Kudafljot River

The 115km Kadafljót, one of Iceland's largest glacial rivers, may be located in the south of the country. On its way to the Atlantic, the river flows from Mrdalsjökull via the Skaftátunga area and the black sand desert of Mrdalssandur.

According to The Book of Settlements, the river was named after some of Skaftátunga's earliest immigrants, who landed aboard a ship called Ki. The river was commonly regarded as treacherous, with violent currents and hidden quicksand.

Even still, travelers would risk their lives crossing the river again and again, frequently relying on the strength and resolve of their horses to traverse the shallowest spots.

That is not to suggest that navigating was simple. Until the 1950s, the southeast coast of Iceland was well known as a ship cemetery, with numerous French fishing vessels moored there. Between 1850 and 1914, up to 5000 men would travel from Brittany to harvest the Icelandic coastal waters, establishing a seasonal base in Fáskrsfjörur.

Length: 115 km (71 mi)