Puffins, Arctic Circles, and Icelandic Folk Tunes

Crossing Into the Arctic Circle

This morning we arrived at Grímsey Island, docking just after 7:30am. Grímsey is famous for being the only part of Iceland that sits within the Arctic Circle, and today we were off on an ‘easy’ walking tour to cross that very line.

The island itself is tiny—home to just around 60 residents year-round—many of whom rely on fishing to sustain their livelihoods. As we tendered ashore from Scenic Eclipse, we were greeted by the sight of local fishermen returning to the dock, hauling in their fresh catches and offloading boxes of fish. It was a real glimpse into daily island life.

Puffin Paradise and Arctic Circle Fun

As we walked along the coastline, it quickly became clear that puffins were going to be the stars of the show today. They were everywhere—perched along the cliffs, flying overhead, and bobbing about in the water. We also spotted plenty of other seabirds, but the puffins definitely stole the spotlight.

Our route took us inland towards the tiny airport, where we stopped at a signpost marking the Arctic Circle crossing. It also pointed towards distant cities, making for a fun photo opportunity. We were last in our group to take a photo here, and the guide was happily snapping pictures of everyone. Ros, however, wasn’t satisfied with the standard shot and politely asked her to adjust the angle to include the large stone marker that says ‘Arctic Circle’ as well. Nobody else had thought of that—always thinking ahead!

A Tern Encounter and Fish Soup Reward

On our way back towards the coastline, we had to walk through an Arctic Tern nesting area, which added a bit of drama. The terns were fiercely protective and kept swooping at everyone passing by—an unexpected obstacle course of sorts.

After the walk, we stopped at a cosy little restaurant overlooking the dock for some piping hot fish soup. It was rich, comforting, and absolutely delicious—perfect after a brisk walk in the cool air.

Puffins from the Sea and Scenic Sounds

We later took a zodiac ride back to Scenic Eclipse, but not before doing a scenic detour along the coastline. This gave us yet another angle on the puffins, viewing them from the sea as they clung to the cliffs and darted through the air. We just couldn’t get enough of them.

Back aboard, we enjoyed a late afternoon concert at 5pm on the Helideck with Chloe and Sean. The setting was magical—icy mountains in the distance provided the perfect backdrop. It wasn’t quite the warm sunset we’d enjoyed at their last concert in San Sebastián, and towards the end it began to lightly drizzle, but it didn’t dampen the mood one bit.

A Cod Feast and Icelandic Folk Tunes

Dinner tonight was an early one at Elements before we headed out for a Scenic Enrich experience in Akureyri. One of the people at our table told us they saw one of the chefs negotiating a price for fresh fish with the fishermen earlier that day. Needless to say, we all ordered the local cod—and it was perfect.

First stop was a nearby modern art exhibition where we enjoyed a drink rhubarb infused gin with lemon, while admiring the unique pieces. From there, we walked up to the Church for a wonderful folk concert by a local musician performing traditional Icelandic songs with his guitar—his voice was incredible and it was such a special, intimate performance.

Rather than hop on the bus afterwards, we decided to stroll back down through the town. Turns out we arrived back at the ship at the exact same time as the bus crew—but our walk was far more enjoyable!

Midnight Sun

As the day came to a close, we stayed up watching the ‘Midnight Sun’ slowly set.