Heimaey

Heimaey (pronounced HAY-mah-ay or IPA2|ˈheɪmaeɪ) is the largest island (13.4 km² - 5.2 sq. miles) in the Vestmannaeyjar cluster, approximately 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) off the south coast of Iceland. It is the only island in Vestmannaeyjar that is populated, and currently there are around 4,500 inhabitants.

History

Oldest tales

In Landnáma it is said that when Ingólfur Arnarson, the first settler in Iceland had spent a winter at Ingólfshöfði, and went west in search of his "Öndvegissúlur" (somewhat like totem poles, that were ritualistically dumped into the sea and let float to shore. Where they came ashore, there the Viking in question would build his farm), and found upon Hjörleifshöfði his brother, Hjörleifur, dead and his slaves missing. Out at sea he could see boats going towards a small group of islands, and likewise he set off after them.

The slaves in question had been abducted from the north of Ireland, and were called westmen (Vestmenn), since Ireland was the most western part of the known world at that time (c.a. 840). The slaves came ashore in Heimaey and took shelter upon the mountains and anywhere else they thought they might be safe, but alas, Ingólfur slaughtered them all, unknowingly creating names for various places in the process—for example "Dufþekja", an area on Heimaklettur, Heimaey's highest mountain (283 m), is named after the slave Dufþakur, who is said to have thrown himself off Heimaklettur at that point—rather taking his own life than to let Ingólfur take it.

First settlers

The first person said to have built a farm in Heimaey was known as Herjólfur Bárðarson. He apparently built his farm in Herjólfsdalur (literally: Herjólf's valley). The ruins in Herjólfsdalur were excavated in 1971, and did much to unsettle the story of Herjólfur Bárðarson though.

"Turkish" invasion

The year 1627, three pirate ships from the Ottoman-controlled Barbary Coast raided many towns on the south coast of Iceland, most notably Grindavík and Vestmannaeyjar. In Grindavík townspeople could flee into the lava field of Reykjanes and hide indefinitely, however Heimaey, being so remote and secluded, was hit rather badly. Many heroic stories exist of the people who survived the invasion, most notably Guðríður Símonardóttir, better known as Tyrkja-Gudda (Turkish-Gudda), who was taken from her home at Stakkagerði on Heimaey to the slave market in Algeria. From there she bought her way back to Iceland through Tunisia, Italy and Denmark—Iceland was then under Danish rule. Upon returning to Iceland she married Icelandic poet Hallgrímur Pétursson, to whom Hallgrímskirkja in Reykjavík is honoured.

Eldfell

On 23 January 1973 at around one in the morning a volcanic eruption of the mountain Eldfell began on Heimaey. The ground on Heimaey started to quake and clefts began to form. The clefts grew up to 1600 meters in length, and soon lava began to erupt. Fissures erupted spraying lava in to the air. The ash was also blown out to sea. However later, the situation deteriorated; the fissures closed up and the eruption became one concentrated lava flow, which headed towards the harbour. Also the winds changed, and 1/2 a million cubic meteres of ash was blown on to the town. During the night the 5000 inhabitants of the island were evacuated, mostly by fishing boats, as almost the entire fishing fleet was in dock. The encroaching lava flow threatened to destroy the harbour that was the main source of livelihood for most of the town. the eruption lasted until the 3 july the same year. However, by constantly spraying the lava with cold seawater, some of it solidified and diverted the rest, saving the harbour from destruction. During the eruption, though, half of the town was crushed and the island grew a great deal. Heimaey was about 11.2 km² before the eruption but the "island" grew about 2.24 km², so the island became about 13.44 km² when the eruption finally stopped. Only one man died in the eruption.

Present day

Currently Vestmannaeyjar is the home to around 4,500 humans, two million puffins Fact|date=February 2007, and many millions of other birds.

The island is connected to the rest of Iceland by a ferry and Vestmannaeyjar Airport.

In popular culture

*Heimaey is mentioned in the song "Island" by American progressive-metal band Mastodon. The line is "Ice and fire, Settling down, Ocean Geysir, Gullfoss, Heimaey 73." This may refer to the eruption of Eldfell.

External links

* [http://www.vestmannaeyjar.is Vestmannaeyjar town council]
* [http://www.visitwestmanislands.com All you need to know about Westman Islands]
* [http://www.eyjafrettir.is local news paper]
* [http://www.eyjar.net local news paper]
* [http://www.heimaey.is/thumbnails.php?album=5 photos]
* [http://volcano.und.edu/vwdocs/volc_images/europe_west_asia/heimaey/heimaey.html the eruption]
* [http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/08/0812_020812_TVpuffin.html "Icelandic Kids Save Befuddled Puffins," National Geographic Today]