Diamond Beach
This beach is probably one of the most beautiful beaches I ever have seen and everyone that is visiting Iceland needs to go there. It is located on the south coast directly next to the ring road. You do not need a four-wheel drive vehicle for this, even if the actual parking lot is not asphalted. The distance from Reykjavik is just over 370 km.
History of formation
The reason why ice is washed up here at all is a glacier tongue of Breiðamerkurjökull. It is only a tiny offshoot of the huge Vatnajökull, which covers a large part of southeast Iceland. The ice calves here in the glacier lagoon Jökulsárlón, breaks away gradually and then drifts gently towards the sea.
It can take several years from the breakup to the drifting away, that's how long it takes until the ice is drifted forward towards the river. The exact duration depends on the size of the iceberg and external influences such as temperature, wind etc. Logically, the density of the ice also plays a role. When the ice at the front of the glacier breaks away it is estimated to be over 1000 years old. This is how long it takes to reach the front of the glacier tongue.
The breakthrough from the lagoon to the sea is of natural origin and was up to 1.5 km long in the beginning until 1950 when the lake was smaller. Today it is only a few metres long. If this natural 'outflow' would not exist, the beach would not exist in this unique form, because only the sea water, which is washed into the lake by strong currents, prevents the lake from freezing over.
Best time to visit the diamond beach
In the winter months there is much more ice on the beach than in the summer months. In the summer the ice is melting way faster.
History of formation
The reason why ice is washed up here at all is a glacier tongue of Breiðamerkurjökull. It is only a tiny offshoot of the huge Vatnajökull, which covers a large part of southeast Iceland. The ice calves here in the glacier lagoon Jökulsárlón, breaks away gradually and then drifts gently towards the sea.
It can take several years from the breakup to the drifting away, that's how long it takes until the ice is drifted forward towards the river. The exact duration depends on the size of the iceberg and external influences such as temperature, wind etc. Logically, the density of the ice also plays a role. When the ice at the front of the glacier breaks away it is estimated to be over 1000 years old. This is how long it takes to reach the front of the glacier tongue.
The breakthrough from the lagoon to the sea is of natural origin and was up to 1.5 km long in the beginning until 1950 when the lake was smaller. Today it is only a few metres long. If this natural 'outflow' would not exist, the beach would not exist in this unique form, because only the sea water, which is washed into the lake by strong currents, prevents the lake from freezing over.
Best time to visit the diamond beach
In the winter months there is much more ice on the beach than in the summer months. In the summer the ice is melting way faster.
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