Gardar BA 64 is a beached steel ship on the shore of a fjord in the Westfjords of Iceland. It was built in Norway in 1912 and is counted as the oldest steel ship in the country. In 1981 it was run aground here on purpose and left to rust. The wreck is viewed from the outside: the hull is dangerous and signs ask visitors not to go in. Seals are sometimes in the lagoon alongside it. The stop takes a few minutes on a drive round the Westfjords.
Gardar BA 64 Shipwreck
Local name: Garðar BA 64
Built in Norway in 1912, the ship was deliberately run aground here in 1981 and has been left to rust on the shore ever since.
- Entrance
- Free
- Accessibility
- No wheelchair-accessible entrance at the site.
- Parking
- Free car park about 50 metres from the wreck; free roadside parking as well.
- Difficulty
- Easy — right beside the road
- Transport
- Self-drive (Route 612)
- Hours
- Open 24 hours, every day.
- Address
- 451 Sauðlauksdalur, near Patreksfjörður
What makes it special
A steel ship sits on the shore at the head of the fjord, rusting in the open air. Gardar BA 64 was built in Norway in 1912 and is counted as the oldest steel ship in Iceland. It was run aground here on purpose in 1981 and has not been moved since. The interest is the age and the scale: a vessel more than a century old, left where it was put and left to rust. It is seen from the outside — the hull is unsafe and signs ask visitors to stay off. Seals use the lagoon beside the wreck.
Good to know
- Come with fuel and food: this corner of the Westfjords is remote, and supplies are worth sorting out before the drive in.
- Plan the night first: decide where you are camping or sleeping before you arrive, not afterwards.
- Outside only: signs ask visitors not to enter the ship, so count on seeing it from the shore.
- Watch the lagoon: seals turn up in the water beside the wreck, though not on any schedule.
Getting there
Access is by car. A free car park lies about 50 metres from the wreck, and the last stretch is a short walk over open ground — under a minute from the vehicle. The ship itself stands on the shore at the head of the fjord.
Best time to visit
Best: late evening, around sunset.
Avoid: the end of a long driving day with a low tank and no campsite arranged.
The wreck is at its most striking in low light, and at that hour there are usually few other people on the shore.
Sun & daylight
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Gardar BA 64 Shipwreck on the map
The hull is rusted and unsafe to enter. Signs at the site ask visitors to stay outside the ship.
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Frequently asked questions
Can you go inside Gardar BA 64?
No. Signs ask visitors not to enter, and the rusted hull is dangerous. The wreck is meant to be seen from the outside.How old is the ship?
It was built in Norway in 1912 and is counted as the oldest steel ship in Iceland.Why is it standing on the shore?
It was beached deliberately in 1981 and has stayed in the same place since.Are there seals here?
Seals are sometimes in the lagoon next to the wreck. Sightings are a matter of luck.