Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Although The Great Geysir or Stori-Geysir is also included in the famous “Golden Circle Tour,” it has been dormant since 1916 when it stopped spouting. It is thought that it first came to life around the end of the Thirteenth Century when a series of earthquakes and eruption of Mt. Hekla hit the geothermal valley where Geysir is located. It then spouted every third hour or so, blasting a jet of water and steam as high as 60-80 meters/196-262 feet high. It is said that park authorities occasionally dump tons of carbolic soap powder into its mouth in an attempt to wake up Great Geysir.
Click here to view the embedded video.
The Great Geysir is considered to be among the most notable geysers in the world, such as those in Yellowstone Park, New Zealand and the English word “geyser” is derived from the Icelandic word “geysir” which means gusher and they pronounce it, “gee-zer.”
Clik here to view.
‘thar she blows” … at Great Geysir field in Iceland
Clik here to view.
geyser field steaming away, Iceland
Clik here to view.
small geyser in Great Geysir Field, Iceland
The entire area is a geothermal park with many active hot springs. Strokkur (The Churn) is 100 meters/328 feet south of the Great Geysir and erupts every 10 minutes or so. Its column of boiling water can reach as high as 30 meters/90 feet and was erupting every six minutes when we visited. When the “churn” burst out of the earth, tourists standing around and waiting must jump an equidistance into the sky. Again, no time to walk up Laugarfjall Mountain for an overview of the Geysir area. King Christian IX of Denmark visited in 1874 and his hosts amused him by boiling eggs in the hot springs.
Clik here to view.
bubble, toil and trouble, Great Geysir Field, Iceland
Clik here to view.
waiting for geyser to blow, Great Geysir Field, Iceland
Clik here to view.
fun in a geyser field, Iceland
An unfortunate result of extensive travel is a blasé, been there and done it attitude. Even though sights are impressive and different in their own ways, it is difficult not to compare. Particularly since Marine Steve and I visited the fabulous Tatio Geyser Field in the Atacama Desert of Chile only six months ago.
Clik here to view.
tourists walking around Great Geysir Field, Iceland
Clik here to view.
there are always trolls in Iceland
Clik here to view.
Iceland scene
On to Guilfoss Waterfall, the last part of The Golden Circle Tour…