Geyser Watching

I mentioned previously that we recently traveled to Iceland. While there, we went on the Golden Circle tour. One of the stops is Haukadalur. This is where you can see geysers. I’ll show more of the geysers in another post. Today I want to talk about Strokkur. This geyser erupts every 5 to 10 minutes. So you would think getting a picture of it would be simple, right? Not for me.

My first mistake was assuming it would erupt like Old Faithful in Yellowstone, Wyoming. Old Faithful’s eruptions last anywhere from 1.5 minutes to five minutes. Plenty of time to snap a photo or two.

Standing with the crowds in Iceland I had the camera ready for Strokkur.

Waiting with the masses

Waiting with the masses

There I stood with my camera raised ready to go. But it didn’t happen right away. My arms got tired (I need to work out more) and I lowered the camera right when it erupted. Raising the camera up I snapped a photo, but missed the actual eruption. In the photo you can see the residual junk from the geyser.

Not quick enough

Not quick enough

We walked a little higher up and I decided to try my luck from afar. There she goes—wait, I have the camera pointed in the wrong direction.

Oops, the geyser is on the left, not right

Oops, the geyser is on the left, not right

Let’s try this again from up above. A little better.

Not the best, but an improvement

Not the best, but an improvement

Alright, before I rejoin the group on the van I want to get one photo from close up. Dang it!

It's just not meant to be

It’s just not meant to be

I didn’t get it all. Oh well, time to go.

About TBM

TB Markinson is an American who's recently returned to the US after a seven-year stint in the UK and Ireland. When she isn't writing, she's traveling the world, watching sports on the telly, visiting pubs in New England, or reading. Not necessarily in that order. Her novels have hit Amazon bestseller lists for lesbian fiction and lesbian romance. She cohosts the Lesbians Who Write Podcast (lesbianswhowrite.com) with Clare Lydon. TB also runs I Heart Lesfic (iheartlesfic.com), a place for authors and fans of lesfic to come together to celebrate lesbian fiction.
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52 Responses to Geyser Watching

  1. bulldog says:

    This happens all the time… just when you think something is not gonna happen.. it does… and when you think it’s gonna.. it doesn’t… the story of my life…

  2. niasunset says:

    It should be a nice experience to be there with a camera, I loved them all dear TBM, Thank you, love, nia

  3. Well, you got something there!!! Enough to impress me, at least 😉

  4. Lucid Gypsy says:

    I always miss things like that too, but as I’ve never seen a geyser your photos could be how its supposed to look to me!

  5. poppytump says:

    LoL TBM it happens . Dang it 😉
    Love those shots anyhow !

  6. Georgia says:

    ah yes, I remember doing exactly the same thing. I think my other half probably ended up setting the camera to high speed shooting in order to get a shot.

    • TBM says:

      My better half was cold. It was really windy and frigid. We met in the gift shop when I finished. Have you posted photos on your blog?

  7. Too funny! I feel your pain–had to visit Spouting Horn in Hawaii twice to get photos of the water shooting up. 🙂

    • TBM says:

      Spouting Horn–must see that. And seriously, it was painful because I was acting like an idiot. No one else seemed to be struggling there.

  8. thirdeyemom says:

    I love Iceland! One of my favorite places!

  9. lynnsbooks says:

    A lot better than I could have managed. I’m hopeless at photographs!
    Lynn 😀

  10. Well, I for one still think they are totally cool photos :).

  11. aFrankAngle says:

    You did well … thanks for sharing Iceland!

  12. Vishy says:

    Beautiful pictures, TBM! I couldn’t tell that you missed the geyser erupting moment because the pictures look so wonderful. Your description of lowering the camera for a moment and then discovering that the geyser has suddenly erupted made me think of a cricket match. For the whole day almost nothing would have happened and we would take our eyes of the field for a moment and then suddenly the most important event of the day’s play would have happened and we would have missed it. Thanks to the big television screens on grounds these days, we can watch the replays, but it is never the same.

    • TBM says:

      That used to happen to me when I watched the Red Sox playing. I would get distracted or I would run to the bathroom just to miss a grand slam or something. I totally understand. I still need to watch a cricket match live. That’s on my musts while I’m living here. I don’t understand it completely, but I want to learn.

  13. Pretty impressive nonetheless!

  14. The last picture doesn’t show up for me! I think they are pretty cool pictures.. 🙂

  15. Beth Ann says:

    That would so be me, too! Waiting for the perfect shot is tiring to say the least. Great pictures !!!

  16. Letizia says:

    I can’t believe how high the water gets! I think the photos are great – the people in the photo give a good since of proportion!

  17. Novroz says:

    the last one looks amazing

  18. I think you did a great job! We waited and waited and waited to get the perfect shot at Strokkur. My friend got some amazing shots, but it took a good 30 minutes. Then finally I just took a video. And done.
    Weren’t you amazed that there was no admission fee? If this was in the US…

    • TBM says:

      I didn’t even think that there wasn’t an admission fee. I’m getting spoiled by free museums in London, I guess. I totally understand why it took 30 minutes to get the right shot. So frustrating. I should have taken a video. Next time 😉

  19. Pingback: Geysers, Horses, and a Giveaway | 50 Year Project

  20. Fergiemoto says:

    It looks like it was a fabulous trip and experience!
    Isn’t that the way it usually goes when you really want that great shot?

  21. paunikaj says:

    Still, a very good job. Nature is amazing and still, very much unpredictable! Thanks for sharing!

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