Hot Springs and Steam Eruptions...Oh My!
Hey there! In this section we dive into some hot springs and discover geothermal steam eruptions! An article about steam on steemit you say? Absolutely!
Included in its repertoire of unique features, Iceland is home to some of the most beautiful hot springs in the world. We had a chance to visit two of the main areas, Geysir and Skútustaðahreppur.
The Geysir area including surrounding hot springs, spans roughly 100m long. Reaching eruption heights of over 120 m, it's no wonder this 10,000 year old geyser is a popular tourist attraction. You definitely don't want to get hit by or stick your hand in any of the hot springs, as temperatures range in the 200 degrees Fahrenheit (100+ degrees Celsius). This is due to the heat from the earth's core underneath the surface.
While Geysir is the largest spring in the area, the smaller surrounding pools have this calming, majestic quality to them. Each pool seemed to have its own unique color and shape, due to the varying sulfurous mud at the bottom. The water in these pools along the outer edges is ok to touch, and is about as warm as spa water (yes the curious kid in me just couldn't resist touching them).
About 6 hours up the road, we arrived at Skútustaðahreppur. Like Geysir, Skútustaðahreppur has its own set of smaller pools, with some pools connecting to form larger bodies. It's interesting to see the variations in color between the pools here and that of the Geysir area.
As you wander along the pools, you can see what looks like gas coming out of the ground all over the area. This is geothermal steam coming from heat generated below the earth's surface. Fun fact: Iceland actually uses a lot of the steam to help power the island through various steam power plants.
Much of the steam coming out of the ground gives off the smell of rotten eggs. This, as you may have guessed, is the sulfur from below the ground. While pretty stinky, it is definitely more bearable than my taco Tuesday!
The variations in terrain in this particular area are fascinating. I couldn't help but feel like I was on an expedition on mars or another planet. Part of me wishes I could go under the earth just to see what it looks like blow the surface.
To say that this was a highlight of the trip is an understatement. Seeing first hand how powerful our earth is makes you take a few steps back.
In the next part we will find ourselves entranced by the massive waterfalls of the island, and make friends with some Icelandic horses. Stay tuned!
In part 1, we explored some of the majestic glaciers around the island. If you didn't get a chance to check that out, you can find it here: https://steemit.com/travel/@blancosvg/iceland-adventures-series-part-1