Skeidara Bridge Monument, a photo from Austur-Skaftafellssysla, Asturland

Photographer's Note

The best way to view the pictures is to use the 3 links below.

Skeiрarб Bridge Monument

The Destructive Power of Nature

Today a striking example of the enormous forces of nature that are released during a volcanic eruption.
The Icelandic volcanoes are covered with thick ice packs. These glaciers melt in an eruption where vast amounts of melt water containing large blocks of ice spread over the land.

In November 1996 the volcano Vatnajцkull, which sat beneath the glacier Skeiрarбrjцkull, erupted, melting portions of glacier and creating massive floods.
The Skeiрarб Bridge, a 880m long girder bridge that led the ring-road 1 over the Skeiрarб Skandur (a wide plain or black volcanic sand marbled with creeks of run-off from the Skeiрarбrjцkull glacier) was totally destroyed. At the peak of this glacier run, 45,000 mі/s of water were coming down. No one was harmed, scientists having very carefully monitored the volcano Vatnajцkull which caused the glacier run by its eruption.

The main photo shows in detail the colourful graffiti that have been painted on the Skeiрarб Bridge Monument.
The first workshop is a diptych with an overview of the remains of the old bridge and the new bridge under construction.
The second workshop shows the glacier Skeiрarбrjцkull. Unfortunately, the weather was too bad to get a good picture of the volcano Vatnajцkull behind the glacier.

■ Main picture: ◄ Skeiрarб Bridge Graffiti►
■ Workshop 1: ◄ Skeiрarб Bridge, Old and New ►
■ Workshop 2: ◄ Skeiрarбrjцkull ►

ikeharel, pajaran, pierrefonds, Fis2, Royaldevon, papagolf21, ChrisJ, jean113, jhm, Cricri, sacimar, macjake, PaulVDV has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Porteplume (4036) 2018-10-23 3:17

Bonjour Rob,

Op het moment hebben wij een koppel vrienden die een 12 daagse reis op IJsland maken en natuurlijk viel mij dit foto gelijk op... Bijzonder goede note trouwens, onze vriendin schrijft een blog en ze kan ons ook zo ontzettend goed mee laten voelen hoe het daar is, geweldig wat woorden & beelden op kunnen roepen!
Dank je wel voor deze strakke, scherp en goed “geframed” foto.

Amicalement,
Viviane

PS: de linken onderaan je note zijn echt heel fijn, je maakt altijd veel werk van je noties en het loont... Dank je!
PPS: I added your photo to my new Theme Street Art

holmertz (103596) 2018-10-23 3:35

Hello Rob,
As I understand it this "monument" are pieces of the old bridge left as a memorial, and not a monument designed by an artist. As an art work it would not have been so impressive, but as remaining pieces of metal it shockingly shows us the forces of nature. The graffiti is not beautiful, but it provides bright colours in the predominantly grey surroundings, as we can see from the first WS. The other WS makes me feel cold and miserable, somehow reminding me of childhood when clothes and shoes were less functional than these days.
Kind regards,
Gert

pajaran (117033) 2018-10-23 4:40

Dobar dan.
Lepi pogledi, interesantan i dobar tekst ...
Lepo pokazano, dobar rad sa lepim fotografijama u radionici, dobar kontrast, lepe boje.
Vulkan ostavlja trajne posledice na prirodu.
Sve krece iznova i budi ponovo prirodu.
Zelim vam lep i uspesan dan, sve najbolje.
Paja.

pierrefonds (115518) 2018-10-23 4:43

Hi Rob,

The subject is well framed. The point of view is showing the details of the ruins of the bridge. The light is brongong out the beauty of the colors. Have a nice day.

Pierre

Fis2 (171907) 2018-10-23 5:32

Witaj Rob!
Interesting bridge monument, graffiti makes impression.
Good framing and colors.
I like WS.
Well done.
Nice afternoon.
Krzysztof

Royaldevon (86438) 2018-10-23 5:44

Hello Rob,

This just shows how impressions can be completely wrong!
In the thumbnail, I thought this was a strangely shaped children's slide!
The truth is quite shocking! As a reminder of the power of eruptions, and its consequences, this is a stark reminder! The graffiti somehow lifts its mood, maybe saying, 'we will overcome adversity'! It certainly looks more cheerful than the new bridge.
Your photograph of the glacier captures the mood and the weather with amazing clarity. I was so glad to be seeing it as a photograph rather than experiencing it!

My warm regards,
Bev :-)

Nicou (193814) 2018-10-23 5:48

Hello

quel pont de fer et vue quelle armature et tous ces dessin colorйs sur le pont cette partie qui part sur la droite avec les dйformation ce rond qui se contraste les pierre en fond quel effet et vue sueprbe.
Bravo et amitiй
Nicou

papagolf21 (152607) 2018-10-23 6:21

Bonjour, cher Rob,
Vos images sont toujours instructives, intйressantes, йdifiantes et passionnantes.
Ces йlйments mйtalliques emplis de graffitis peuvent s'apparenter а une oeuvre d'art (mes connaissances en la matiиre sont trиs limitйes, et je n'ose pas йmettre un avis quelconque а ce sujet).
J'apprйcie la nature sur l'image prйsentйe en bonus (effectivement, la mйtйo n'йtait guиre favorable pour prйsenter l'ensemble sous un bel aspect).
Merci pour tout.
Amitiйs.
Philippe

ChrisJ (172430) 2018-10-23 6:34

Hello Rob,

I am glad these volcanoes give some hint of an eruption weeks or even months beforehand. Even at Pompeii, request swarms of small to medium earthquakes over several months gave a clue that magma was forcing its way upwards. Incredible scene here of the twisted bridge girder. Tfs!

Sergiom (117241) 2018-10-23 6:45

Bonjour Rob,

Un reste de pont mis au service de l'art.Mais en rйalitй ce sont plus des signatures que l'on observe. J'aime les formes du mйtal tordu. Belle gestion des couleurs.

Amicalement

Serge

jean113 (28253) 2018-10-23 7:03

Hello Rob, a testament to the power of nature.
At first I thought that it could be a piece of modern sculpture that had been covered in graffiti, but the real explanation is truly incredible and shocking.
Excellent tight crop in composing this shot.
Thanks for the other shots; it looks quite inhospitable! I wonder how long the replacement bridge will stand?
Regards Jean.

rychem (72187) 2018-10-23 8:45

A good documentary photo, we can compare the remainder of the old bridge with the newly constructed bridge, well combines series of photos
regards Ryszard

lousat (139982) 2018-10-23 14:34

Hi Rob,i haven't been there,so your post is very useful. The effect of the big eruption and the work in progress of the new bridge, in 4 beautiful pics very sharp,just a pity for the bad weather taking the glacier pic. Have a nice day and thanks,Luciano

Tue (93412) 2018-10-24 1:56

Hallo Rob,
Deze brug past ook wel in het rijtje met verlaten huizen van Craig. De stalen overblijfselen zijn een mooie mix van graffiti en roestige onderdelen in een leeg en kaal landschap.
Lars

Silvio1953 (222889) 2018-10-24 5:02

Ciao Rob, great monument ma De by terrificante force of nature, wonderful colors, fine details and splendid clarity, very well done, my friend, ciao Silvio

jhm (211738) 2018-10-24 5:27

Dag Rob,

De natuur is nooit tegen te houden.
Soms een laagje verf kan veel voorkomen.
Maar de tol ven de natuur moeten we met zijn allen betalen.
Uw foto levert het mooiste bewijs.
Zeer scherp en identiteit weergave.
Goed gevonden en mooi gepresenteerd.
Goed foto werk bedankt

Groeten uit een zwaar bewolkt Oost-Vlaanderen,
John

Cricri (176) 2018-10-24 6:49

Hi Rob
J'aime l'idйe des graffitis sur le pont mйtallique sur les rochers, magnifique aussi le paysage en WS 2, trois belles et intйressantes prйsentations
Bonne journйe
cricri

ikeharel (114569) 2018-10-24 9:52

Hello Rob,
Even as the weather was not favorable for good photography, i like the picture of the glacier in the WS. It shows a nature's phenomenon - with personally I always have preferences.
Nicely depicted the graffiti on the old structure, colorful as always.
Good evening,
Ike

sacimar (38173) 2018-10-24 10:44

Hello Rob,

good example of what forces of nature can do, it is a different and interesting image, I also like the photo of the glacier, well done,

Best regards,

Sergio

macjake (98544) 2018-10-26 10:31

Hi Rob
The WS's help us to put it all into the correct perspective, thats important. Funny to hear you say that nobody was hurt in the floods, I only say that jokingly bc there are SO few people living here haha. I remember driving here in the winter, and sometimes would go an hour or two before a car even went past me in the opposite direction! Excellent post here for TE, its always fun to see something different and unusual, yet it also ties in smartly with the culture and history of the country - perfect. cheers
Craig

GyurMaster (25026) 2018-10-26 11:12

Hello again,

I wouldn't call it beautiful, on the other hand its rather unique and has a meaning as I read your note.

Best Wishes,
Gy.

emka (158784) 2018-10-27 0:02

Hello Rob, Very interesting note about this powerful eruption. People use all the occasion to put some "paintings" on whatever is possible. Nice picture.
This note reminds me of the story about Juanita in Peru. After the volcano eruption, the portions of ice melted and they discovered the body of the young girl. She was killed as an offering to the Inca gods sometime between 1450 and 1480 when she was approximately 12–15 years old.

KInd regards MAlgo

PaulVDV (63456) 2018-11-10 13:09

Hallo Rob,
Je foto's tonen goed de geweldige kracht aan van de natuur, in dit geval van water.
Deze keer heb ik wel een voorkeur, namelijk voor de foto in je Workshop 2 'Skeiрarбrjцkull'.
Een fantastisch landschap in een heel goede compositie getoond. Werkelijk indrukwekkend!
Vele groeten, Paul