Surtsey — The Island Born of Fire
In 1963 a new island rose from the Atlantic off the Westman Islands — today it is a UNESCO-protected laboratory no tourist may set foot on
On the morning of November 14, 1963, the crew of a fishing boat southwest of the Westman Islands spotted a column of black smoke rising from the open sea. It was not a burning ship — it was the birth of an island. Over the next three and a half years, a submarine eruption built Surtsey, named after Surtur, the fire giant of Norse mythology. Sealed off from humans almost from the moment it cooled, Surtsey has become one of the most important natural laboratories on Earth.
An Island Is Born
The eruption began on the seafloor about 130 meters below the surface, roughly 18 km southwest of Heimaey. When the rising magma met cold seawater, it exploded into violent jets of ash and steam — a style of eruption so distinctive that volcanologists worldwide now call it 'Surtseyan.' Within days, a ridge of black tephra had broken the surface of the Atlantic.
Early on, the loose ash island seemed doomed to wash away. But in 1964 the vent sealed itself off from the sea, and effusive lava flows began armoring the southern half of the island with hard basalt — the shield that has allowed Surtsey to survive the North Atlantic's relentless erosion.
- November 14, 1963: Eruption first spotted by fishermen aboard Ísleifur II
- Eruption lasted until June 5, 1967 — about 3.5 years
- Island peaked at ~2.7 km²; erosion has since halved it
- Two sister islands, Syrtlingur and Jólnir, rose and washed away
- Named for Surtur, the fire giant who brings flame at Ragnarök
A Living Laboratory
Surtsey was declared a nature reserve in 1965, while the eruption was still going on. From the very beginning, scientists made an extraordinary decision: no one would ever colonize, farm, or tour the new island. Life would be allowed to arrive entirely on its own — by wind, wave, and wing — and researchers would watch it happen from the first seed onward.
The results have been remarkable. Sea rocket sprouted from ocean-drifted seeds by 1965. Gulls began nesting in the 1980s, fertilizing the barren tephra and accelerating plant colonization dramatically. Puffins arrived in 2004, seals breed on the beaches, and dozens of vascular plant species, mosses, lichens, and invertebrates now inhabit an island younger than many of its visitors' grandparents. The rules are famously strict — when a stray tomato plant was once found sprouting (traced to an improperly handled human contribution), it was promptly removed.
UNESCO World Heritage
In 2008, Surtsey was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List as a pristine natural laboratory, protected from human interference since its birth. It is one of the very few places on Earth where primary succession — life colonizing brand-new land — has been documented continuously from day one.
Only a small number of scientists visit each year under permit, staying in a single research hut. Everything brought to the island must be carried out again.
Seeing Surtsey
You cannot land on Surtsey — but you can see it. The island lies on the southwestern horizon from Heimaey, and boat tours from Vestmannaeyjar harbour circle its dramatic cliffs in calm summer weather. Sightseeing flights over the archipelago offer the best view of the crater and the lava apron that saved the island.
- Boat tours from Heimaey circle the island in summer
- Sightseeing flights overfly the Vestmannaeyjar archipelago
- Visible from Heimaey's south coast on clear days
- Eldheimar museum on Heimaey has a dedicated Surtsey exhibition
- Landing is strictly prohibited without a research permit
Safety Information
Landing on Surtsey is prohibited by law without a research permit. Boat tours around the island depend on sea conditions — book from Heimaey and check the forecast at vedur.is before your trip.