The Glacier lagoon is a new phenomenon caused by the heavy melting of Icelandic glaciers and their recession. 80 years ago it did not exist. The ice reached right down to the coast.

As the glaciers shrink they dump all the rocks they have picked up on their decent towards the sea at the end of the ice. This is called a terminal Moraine.

The Icelandic ring road has been built on this raised land comprised of rocks of various sizes. It forms a dam preventing all the melting water escaping to the sea. There is a breach in the Moraine through which some of the water lows out to the sea.

A road bridge has been built over this small section of river. On the other side of the bridge you can go on amphibious vehicles for a closer inspection of the icebergs. When we were there we were lucky to spot seals swimming in between the icebergs. The reason all the water does not flow into the sea is that the lagoon is 200 meters deep.

It was gouged out of the earth by the ice before it melted. Jokulsarlon is now the second deepest lake in Iceland. Buses traveling between the southern town of Hofn and the capital Reykjavik stop at the lagoon. Jokulsarlon was used as a film location for two James Bond movies :A View To A Kill and Die Another Day

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