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Welcome to '''Heimaslóð'''.
Welcome to "Heimaslóð". Here you can find some fun and intresting facts about the Westman Islands and its culture and history.


== Westman Islands ==
* [[En:Short History|Short history of Westman island]]
The Westman Islands are a group of 15-18 islands, depending on how they are classed, and about 30 skerries sand rock pillars, located off the mainland’s south coast. The islands were formed by submarine volcanic eruptions along a 30-km long fissure lying southwest to northeast. The largest island is Heimaey, 13.4 km2.Most of the islands have steep sea cliffs, and are well vegetated. Bird hunting and egg collecting are traditional to the islanders’ culture.
* [[En:Places of Intrest|Few good reasons to visit]]
* [[En:Culture and Art|Culture and Art]]
* [[En:Education|Education in Westman Island]]
* [[En:Investment oppertunities in the Westman Island|Investment oppertunities in the Westman Islands]]
* [[En:Westman island Research and study center|Westman island Research and study center]]
* [[En:The harbor|The harbor in Westman Island]]
* [[En:Conferences, mettings and social occasions|Conferences, mettings and social occasions]]
* [[En:Airservice from Bakki|Airservice from Bakki]]


A Norse timber church, a gift from the Norwegians to commemorate 1000 years since Christianity was accepted in Iceland, was consecrated on Heimaey. The only church of its type in Iceland, it has been situated at the Skanssvæði area where a stone wall, built after the Turkish kidnapping in 1627 occurred, has been rebuilt. Population is 4,416.
== A word from the mayor ==


== The Community ==
The Westman Islands are a group of fifteen islands,
Hunting and fishing are the traditional mainstays of the island economy. Rich fishing grounds surround the islands. For many years Heimaey was one of Iceland´s largest fishing stations. During the main season, people, from all places and walks of life, flocked here to work long hours and earn money. The population of the town trebled and the number of boats multiplied. Today, ships are larger and more technologically advanced, production has moved from landbased freezing plants to factory ships and consequently the hustle and bustle of the main season is much a thing of the past.
rock pillars and skerries, large and small; a microcosm
of humans, birds and creatures of the sea. We, who
spend all or part of our lives in such close proximity
to such splendours of nature and simultenously be
able to raise our children in safety and peace, consider
it a privilege.


== A New Island Emerges- Surtsey ==
To many the Westman Islands are unique; rising from
On the morning of 14th November, 1963, crew aboard Ísleifur II saw a column of black dust rising from the sea, south-west of Heimaey. An eruption had begun on the seabed which was to last almost four years. By the second day of the eruption the island, Surtsey, was already 10 metres high. When the eruption ended, on 5th June, 1967, the island covered 2,8 square km and reached a height of 170m. Surtsey is protected by law and Icelandic scientists continue to document the colonization of the island by plant and bird life.
the North-Atlantic ocean, far off the beaten track, a
destination only to those who specifically set out to
go there.


== The Eruption on Heimaey, 1973 ==
This, perhaps dated and fanciful remoteness, lends
The eruption on Heimay began on 23rd January, 1973, just before two o´clock in the morning. A fissure opened on the eastern side of the island, only 300-400 metres from Kirkjubæir, the most easterly houses in the town. The inhabitants of Heimaey were woken by the police and firebrigade as they drove around, raising the alarm with their sirens. People streamed down to the docks. Fortunately the weather had been stormy the day before and most of the island´s fleet of 60-70 fishing boats had stayed in harbour. The boats ferried the town´s people to safety in Þórlákshöfn. In March, moltern lava threatened to close the harbour approaches. In a desperate attempt to stop the flow, seawater was pumped on to the lava. This method proved very effective. Today the harbour is considered to be even better than before. The eruption ended on 3rd July, 1973. In six months a new volcano, 225m high, had appeared on the island and a new lava field lay to the east and covered 3.3 square km. Around 360 houses had been buried and many others badly damaged. Before the eruption 5300 people lived on Heimaey, 2000 of these moved back immediately after the eruption ended. Slowly but surely more families returned and began to rebuild their community.
the islands an aura of magic and adventure, particularly
to those living far away. Let me assure you, however,
that the Westman Islands are not that remote; the
passage here is smoother and easier than you might
think. And once here, what you will find waiting for
you is magnificent rugged nature, inhabited by human
and non-human teeming life that leaves its mark on
any visitor; many of whom return again and again.
We are lucky enough to have and have had among us
valued friends that originally came for a few months´
fishing season that inadvertently lasted a lifetime.
The history of our islands is in many ways exceptional.
For decades they were one of Iceland´s largest and
busiest fishery centres contributing a proportionally
immense share of the nation´s export revenue. As the
fishing industry has become increasingly technologically
advanced and entered the fierce competition of the
international market place this has to some extent
changed. The fishing industry is still, however, of great
importance to the Westman Islands and will continue
to be, for the foreseeable future, one of the main pillars
of the community´s economic life.
 
The new millenium is a juncture in more ways than
one for the Westman Islands. We must seek new and
different “fishing grounds”, new industries to ensure
diversity of employment. The islands offer considerable
opportunities for those seeking to build new enterprises
- a hard-working population, short distances and last
but not least a safe and friendly environment for young
families and growing children.
 
The islands welcome a great number of visitors every
year, mainly during summer. The tourist industry is
a growing and flourishing one, well able and willing
to accommodate more of both: people and innovations.
The primary aim of this brochure is to garner
information about the various opportunities the
Westman Islands offer. I sincerely hope that you, its
reader, find in it something to kindle an interest in
visiting us to share the privilege of our islands´ generous
and magnificent nature.
 
You are very welcome.
 
:Bergur Elías Ágústsson
:Mayor of Westmann Island

Útgáfa síðunnar 21. júlí 2005 kl. 14:17

Welcome to "Heimaslóð". Here you can find some fun and intresting facts about the Westman Islands and its culture and history.

A word from the mayor

The Westman Islands are a group of fifteen islands, rock pillars and skerries, large and small; a microcosm of humans, birds and creatures of the sea. We, who spend all or part of our lives in such close proximity to such splendours of nature and simultenously be able to raise our children in safety and peace, consider it a privilege.

To many the Westman Islands are unique; rising from the North-Atlantic ocean, far off the beaten track, a destination only to those who specifically set out to go there.

This, perhaps dated and fanciful remoteness, lends the islands an aura of magic and adventure, particularly to those living far away. Let me assure you, however, that the Westman Islands are not that remote; the passage here is smoother and easier than you might think. And once here, what you will find waiting for you is magnificent rugged nature, inhabited by human and non-human teeming life that leaves its mark on any visitor; many of whom return again and again. We are lucky enough to have and have had among us valued friends that originally came for a few months´ fishing season that inadvertently lasted a lifetime. The history of our islands is in many ways exceptional. For decades they were one of Iceland´s largest and busiest fishery centres contributing a proportionally immense share of the nation´s export revenue. As the fishing industry has become increasingly technologically advanced and entered the fierce competition of the international market place this has to some extent changed. The fishing industry is still, however, of great importance to the Westman Islands and will continue to be, for the foreseeable future, one of the main pillars of the community´s economic life.

The new millenium is a juncture in more ways than one for the Westman Islands. We must seek new and different “fishing grounds”, new industries to ensure diversity of employment. The islands offer considerable opportunities for those seeking to build new enterprises - a hard-working population, short distances and last but not least a safe and friendly environment for young families and growing children.

The islands welcome a great number of visitors every year, mainly during summer. The tourist industry is a growing and flourishing one, well able and willing to accommodate more of both: people and innovations. The primary aim of this brochure is to garner information about the various opportunities the Westman Islands offer. I sincerely hope that you, its reader, find in it something to kindle an interest in visiting us to share the privilege of our islands´ generous and magnificent nature.

You are very welcome.

Bergur Elías Ágústsson
Mayor of Westmann Island
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