Viking Discovery of Iceland

At least three Vikings are believed to have reached Iceland between 860 and 870.

Gardar Svavarsson

According to one version of the Landnámabók, a text that describes the settlement of Iceland, the first landfall was made, purely accidentally, by a Swede named Gardar Svavarsson.

He sailed from his home in Scandinavia to claim a family inheritance in the Hebrides, but was driven off course by a storm that swept him northwest across the Atlantic to the southeastern coast of Iceland.

In calmer weather, Gardar sailed north and spent the winter at Húsavík, or "house bay". Continuing around Iceland the following summer, he proved beyond doubt that it was an island. Gardar named the island Gardarsholm after himself.

On returning home, Gardar praised it very highly as an appealing alternative to Scandinavia.

Naddoddr

In another version of the Landnámabók, Naddoddr (Naddod), a Norwegian, is said to have discovered Iceland. He was also driven off course in a storm, this time, when he was attempting to travel to the Faroe Islands. He landed near what is now Reydarfjord in Austurland (the Austfirthir).

Hoping to find other people on the island, Naddoddr climbed a mountain, Reydarfjall, but found no evidence of human habitation.

As he and his men sailed for home, a heavy snowstorm enveloped the land behind them. Naddoddr named the island Snaeland, land of snow.

Floki Vilgerdarson

In the 800s, the Vikings found that the resources of the fjordlands of Scandinavia were never able to meet their needs. They began to look for places where they might settle permanently, rather than depend on short marauding voyages.

The first Viking to go to Iceland with the intention of settling there was a Norwegian called Floki Vilgerdarson.

Floki sailed with his family and livestock.

His party stopped off at the Shetlands and the Faeroes, and then made for Iceland.

When they were well on their way, Floki set free one of three ravens he had taken with him. The raven flew straight back to the land they had left. Some time later, Floki released a second raven. This one flew up into the air and then returned and perched on the rigging, so he knew they were still many miles from land. Then Floki loosed the third raven. It flew on ahead and gave him a bearing for land.

The ship sailed along the south coast of Iceland and then north to Breidhafjördhur, where the company stopped at a place called Vatnsfjordur.

The waters were full of fish. Unfortunately, they spent so much time fishing and sailing that they did not prepare for the winter. When the weather became colder, there was not enough hay to feed the livestock and they died.

In the spring, Floki climbed a mountain, from which he could see pack ice in the fjords, and so named the land Iceland.

After their experience of winter conditions, the settlers thought the land too hard for living in and prepared to sail home.

Because of winds, the ship failed to clear the Reykjanes Peninsula, and Floki was forced to turn back.

Floki and his family had to spend the following winter at Borgafjord. When he eventually got back to Norway, Floki, now nicknamed Raven Floki, had nothing good to say of his adventures.
However, a companion named Herjolf said that Iceland had some good things and some bad things. Another companion, named Thorolf, was very enthusiastic about the country he had visited and told avid listeners of his adventures.