Icelandic River Guides

Crossing the toe of the Tindfjallajökull, complete with crevasse and piles of black grit

A walk on Tindfjallajökull

 

We all manage to get out of bed before 9am this morning. Something of a record. Tom and I pack up whilst Andy writes his diary and has the mick taken. We drive up the Markarfljot canyon a bit and take another look at the impasse. It really is as bad as it looked yesterday. The whole problem is most frustrating but I don’t want to have to face a river wide pour-over in an overhanging section of canyon. There is a big drop at the top of the canyon, but that looks easy enough to portage.

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Crossing fords on the way to the Markarfljót

Up to the Markarfljót

Broke the 9am barrier this morning. I was up by 8:30, but Tom and Andy were still in bed at 9. We ate our meagre breakfast and had another go with the silicone sealant on the front of the Landrover. Got to try and keep the rain out some how. We drive back into town with the hope of finding a post office and a swimming pool. PO was open, but swimming pool was shut, so we had to leave in the smelly state we arrived.

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Last tin of tomatoes from week 1 & 2 food box, eaten in front of Burfell

Another day in Þjórsárdal

Chilly morning today and we get up in the drizzle. Going to Ytri Rangá again to meet our local friends and have a bit of a paddle together.

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Tom mucking about on the Ytri Ranga

Ytri Ranga

Up and away by 11am. Bothered by flies again at breakfast. Plan today is to meet our Icelandic friends at the put-in and run the Ytri Rangá together. The Ytri Rangá is a great looking clear water river with some easy grade III rapids a bit of a waterfall.

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View of Þjórsárdal and the Þjórsá from the top of Búrfell

Climbing Búrfell

Woke quite late this morning. The sun did not get us up at 3am and we did not fall out of bed in a terrible sweat. We are due to meet our Icelandic friends tomorrow (Saturday) at the Ytri Ranga, so we decide to stay in the area and walk up Búrfell, a 669m high mound in Þjórsárdal.

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Tom at the top of Dangleberry Drop, Hvitá

The Upper Hvitá

Two weeks into our Iceland River Expedition, and we are still alive. More calm this morning and another breakfast in the flies. We flap our arms about a lot and eventually manage to pack up our camp and head for the put-in for the upper section of the Hvitá. continue reading…

Tom and Andy playing Paddle Hac at the top of the Hvitá

Flat calm and another crack at the Hvitá

After all the wind yesterday, it is flat calm this morning and there are flies everywhere. We take the tent down fighting off the flies and eat breakfast in the Landrover. Tom cannot face frying the Pommes Maison, so it is warm reconstituted mashed potatoes for breakfast, yummy. continue reading…

Tom, getting a cheque for £20,000,000 on his 20th birthday

Tom’s 20th Birthday

I awoke this morning to a loud flapping. After a short interval, the tent outer flew off and Tom had to leap out of bed to recover it. The wind continued throughout breakfast and started to strengthen. Andy and I present Tom with his birthday present, a cheque for £20,000,000.

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Rob on the Pjorsa

Kayaking on the Þjórsá

Monday morning and we are up relatively early. We aim to paddle on the Þjórsá, Iceland’s longest river, which at our guess is flowing at over 800 cumecs.

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Icelandic approach to getting to the Hvitá

Surfing on the Hvitá

Stay in bed till 11am after such a late night. We head off to the Hvitá with our Icelandic friends in search of some fun simple white water. Hvitá translates as “White River” so perhaps we will be in luck.

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