Travel and culture 137
by this remarkable event. The eruption lasted from 1963
to 1967. People are not allowed to set foot on Surtsey.
Only researchers can go there to examine its nature
and birdlife. Surtsey was added to the UNESCO World
Heritage list in 2008.
Turkish invasion
The story of the Westman Islands doesn’t only involve
volcanic eruptions. In July 1627, about 300 pirates
invaded the island and stayed there for three days.
They kidnapped 242 people from the island and killed
another 36 (the remaining 200 people managed to hide).
After this kidnapping the islanders had a very hard time
because most of them had lost someone to the pirates.
The people that were taken were moved to Algeria
and sold into slavery or the women were married to
foreigners.
Puffins
The islands are also famous for their beautiful
nature and varied birdlife. One bird, the puffin, has
become a unofficial symbol of the Westman Islands.
Over 1.1 million puffin couples come there every
spring to lay eggs. The puffins always come back. Even
after the volcanic eruption on Heimaey they returned
and cleaned out their holes to be able to lay their eggs.
Islands
volcanic eruption
: eldgos
islanders
: eyjaskeggjar
volcano
: eldfjall
lava
: hraun
resident
: íbúi
heritage
: arfleið
foreigner
: útlendingur
puffin
: lundi
symbol
: tákn
kidnap
: ræna
Amazing history and beautiful nature
