More tephra and horses, and a trip to Grettir's Pool
On Monday, a group of us hiked to a farm where they'd previously found a really nice tephra sequence because we wanted to take samples. This hike involved driving down a winding dirt road, taking our boots off to wade through streams four seperate times, sliding under a fence on our backs, and not eating lunch till 3:30. We dug two big holes and made lots of tiny holes, and saw the most beautiful tephra sequence ever, and took samples and refilled the big holes. And saw a completely gorgeous waterfall. We used my cheap GPS as backup to help find the place.
It was awesome.
Because Monday was the most gorgeous day yet in a summer of more gorgeous days than all previous field seasons combined, after dinner went to to Grettir's Pool. Grettir's Pool is two small stone-lined hot springs right next to the Artic Ocean (or the North Atlantic or Skagafjord, depending on who you ask). It features prominently in the Saga of Grettir the Strong. We sat in the pool and drank malt soda and had a dramatic reading of one chapter of the saga, and then we jumped in the Arctic Ocean. And then got back in the spring. And then I jumped in the Arctic Ocean again.
You step onto a rock in the Arctic Ocean, and it's very very cold, and then you step two feet down onto another rock, and it's freezing, and then you duck your head under and when you come back up you just shriek with joy, and I can't explain it, but it's amazing.
Iceland is so cool.
On Tuesday we finished soils core at one of the farms we started last week. I correctly identified a turf wall in a core sample! I'm getting good at this! (I don't know what I'm going to do when I get back to American archaeology and there's no tephra.) I really like reading tephra. I'm starting to vaguely think of ways I could get a thesis out of this stuff.
Today we finished all the coring we need to do on one farm, and dug another big hole. Tomorrow we start a new farm!
I haven't taken and pictures since Monday, because we've been in the same places as before.
We get two days off this weekend. I think I'm going to reserve a car and drive whoever wants to go to Myvotn (where there is awesome geology), and then do something a little bit closer for the second day. Next weekend is a three-day and I think a bunch of us will head to the Rekjavik area. Then for the rest of the summer we only get one-days ... we might also take a day trip either rafting, or to Grimsey, an island that spans the Arctic Circle.
I've put in an order for stamps, so maybe I'll get some postcards sent eventually.
PICTURES!
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
melsmarsh requested horse pictures, and I provide:
Here's a picture of thufers with moss growing on them, where you can really see their structure and height:
(We were in thuvers today that came up to my thighs.)
This is the stream we forded:
The sheep decided we weren't worth their time:
This tephra is beautiful:
This picture makes me think of the Sound of Music:
Here's the waterfall:
This is an Icelandic bog/wetlands. When it gets a little drier, turf for building is harvested from places like this.
Today we came upon one that had been harvested historically. It was like a small dessicated patch in the middle of vibrant thuvers. Very strange. But I didn't have a camera along.
The visibility here is deceptive. You can see incredible far, but you can also suddenly turn a corner or crest a hill and see something amazing that you never knew was there - like with our waterfall the other day, and Seyla, our main site, is completely invisible from the road.
Grettir's Pool is by the leftmost side of the rocky wall (it's not the blue pool, that's an inlet from the ocean). The big island is Drengey, which also features in Grettir's Saga. It is home to many puffins. To get into the ocean, you climb over the stone wall.
Here's our group in the pool:
If I can get it from someone else's camera I'll post a picture of me in the Arctic Ocean.
Inlet by Grettir's Pool. You can see the inland part of the fjord in the far distance.
Big hill by Grettir's Pool. We parked where you see all the cars. That was one long, cold, invigorating walk!
Wall art at the butcher (.. I think) on the way into Sautharkrokur. I love it.
It was awesome.
Because Monday was the most gorgeous day yet in a summer of more gorgeous days than all previous field seasons combined, after dinner went to to Grettir's Pool. Grettir's Pool is two small stone-lined hot springs right next to the Artic Ocean (or the North Atlantic or Skagafjord, depending on who you ask). It features prominently in the Saga of Grettir the Strong. We sat in the pool and drank malt soda and had a dramatic reading of one chapter of the saga, and then we jumped in the Arctic Ocean. And then got back in the spring. And then I jumped in the Arctic Ocean again.
You step onto a rock in the Arctic Ocean, and it's very very cold, and then you step two feet down onto another rock, and it's freezing, and then you duck your head under and when you come back up you just shriek with joy, and I can't explain it, but it's amazing.
Iceland is so cool.
On Tuesday we finished soils core at one of the farms we started last week. I correctly identified a turf wall in a core sample! I'm getting good at this! (I don't know what I'm going to do when I get back to American archaeology and there's no tephra.) I really like reading tephra. I'm starting to vaguely think of ways I could get a thesis out of this stuff.
Today we finished all the coring we need to do on one farm, and dug another big hole. Tomorrow we start a new farm!
I haven't taken and pictures since Monday, because we've been in the same places as before.
We get two days off this weekend. I think I'm going to reserve a car and drive whoever wants to go to Myvotn (where there is awesome geology), and then do something a little bit closer for the second day. Next weekend is a three-day and I think a bunch of us will head to the Rekjavik area. Then for the rest of the summer we only get one-days ... we might also take a day trip either rafting, or to Grimsey, an island that spans the Arctic Circle.
I've put in an order for stamps, so maybe I'll get some postcards sent eventually.
PICTURES!
melsmarsh requested horse pictures, and I provide: Here's a picture of thufers with moss growing on them, where you can really see their structure and height:
(We were in thuvers today that came up to my thighs.)
This is the stream we forded:
The sheep decided we weren't worth their time:
This tephra is beautiful:
This picture makes me think of the Sound of Music:
Here's the waterfall:
This is an Icelandic bog/wetlands. When it gets a little drier, turf for building is harvested from places like this.
Today we came upon one that had been harvested historically. It was like a small dessicated patch in the middle of vibrant thuvers. Very strange. But I didn't have a camera along.
The visibility here is deceptive. You can see incredible far, but you can also suddenly turn a corner or crest a hill and see something amazing that you never knew was there - like with our waterfall the other day, and Seyla, our main site, is completely invisible from the road.
Grettir's Pool is by the leftmost side of the rocky wall (it's not the blue pool, that's an inlet from the ocean). The big island is Drengey, which also features in Grettir's Saga. It is home to many puffins. To get into the ocean, you climb over the stone wall.
Here's our group in the pool:
If I can get it from someone else's camera I'll post a picture of me in the Arctic Ocean.
Inlet by Grettir's Pool. You can see the inland part of the fjord in the far distance.
Big hill by Grettir's Pool. We parked where you see all the cars. That was one long, cold, invigorating walk!
Wall art at the butcher (.. I think) on the way into Sautharkrokur. I love it.
no subject
I see what you mean about the tephra. It's pretty, but I can also see why you might feel you're playing on easy mode. ;)
~D
no subject
Yeah, this is really not like archaeology anywhere else in the world, but it's incredible!
no subject
Also: Waterfaaalls. *grabby hands*
/predictable
no subject
I think I'm going to at least one more waterfall this weekend, so I'll try to take you more pictures!
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject