It rose from the seafloor in a violent, bubbling mess of black ash and steam. This was 1963. A cook on a fishing vessel named the Isleifur II thought he saw a ship on fire off the coast of Iceland. He was wrong. It was the birth of Surtsey Island, a volcanic eruption that would keep going for nearly four years until a brand-new, 2.7-square-kilometer island sat cooling in the North Atlantic.
Nature is fast.
Most people assume islands take millions of years to form or stabilize. Surtsey did it in a weekend. But here is the catch: you are not allowed to go there. Unless you are a scientist with a very specific permit from the Surtsey Research Society, you will never set foot on its volcanic soil. It’s one of the most protected places on the planet. This isn't because it's dangerous—though the terrain is rugged—but because it’s a giant, outdoor laboratory where humans aren't allowed to mess with the data.
The Tomato Plant Incident and Why Scientists Are Protective
Biologists want to see how life populates a barren rock from zero. No soil. No seeds. Just hardened lava. In the late 1960s, scientists were shocked to find a tomato plant sprouting on the island. It was a minor crisis. How did a tomato get to a remote volcanic island in the middle of the ocean?
The answer was human interference.
Someone—likely a scientist or a stray visitor—had "gone to the bathroom" on the island after eating a tomato. The seeds survived the digestive tract and grew. Researchers had to destroy the plant immediately to keep the experiment pure. They wanted to see what the wind, the waves, and the birds brought in, not what a researcher's lunch provided. This is why the rules for Surtsey Island are so incredibly strict today. Every person who lands there is checked for seeds in their pockets, their boot treads, and even their cuffs.
How Life Actually Takes Root on Surtsey Island
It started with moss. That’s usually how it goes. Lichen and mosses showed up within the first few years, clinging to the cooling basalt. Then came the sea rocket, a hardy shore plant.
💡 You might also like: Tiempo en East Hampton NY: What the Forecast Won't Tell You About Your Trip
But the real game-changer was the birds.
Fulmars and black guillemots were the first to nest. When birds show up, they bring two things: seeds in their feathers (or stomachs) and guano. Poop is the engine of life on Surtsey. It provided the nitrogen-rich fertilizer that transformed the volcanic ash into actual soil. By the mid-1980s, a "seagull colony" had established itself on the southern part of the island. Suddenly, the plant life exploded. What was once a gray, lunar landscape started showing patches of vibrant green.
You can actually see the difference in satellite imagery over the decades. The northern part of the island remains relatively barren and sandy, while the southern part, where the birds congregate, is a lush carpet of grasses and small shrubs. It’s a literal map of how animal migration dictates the survival of flora.
The Erosion Problem Nobody Likes to Talk About
While life is winning, the geography is losing. Surtsey Island is shrinking.
When it stopped erupting in 1967, it was significantly larger than it is now. The North Atlantic is a brutal neighborhood. Massive waves and high winds have been clawing away at the soft tephra (volcanic ash) since day one. About half of its original area has already been reclaimed by the sea.
- The island originally peaked at 174 meters above sea level.
- The soft ash on the hills is eroding at a rate of about 1 meter per year in some spots.
- The harder lava core is much more resistant, which is why the island hasn't disappeared entirely.
Scientists believe Surtsey will eventually become a "skaer" or a small rocky chimney, much like the other Vestmannaeyjar islands nearby. It won't vanish tomorrow. We probably have another century or two before it becomes a mere stump in the water, but the "New Island" smell has definitely worn off.
📖 Related: Finding Your Way: What the Lake Placid Town Map Doesn’t Tell You
What Most People Get Wrong About the Island's Access
You’ll see "tours" advertised for the Westman Islands (Vestmannaeyjar) that mention Surtsey. Don't get your hopes up. These tours are boat-based or small-plane flyovers. You will see the island from a distance. You will see the steam rising from the vents (yes, it’s still warm in places) and the steep cliffs. But the boat will not dock.
There is a small hut on the island. It’s basically a shack for researchers to sleep in while they do their fieldwork. It has a few bunks and some scientific equipment. If you ever see a photo of a building on Surtsey, that’s it. It’s not a hotel. It’s not a visitor center.
The Icelandic government is so serious about this that the island was named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2008. They view it as a "pristine laboratory." If you were to sneak onto the island, you wouldn't just be trespassing; you'd be potentially ruining a 60-year-old biological study that helps us understand how the entire Earth was populated after the last ice age. Honestly, it’s one of the few places left where the "look but don't touch" rule is enforced by international law and a very cold, choppy ocean.
The Surprising Variety of Residents
By now, the island isn't just moss and birds. Spiders were among the first to arrive—likely ballooning in on the wind. Then came earthworms, which probably hitched a ride on a bird's foot.
We’ve seen:
- Grey seals and harbor seals using the northern "spit" of the island as a haul-out spot.
- Over 60 species of vascular plants.
- Ravens nesting in the craters.
- Slugs and various insects that have drifted over from the mainland or nearby islands.
It’s a functional ecosystem built from scratch in less than a human lifetime. That is why Surtsey Island matters. It proves that the planet is incredibly resilient. Even after a total "reset" (like a volcanic eruption that wipes everything out), life finds a way to crawl back in within months.
👉 See also: Why Presidio La Bahia Goliad Is The Most Intense History Trip In Texas
Practical Steps for the Curious
Since you can't actually go there, how do you experience it? Most travelers who want a taste of this volcanic drama head to Heimaey, the only inhabited island in the Westman chain.
First, visit the Eldheimar Museum on Heimaey. It focuses on the 1973 eruption that nearly destroyed the town there, but it has extensive exhibits on the formation of Surtsey. It’s the closest you can get to the science without a permit.
Second, book a RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) safari from the harbor in Vestmannaeyjar. These high-speed boats take you around the cliffs of the nearby islands. On clear days, they can head out toward Surtsey. You’ll see the dramatic "Elephant Rock" on Heimaey along the way, which looks exactly like a giant pachyderm drinking from the sea.
Third, watch the horizon from the southern tip of Iceland (near Vik or Dyrhólaey). On a very clear day, the silhouette of Surtsey is visible. It looks like a lone, flat-topped fortress standing against the waves.
Finally, follow the annual reports from the Surtsey Research Society. They publish fascinating updates on which new plants have arrived. Last I checked, they found a willow tree—well, a tiny shrub-sized one—but it’s proof that the island is slowly turning into a forest, one bird-dropping at a time.
To truly understand Surtsey, you have to accept that it isn't for us. It’s for the birds, the seals, and the moss. In a world where every corner of the map is being turned into a tourist destination, there’s something kind of beautiful about a piece of land that is strictly off-limits to everyone but the life that earned its way there.
Actionable Insights for Your Visit:
- Focus your travel on the Westman Islands (Vestmannaeyjar) as your base of operations.
- Prioritize a flight-seeing tour if you want the best view of Surtsey’s crater, as boat views are limited by the height of the island's cliffs.
- Respect the exclusion zone; the Icelandic Coast Guard monitors the area, and fines for unauthorized landings are heavy.
- Check the Surtsey Research Society digital archives if you are a student or researcher; they have high-resolution mapping of the island's evolution since the 60s.