Vanishing Diamonds

Originating in the Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon, icebergs wash up on the black volcanic sands of Breiðamerkursandur. The beach, which is part of a glacial outwash plain, was formed as the glacial tongue moved forward and pushed volcanic sediment. These icebergs are washed and polished by the waves before leaving clear ice littered all over the beach, resembling diamonds.

Jökulsárlón

In the distance was a glimmer, a faint mirage of hope. Cold and wet to the touch, a treasure trove of diamonds reflect broken light. Uniquely crystalline from crest to trough, pieces of archaeology repeat an eternal dance with time. Delicately sculpted by each wave, matted against a black canvas, the temporary installation evolves with the tide. Scattered wreckage across the barren beach, silently morphing into indistinct droplets, a scene never to be seen again.

Hidden Depths

Located next to the Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon, Fjallsjökull is formed from melting ice from the Fjallsjökull glacial tongue. With increasing global temperatures, glacial lagoons have been expanding in recent years. Nearby Jökulsárlón has grown 400 percent in the past 50 years, making it the deepest lake in Iceland at 250 meters.

Ancient Snow

The life of an iceberg, from first snowfall, to glacial formation, to calving, to eventual melting is estimated at around 3,000 years. Icebergs can range from five meters to larger than the state of Delaware, but only a portion of the total mass is visible above the surface of the water with the majority hidden beneath.

Lateral Moraines

Flowing from the larger Öræfajökull, the u-shaped sloped hills to the left and right of Kvíárjökull show how far the glacier once flowed. Lateral moraines are formed as glaciers scrape the earth below it, breaking down the debris and depositing it to the edges of the glacier.