Jökulsárlón

The deepest lake in Iceland

The lake Jökulsárlón ( German " Glacier Lagoon ") is the largest and most famous of a number of glacial lakes in Iceland. It lies on the southern edge of Vatnajökull on the Breiðamerkursandur between Skaftafell National Park and Höfn. With 248 meters, it is the deepest lake in Iceland. Its area is about 18 km ². It is located in the municipality of Hornafjörður.

Description

The Jökulsárlón is known for floating on him icebergs that reach a height of up to 15 meters. They parted on the glacier tongue of Breiðamerkurjökull.

Often color differences in the icebergs are observed. The blue comes from different crystals forth in the ice and their reflection, the black volcanic ash.

On the shore of the lake there are numerous hiking trails. During the months of June and July, the Great Skuas ( Skua ) nesting near the glacier. Furthermore, there are Jökulsárlón seals.

Nearby there are two other glacial lakes, the much smaller and more remote Fjallsárlón, with smaller icebergs, and the Breiðárlón.

Geography

The short flow from this lake is called Jökulsá Breiðamerkursandi, as well as many other rivers in Iceland Jökulsá ( " glacial river " ) are called. It is spanned by a bridge of the ring road ( Hringvegur ), which partly runs right next to the lake. Because of the ocean surf and the associated erosion of the coast, the bridge and the banks of Jökulsá are heavily fortified.

Depending on the tide the flow of Jökulsá varies. You can also reversed, so that salt water flows into the lake from the sea, which prevents its freezing. In seaward directed flow icebergs in the lake are washed into the sea and partly deposited on the adjacent black basalt beach.

History

1975, the lake was about 7.9 square kilometers, but grew to 18 square kilometers due to the melt of the glacier on.

Trivia

The glacial lake has already served as a venue for major film productions such as James Bond - Die Another Day, James Bond 007 - In the face of death, Tomb Raider, Beowulf & Grendel and Batman Begins. Thus, vehicles can drive on the lake, the access was closed to the sea for the James Bond film, which led to a closed ice cover within 24 hours.