Science Fair Project Encyclopedia
Vík í Mýrdal
The village Vík in the south of Iceland is indicated on road signs from a long distance (about 180 km from Reykjavík). But in fact, it is rather small (about 300 inhabitants).
On the other hand, it is an important service center for the inhabitants and tourists around the glacier Mýrdalsjökull.
Really remarkable is the beautiful black beach with the Reynisdrangar, black lava columns sculptured by the sea. A folk tale is saying, that they are former trolls which had still been out at dawn. The sea around them is rather wild and stormy. So travellers will not be surprised to discover a monument in the memory of drowned seamen at the beach. The American journal Islands Magazine counted this beach in 1991 one of the 10 most beautiful beaches on earth.
The near-by mountain Reynisfjall is very famous in ornithologist circles. Many different species of birds are to be seen there in summer, especially puffins. These can also be observed at the peninsula Dyrhólaey some kilometers away.
If visiting the village, one little inconvenience should to be taken into account: The chance to have rainy days here is higher than in all the rest of Iceland.
Near Vik in 1964 and in 1965 two French sounding rockets of the type "Dragon" were launched from a transportable launch pad.
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