Garðar BA 64 Shipwreck
About Garðar BA 64 Shipwreck
Garðar BA 64 is a rusting steel ship beached on the shore at Skápadalur, on the north side of Patreksfjörður in the southern Westfjords. It sits right beside Route 612, the road to Látrabjarg and Rauðisandur, about 20 minutes' drive from the town of Patreksfjörður.
The ship was built in Norway in 1912 and started life as a whaling vessel, and it is often called the oldest steel ship in Iceland. It later fished for herring under the name Garðar, and when it was declared unfit for service in 1981 it was run aground here instead of being sunk at sea.
More than four decades of weather have turned the hull a deep red-brown, and the white wheelhouse and tall masts still stand. With the fjord behind it and bare mountains on every side, it is one of the easiest and most photogenic stops in the area. A sign at the site tells its story.
Parking is a short walk from the wreck, and a quick visit takes 15 to 30 minutes. Look from the outside only, because the rusted decks and hull are unstable and climbing aboard is unsafe. This stretch of Route 612 is paved, so the wreck is an easy stop in most seasons, while the gravel roads farther out toward Látrabjarg are best driven between June and August.
Good to know
Where is the Garðar BA 64 shipwreck?
Garðar BA 64 lies on the shore at Skápadalur on the north side of Patreksfjörður in the southern Westfjords. It is right next to Route 612, about 20 minutes' drive from the town of Patreksfjörður.
How old is Garðar BA 64?
Garðar BA 64 was built in Norway in 1912 and is often called the oldest steel ship in Iceland. It was beached at Skápadalur in 1981.
Why is Garðar BA 64 on the beach?
When the ship was judged unfit for service in 1981, it was run aground at Skápadalur instead of being sunk at sea. It has been rusting on the shore ever since.
Can you go inside the Garðar shipwreck?
No, you should not climb aboard. The hull and decks are badly rusted and unstable, so view and photograph the ship from the ground.
How do you get to Garðar BA 64?
From Patreksfjörður, drive around the head of the fjord and turn onto Route 612 toward Látrabjarg. The wreck is beside the road at Skápadalur, with parking a short walk away.
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