05/06/2023
90 seconds in Flateyri
Arriving at Flatey Island, a settlement located in the Breidafjördur Bay roughly 120 nautical miles from Reykjavik, the village of Flateyri is a well preserved example of traditional Icelandic architecture, with colourful wooden houses and a charming church dating back to the 19th century.
Flatey is known for its rich birdlife, with over 30 species of seabirds and waders nesting on the island's cliffs and beaches.
We began our zodiac cruise in the Breidafjördur Bay, where we spotted puffins, guillemots, shags and other seabirds in their natural habitat.
Upon landing and taking a short walk around Flateyri, one does wonder what they do here, how they live and make money. It was explained to me inside the church through one of the paintings that adorns the ceiling which gives us a historical glimpse into the occupations of the inhabitants. The painting depicts images of sheep farming, bird hunting, seal hunting and eider down collection among the main sources of income.
The woman in the central part of the image are cleaning valuable eider down feathers using a method still in use to this day that is collected from the nests of the Common Eider Somateria mollissima. Throughout times down harvest has been a significant supplement to the farming in the area.
