Eldey
| Eldey | ||
|---|---|---|
| Waters | Atlantic Ocean | |
| Geographical location | 63 ° 44 '27 " N , 22 ° 57' 26.6" W | |
|
||
| length | 190 m | |
| width | 110 m | |
| surface | 1.5 ha | |
| Highest elevation | 77 m | |
| Residents | uninhabited | |
Eldey ( German fire island ) is a rocky island off the southwest coast of Iceland .
Eldey, a palagonite rock , was probably formed during the eruption of 1210-11 on the Reykjanes Ridge , part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge .
The island is 8 nautical miles (approximately 15 km) off the coast of Reykjanestá . It is flat at the top, 77 m high at the highest point and covers less than two hectares . It is considered a bird paradise and has been protected since 1940. You can only enter it with a special permit.
Eldey is also called flour sack island because of the white color of the plateau from bird droppings. The last breeding pair of the flightless giant aalk was slain at the foot of the rock in 1844. Today mostly northern gannets nest on the rock slab . In fact, it is one of the largest gannet colonies in the world. A video camera was installed on the island in January 2008 to monitor them. Internet access should enable the birds to be observed without disturbing them.
Photo gallery
Eldey as seen from Reykjanestá
