Siglufjordur, Iceland - A.M. - Herring Intoxication

Aug 1   8:00 - 12:00 - Siglufjordur - Herring Intoxication

After breakfast we took a Zodiac to the town of Siglufjordur, once the hub of the global herring industry and now enjoying a rebirth in popularity. Our tour here was called Herring Intoxication.

We arrived at a pretty harbor-front and waited for the whole group to arrive before being taken to the award-winning Herring Era Museum. The highlight was a live herring salting demonstration – with traditional songs and dances performed by the local “Herring Girls”. What a hoot. They really put on a fun show while showing us how hard the work was in gutting and salting the fish as they quickly arranged them in barrels for shipping. 

Common Eider Ducks

Common Eider Duck

The Herring Era Museum

one of The Herring Era Museum buildings

Herring Gulls

Where the Herring Girls performed

Herring waiting

the ladies are hanging out of the windows

Herring Gulls

time to go to "work"

young girls learning the tradition

cutting off the heads and gutting

salting the herring as they stack them in the barrels

basket at the end of the table collects the fish heads

Greg 

maybe some alcohol will help them work

good stuff???

OK, maybe some more

Herring Gulls

Herring Gulls

Black-headed Gull

ready to clean up

splashes the water on their aprons

getting ready to sing and dance

Bernd dances with the head Herring Girl

all the expedition leaders and cruisers joined in

Common Redshank

Common Redshank

Common Redshank

Herring Gulls going after the fish heads in the basket

Video of the Herring Girls will be added later…..

The museums’ five exhibits illustrate the history of the industry, the processing of the herring into meal and oil, a fish freezing plant and a waterfront dock area where visitors can stroll past eleven different fishing vessels on display. They were interesting and each one had someone to explain the exhibits. The end of the tour included herring tasting and schnaps tasting. Greg of course did the herring tasting and we both did the schnaps shots.

the sleeping quarters 

the processing plant

various products made in the factory

shipyard museum

After some free time wandering the seaside village (and a stop at a local pasty shop), we returned to the ship via Zodiac for a port talk on Flatley & Husavik.

Chocolate Shop (chocolates were weird, but the hot chocolate was to die for)

entry to the shop

best hot chocolate EVER!

all of the art was just legs from the knees down

rainbow crosswalk

pastry shop stop

the one we got - chocolate covered cinnamon roll - YUM

Black Guillemot

Northen Fulmar

We had lunch, some free time and then attended the lecture on the Geology of Iceland before taking a Zodiac to Grimsey which is about 40 km to the north from Iceland, right on the Arctic Circle.

new towel animal

This afternoon is in a separate post.

Siglufjordur, Iceland https://photos.app.goo.gl/PvV6waXEUmpbnsrf9