National Geographic Orion arrived at Latrabjarg Cliffs during breakfast. These spectacularly sheer cliffs on the westernmost side of Iceland are home to about 75% of Iceland’s razorbill population as well as thousands of guillemots, kittiwakes, ravens, and skuas. Razorbills are a member of the Auk family, perhaps known for the great auk. The great auk was a large (~4’ tall) flightless bird with a strong resemblance to the southern hemisphere’s penguin. Great auks were captured as an easy food source for early settlers, and the species was extinct by 1900. The ship deployed Zodiacs for a fantastic cruise, allowing guests a close-up view of the striking basalt walls, nesting sea birds, and the ability to peer into the chilly blue clear sea.
The afternoon brought the ship to Flatey Island, one of the largest of thousands of islands in Breidafjord. This island is inhabited by Icelanders in the summer, but also by a wide variety of bird species and plant life.
