Overview
About Djupalonssandur
Pebbles and lifting stones
The shore takes its name from the inland lagoons Djúpalón and Svörtulón. Smooth dark stones, traditionally called the pearls of Djúpalón, have been rounded by the sea. Four larger boulders served as tests of strength: Fullsterkur weighs 154 kilograms, Hálfsterkur 100, Hálfdrættingur 54 and Amlóði 23. These named stones connect a physical contest with the demanding work of the former fishing stations, where lifting ability was used to judge prospective fishermen.
Traces of work and shipwreck
Much of the iron debris scattered across the beach comes from the English trawler Epine GY-7, which ran aground nearby in March 1948. The fragments record the hazards of working this exposed coast. At neighbouring Dritvík, remains of seasonal fishermen's huts survive. Read together, the beach and nearby settlement traces show both the shore-based organisation of fishing and the vulnerability of vessels offshore.
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