesting areas and on the island's western shores are particularly ethereal. The tourist office
has bicyle rental (two hours Ikr2700).
