Coffee and Seal Flippers

Even though it was some kilometres out of our way the lure of the hot tubs at Reykjarfjordur drew us into the bay. 

A sandy beach on the point before Reykjarfjordur had provided a quick stop for a wee and a few muesli bars as it had been three hours solid paddling from our camp at Hrollaugsvik. The headwind had been intermittent, ranging between unnoticeable to pesky, just our luck to hit a few days of easterly weather pattern just as we turn East. The low overcast sky had slowly cleared from the west so at least we had some grand views of the mountains and the Drangajókull icecap. The forecast for tomorrow is much the same. 

The quick stop was very welcome, a lovely white sand beach in a cove bounded by rocks, very reminiscent of the West Coast of Scotland. The wind had picked up a bit though, probably only 8-10knots and despite the sunshine it was cold, my fingers numb inside my pogies as we paddled away from the beach.

A quick three or four kilometres and we landed next to a little wharf at Reykjarfjordur, and after a quick bite of lunch, we wandered inland, dive-bombed by hundreds of nesting Arctic terns, towards the few houses dotted through the dunes about a kilometre from the beach. The the steam rising off the hot pool was visible long before we reached the houses. At one of the houses two women were busy at large sink. We said our hellos and queried them about the swimming pool and hot tub. "No problem go ahead and help yourself" they replied. By this time though we were intrigued by what they were doing - washing seal skins! They told us later that they hunt only four per summer - the silky soft fur sold for women's handbags. 

There are no words that can describe soaking in water that is just a bit too hot after three weeks kayaking. Lynne left me semi comatose in the small hotter tub and swam lazily around in the larger swimming pool taking pictures. After a while I summoned enough energy to drag my parboiled body out of the tub and laid out on the boards, in the sun, out of the wind, and fell asleep for an hour. 

Eventually we got changed and started back towards the kayak, I still felt so lethargic that I wondered whether I'd make it to the beach let alone paddle the kayak anywhere. A couple sunning themselves in the lee of their house called us over and asked if we wanted 'kaffi'. Of course, thank you! Cake appeared too! The chat soon returned to the seal skins, which then quickly developed to what use was made of the rest of the seal and before we knew it there was a plate on the table with two boiled seal flippers on it and one of the women was slicing pieces off for us to try. 

Coffee, cake and seal flippers, surreal, especially as I was still feeling slightly spaced out from being parboiled. 

Well, I know what you are dying to know - slightly fishy, very fatty and not unpleasant at all. Reminiscent of mutton birds without the red meat and full of little bones.