Like much of the Westfjords, Sæból has always been remote and life is tied closely to the weather and the seasons. The people living in the valley on Önundarfjörður are known for their good attitude, hardworking nature, and toughness living in sometimes extreme isolation with the harsh Icelandic climate.
Most of the records we have from our family date from around 1900 onwards. The weather seems to have always been a preoccupation, as it has for centuries in Iceland. We still have the diligently-kept handwritten records of the daily weather conditions in the early 20th-century.
Sæból was the home of Vorblóm, one of the first young men's clubs in the region, founded in 1904. The club provided all kinds of community activities for young men living in the area. They hosted sports events, ski lessons, meetings, and dances. The club also built Vonarland hall to be used for meetings and events.
The hall became a meeting place for a sports club that had competitions and trained together. The club had very strict rules about health, and members were not allowed to drink or use tobacco. One notorious member famously received an exemption, though, because he just couldn't give up smoking!
What to do when you don't have a yoga studio
Demonstrating some moves at the athletic club
The road out to the valley was completed in 1946. Up until that time it was necessary to come out to Sæból by sledge or on horseback - making the farm even more isolated until cars could make it.
Kristín's grandfather Ásvaldur greeted his cousin Guðni at the end of the road when it was completed.
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