Jan Mayen

Jan Mayen is an Arctic island washed by the Norwegian and Greenland Seas of the Arctic Ocean. Jan Mayen is not spoiled with neighbors – the nearest Greenland is half a thousand kilometers to the west. One hundred kilometers more to the more southern Iceland. To Norway, under whose jurisdiction the island is located – a thousand kilometers to the east.

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Video: Jan Mayen

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History

‘ Ship off the coast of the island
‘ Summer on Jan Mayen

Features of Jan Mayen

The 373 km² island is part of an overwater volcanic system 170 kilometers from tectonic platforms, so earthquakes are frequent.

Jan Mayen stretches northeast for fifty-five kilometers and is roughly divided into North Jan and South Jan. The two parts are connected by a narrow, only two or three kilometers, isthmus. There are two bodies of water with poetic names – South Lagoon and North Lagoon. These water reservoirs are unique – they are fed by two sources: melting mountain glaciers and snowfields fill the reservoirs with fresh water, and salt water penetrates here from the ocean and is brought here by storm waves. What’s interesting is that the fresh water stays near the surface while the salt water settles to the bottom.

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‘ Rocks of the island
‘ Whalebone on the coast

Jan Mayen’s topography is made up of mountains with five glaciers and tundra, which does not impress with shrubs or trees. Nevertheless, the flora is rich in a variety of mosses, of which there are up to 176 species. A biology specialist will find 140 species of lichens and up to 70 species of fungi on the island. Dwarf willows also grow here, and 3 out of 5 species of dandelions are under special protection as they are endemic plants.

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‘ View of the island from afar

Curious facts

In 1940, a secret German expedition landed on the island. Its members were sure that they came here to observe British ships. The true purpose of the arrival was known only to Dr. Rudolf Franz, who was commissioned by Hitler to clarify whether the Earth was a ball or a flask, as the Nazi leader was sure. But the British military, who learned of this expedition, landed on Jan Mayen and captured all the Germans.

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‘ Harsh winters.
‘ Island Airport

Diving on Jan Mayen

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Tourists

Jan Mayen has great opportunities for tourism. More and more fans of extreme and unusual vacations are interested in the Arctic Ocean areas. But Jan Mayen is difficult to access for the average traveler. Since 2010, the island has been declared a nature reserve to preserve the unique nature. It is forbidden to pitch tents here. You can visit Jan Mayen only if you have a special permit, obtained in advance from the relevant services of Norway. The time of stay is very limited – only a few days, sometimes even hours.

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Jan Mayen has no airport or marina, all its transport facilities are anchorages and a single runway. During the summer season, food and equipment for the weather station staff is brought to the island by water. Military and charter planes also provide transportation, but they often have to refuse to land due to bad weather.

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‘ Hike.
‘ Tourists in the Fog

You can find companies with commercial flights to Jan Mayen on the internet that can help you gather the necessary documents and get those who want to travel to the island.

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Jan Mayen’s calling card is its fog – dense and palpable, it envelops you and creates an atmosphere of mysticism and mystery unlike anything else. Experiencing the fog is not for the faint-hearted, your vision and hearing change, it’s as if you find yourself in another, alien dimension.

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If you decide to visit this island, be prepared to be surprised. Here there is nothing that the average tourist is used to – no cozy beaches, no luxury hotels, no multilingual crowd. But once you’ve been to this inaccessible, mysterious island, you’ll never forget its peculiar charm.

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