Reynisfjara Beach l Stunning Seascape

Reynisfjara Beach Facts

The somewhat complicated term of Reynisfjara Beach serves as the name of an utterly unique geological marvel. Without a doubt, the incredible natural formation easily ranks as one of the most unusual beaches found anywhere in the world.
Amazingly, this bewilderingly different, as well as beautiful, creation of Nature has yet another claim to fame. That’s because this beach also ranks as one of the most isolated known to man. But that same isolation has a surprisingly fortunate side effect.
That holds true because this situation also helps this geological wonder to continue to maintain its relatively pristine condition. Very few tourists choose to brave the environmental conditions of its location, so tourism continues to be quite limited.
The waves in the area are quite powerful, as well as highly unpredictable. Consequently, this poses great danger for unwary visitors. Previously, numerous fatalities occurred at the location among those attempting to swim in the dangerous waters.
As a result of the landscape, Reynisfjara Beach also holds yet another distinction. The location also features prominently in numerous science fiction and horror movies. Because of its otherworldly feel, filmmakers continue to use the site for filming.
We ourselves have visited this remote, breathtaking location. Its natural characteristics leave one utterly speechless. Lamentably, no image, no matter how professionally accomplished, can serve to adequately convey the splendor of this amazing location.

Reynisfjara Beach Location and Geological Description

The mind-numbing beauty that’s known as Reynisfjara Beach formed in a region of the world renowned for its abundance of natural wonders. That location will thus likely not surprise anyone. Nature created this site as part of the gorgeous country of Iceland.

More precisely, the stunning wonder of geological forces sits roughly 112 mi (180 km) from the city of Reykjavik. This fabulous region of Europe holds many marvels. With that placement, the beach faces the cold, open waters of the northern Atlantic Ocean.

This truly incredible site also stretches for a relatively long distance, measuring about 3.1 mi (5 km). Yet that’s not even close to being its most remarkable characteristic. That’s perhaps the surprising fact that the beach actually displays an astonishing black color.

That captivating natural phenomenon understandably occurs due to its very specific composition. That’s because the beach mainly consists of vast quantities of the mineral basalt. Following its deposition, this gradually eroded with the relentless passage of time.

The location continues to be famous for another astounding geological feature. That’s the presence of numerous incredible stone features just offshore. These structures constitute black basalt columns known as Reynisdrangar, which began as enormous volcanic boulders.

Since their expulsion from the earth ages ago, relentless erosion of the columns occurred due to the action of wind and waves. This constant action subsequently created the incredible shapes that continue to be found at Reynisfajara Beach even today.

Source: http://bit.ly/2RoHno4 Photo: Alex Berger CCL: http://bit.ly/2JszWtI

Reynisfjara Beach Climate and Ecology

Perhaps equally notably, however, the climatic conditions at Reynisfjara Beach indisputably rank as extreme. These additionally typically remain quite unpredictable. As a result, this usually serves as enough to dissuade investigation by all but the most ardent beach fans.

Nevertheless, many still visit the marvel of Nature. In addition to its other remarkable features and conditions, weather plays a huge factor in the area. That’s partly due to the fact that it also rains at the beach an astounding average of 340 days per year.

This incredible pattern of weather results in making it the wettest place in the entirety of Iceland. That was one factor in the decision by one magazine to name the breathtaking Reynisfjara Beach as one of the 10 most outstanding non-tropical beaches on earth.

This well deserved listing occurred in the year 1991. That honor was bestowed despite, or perhaps as a result of, these many incredible geological and climatic conditions. Lastly, and still surprisingly, comes yet one more astonishing distinction for the feature.

That’s because, rather than being devoid of wildlife, the location teems with a variety of birds. These avian species include such creatures fulmars, guillemots, and Puffins. This startling development serves to demonstrate the extraordinary adaptability of Nature.