Into The Mystic

“hark, now hear the sailors cry,
smell the sea, and feel the sky
let your soul & spirit fly,
into the mystic...”
― Van Morrison

Gatklettur (Hole-rock) is a sea arch worth seeing under nice conditions. It is an arched rock in the Snæfellsnes peninsula in the west of Iceland on the coastline near the village of Arnarstapi. The beach holds a particular attraction. You will find it has an eroded circular stone arch, called Gatklettur, and three rifts, Hundagja, Midgja and Musagja. The interplay of spectacular crashing waves and the light of the sun on Gatklettur creates a fascinating spectacle, demonstrating how the action of the waves has eroded the coastline in such a distinct way.; and large colonies of the arctic tern also nest in the area.

This sea arch at Arnarstapi is a welcome spot for tourists looking for peaceful tranquility and beautiful scenery, with lovely hiking trails taking advantage of the many great views. The area also has several old and charming houses with interesting stories to them and is furthermore renowned for its beautiful nature. On the afternoon-evening of my particular visit, the weather was unfriendly causing poor visibility and rough shooting conditions, so I could not enjoy the trail and the various views to their fullest, but for the brief time I was there attempting to photograph in the rain, Gatklettur was charming, and worth coming back to under better circumstances.

Photographed after sunset, Canon 6D with f-2.8 16-35mm lens.
19mm @ f-6.3, 30s, ISO100. Used 6 stop solid ND filter to cause the long shutter.
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