North Shore of Minnesota or South Coast of Iceland? Basalt is basalt, right?

Dutch birders scan the sea from perfect perches of 5-sided columnar-jointed rock, a feature of slow-cooling lava flows.

Black sand meets white surf at Vik i Myrdal. This rare formation was likely created when lava flows poured directly into the cold ocean, fragmenting into tiny pieces. This beach was voted one of the World’s Top Ten Beaches by Island magazine…the only non-tropical beach to make the list.

Vik’s red-steepled church.

I almost lost my wife of 5-days at Vik i Myrdal. We were knocking around on the stunning black lava sand beach (photo above) when we saw a couple birders perched on the rocks looking seaward (photo above). I went to talk with them while Bridget decided to explore a narrow strip of beach hemmed in by cliff on one side and the North Atlantic on the other. I chatted with the hard-to-understand Dutch couple about birds, but it was obvious they were trying to tell me something else. I finally figured out that they were pointing to the sea where Bridget had gone, pantomiming to me—the idiot American—that every so often a big wave would break. I ran down the beach, only to see Bridget nearly swept out to sea by one of these “rogue waves.” The wave surge went all the way to the cliff and engulfed Bridget up to her waist. Thankfully she stayed on her feet and was not sucked out into the cold ocean. It was one of those moments that, after it’s over, you get a whole body shudder at the thought of what might have been.

Other than that frightening moment, Vik i Myrdal was a stunning place to visit (population 400 or so). We stayed at a guesthouse (most lodging choices in Iceland are guesthouses…hotels/motels are few and far between) above the town, with a view to the red-spired church (photo above). Hiking up to the top of the nearby Head wall is a huffing-puffing affair but a worthwhile effort—the scenery is spectacular. Also a great place to be eye-to-eye with flying Northern Fulmars and possibly even an Atlantic Puffin.

Most photos taken with Canon 10D and either Sigma 10-20mm or Canon 70-200mm f4