Brevard College is seeking students and community members for a three week, hands-on geological field trip to Iceland July 5 – 27. The trip is led by Dr. Jim Reynolds, a geology professor at the college.
The group will camp in public campgrounds throughout the duration of the trip, which will circumnavigate along “Ring Road” on the remote Atlantic island. Campgrounds are on grass and have hot showers. The trip will focus on plate tectonics, volcanoes, glaciers, waterfalls, and sea coasts. The itinerary includes examining several glaciers that descend from the Vatnajökull Ice Cap in Southeast Iceland, visiting Heimaey – an island off the south coast where, in 1973, Eldfell Volcano erupted and buried a neighborhood in the town of Vestmannaeyjar.
“We will visit most of the country’s geological treasures,” Reynolds said. “If the current eruption at Holuhraun is still ongoing and authorities will allow it, we will spend a day or so observing the volcanic activity: from a safe distance, of course.”
This is the seventh camping trip that Reynolds has led to Iceland. Reynolds also leads 10- day trips for the Smithsonian Institution’s “Smithsonian Journeys” program. He will lead one of these trips just prior to the Brevard excursion, from June 20 – 30. More information can be found on the “Brevard College Iceland Trip 2015” Facebook page, or by contacting Dr. Reynolds.