Day 16 – Reykjavik Whale Watch and the Blue Lagoon

We were part of Group 1-Whale Watch Cruise this morning. As our bus passed the harbor, I pointed out a ship that looked very much like the ship that I sailed to Antarctica in Feburary/March. Looking closer, I saw that it was the SAME ship—Vavilov!
The Akedemik Vavilov was in Reyjavik! Such a small world. From our ship’s three levels for viewing. On the way out to the open ocean, we crusied by Puffin Island to see a large colony of Icelandic Puffins along the shore and in the air. Weather way dry but the seas were a bit rougher with the storm that had passed through yesterday. The first mishap was on the lower deck when a chair collapsed beneath one of our expeditioners and putting the passenger instantly on the floor. Thankfully, she sustained no apparent injuries. Her husband was the second incident, when a large wave upset his balance while standing directly behind his wife. He bounced back as well, and all were thankful that we had our own doctor aboard to assist. This couple is in their eighth decade, and still enjoying travel and life. Hopefully Don and I will still be traveling when we are that age. Not many whales to be seen. Most of the passengers were happy to see smooth waters of the bay on our way into the dock. Many ‘green’ sailors disembarked the whale watching vessel. We met the other group who had hiked in the Heidmork Nature Reserve at the Apotek Bar and Grill in Reykjavik for lunch. Back to the hotel to pickup our bathing suits, back in the bus, and we headed out to visit the famed Blue Lagoon. The huge man-made spa filled with natural warm water is set beside the geothermal plant and is a national landmark for both Icelanders and tourists. We bathed in the refreshing, warm, mineral-rich waters, applied the natural exfoliant by ladel supplied in large wooden boxes along the shore. We sat in the steamroom whose vapor is naturally supplied from the geothermal wells. In the evening we gathered for a festive farewell party at the hotel penthouse restaurant which included a traditional Icelandic meal.