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Alftamyri is an abandoned farm on the
northern side of Bay Arnarfjordur, a former parsonage to 1880, when the
parish was united with the Hrafnseyri parish. Catholic churches there
were dedicated to the Holy Mother and John the Baptist. The farm was
abandoned shortly after 1950. The church built in 1896 was badly
damaged by bad weather in 1966 and was demolished.
Between the farms Bauluhus and Alftamyri
is a cove called Hladsbot, which belongs to Alftamyri. It was a fishing
station and a trading post from 1893. Whaling was practiced from
the farms Stapadalur and Alftamyri and many skilled harpooners
trained every year like athletes. Some blue whales spent the summers in
the bay and always brought their calves along.
The whales were very tame and the hunt always started shortly before
they showed some signs of leaving. The whalers used specially
built boats for the hunt and only harpooned the calves. The meat
was distributed between the farms of the county and was a
great advantage for the people. The whalers asserted
that the same whales always came back each summer and even
gave them names. The whaling continued until the
Norwegians were permitted to start their whaling activities
off the Westfiords in 1888. Then the whales
disappeared from the bay and never came back. |