September 21, 2003
Iceland's geology is dominated by volcanic activity. Many lava flows have cooled into columnar basalt outcrops, some of which can be accessed easily from roads and pathways. These basalts often form ledges over which glacier-fed streams flow, creating plunge pools and undercuts. Both these conditions are displayed at the Svartifoss, "foss" meaning "waterfall," near the Visitor Centre of Skaftafell National Park in southern Iceland. The undercutting as shown in this unusual view reveals some of the "suspended" basalt columns.