It’s a half-hour boat ride from Ísafjördur, a town of 2,600 in northwestern Iceland, to the wildlife sanctuary of Vigur Island. This remote little world is home to 100,000 puffins, 10,000 eider ducks, arctic terns, Europe’s largest colony of black guillemot – and one human family.
Vigur and the port town of Ísafjördur are part of Iceland’s Westfjords, considered the coolest area in the country at sea level, and just 30 nautical miles south of the Arctic Circle. The boat trip takes visitors across the Ísafjaroardjúp fjord, which translates to “depth of the fjord of sea ice.”
The Seabourn Sojourn was docked a short distance from the center of town, the first time we didn’t need a tender to take us from ship to shore. Our Vigur Island tour meeting point was a red cottage by the harbor, and we waited with about ten others to board the boat while a group was unloading gear from an earlier trip.
It was a beautiful ride across the fjord, especially on such a crisp, clear afternoon. We sailed past hills and interesting-looking rock formations until a row of yellow and white buildings appeared in the distance, like an oasis of the seas. Soon we found ourselves on a dock heading to the shores of Vigur Island.
Beginning Our Tour
A young woman who works on the island greeted us, first delivering a bit of disappointing news: All the puffins had left the island for the season. When I told her we were grateful to have seen puffins two days earlier in Heimaey, she replied, “Oh, two days earlier you wouldn’t even have been able to get to Vigur. We had a huge storm that day.” Once again, no matter how thoughtful we are when planning our travels around weather, there is simply an incredible amount of luck involved.
Our guide led us along a wooden boardwalk with puffin nests on either side. She pointed out areas we could explore on our own and the nesting spots that were off-limits to visitors. Vigur Island has that remote, windswept feel that lets you know you’re far from anywhere.
We stopped in one of the buildings for a brief demonstration on how the farm collects down from the eider ducks’ nests. It’s a labor-intensive and ethical process that does not harm the ducks, our guide explained. During breeding, the female eider duck lines the nest with her own down, which workers gather by hand after the ducklings have hatched and left the nest. The down is then cleaned, dried and sterilized by hand and machine.
Scenes from Vigur Island
After the demonstration, Herb and I walked around the island, taking in the sights. In addition to wildlife, the island is home to Iceland’s only windmill and oldest seaworthy boat. It was feeding time for the eider ducks, who are given three meals a day. Our guide had told us that two of the more precocious ducks “knock” on the farmhouse door every morning when it’s time to eat!
Cake and Postcards
Before leaving, we were invited to the island’s café for home-baked rhubarb cake. The cake is officially known as Hjónabandssaela, or “happy marriage cake,” a traditional Icelandic rhubarb cake made with a Vigur twist.
Vigur Island also claims to have the smallest post office in Europe. I couldn’t resist mailing postcards to our family, especially with their official Vigur Island puffin stamp. Mail is picked up “every now and then.” Mine arrived yesterday…six weeks later!
Beautiful post! We were there in late July. Puffins, dive bombing birds, ducks…such a beautiful island! I posted on the RSSC page on Facebook. Here is the link to comments nd photos:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/RSSCsocialclub/permalink/23974120695602861/?
Jennifer, how wonderful that you were there before the puffins had left for the winter. Our guide told us about those dive bombing arctic terns, and although we didn’t experience it on the trail, we certainly got a preview of a mother protecting her wayward little one! Thanks so much for the link…I’m off to have a look!😊
How brave you all are to walk amongst dive-bombing birds! My thought reading your post, however, Mary, concerned the processing of the eider down. As children, we all had “eiderdowns” (which I think you may refer to as comforters) and in cold, non-centrally heated homes, these offered very welcome cosiness. I’m wondering if they really were made of “eider down” though, now I know a bit more about that valuable resource! Isn’t the landscape of Iceland exceptionally beautiful?!
I was confused about “eider down” vs “down,” too, Gill. From what we learned, it’s a specific type of down that comes from the eider duck and is different from a comforter that contains “down.” And yes, it’s quite a valuable resource! I really can’t take any credit for being brave because so many of the terns had left for the season. It’s one of those good news/bad news situations if you visit between late April and early August…more puffins to enjoy, but more protective mother terns to deal with!