National Geographic Explorer took us past the steaming Reykjanes Peninsula in the wee hours of the morning to Heimaey, where we climbed Eldfell. This volcano was formed during a recent eruption (1973), and we experienced the warmth that still emerges from the ground there. The afternoon was filled with marine wildlife encounters, including killer whales and nesting gannets. We also had a close look at Surtsey, Iceland’s youngest island.