We did not know what to expect out of this experience. I imagined a regular massage just in the water or on a bench semi submerged. It was so much more than that! Thor and Chad were our masseuses. They started with a salt rub. This was done on a semi submerged bench with a rubber mat placed between us and the bench. The water was warm but the air was cool and the wind was blowing moderately. To keep us warm large towels were laid on top of us and periodically dipped back into the warm water. For instance Chad peeled the towel off of one leg, rubbed it down with salt, then dipped the bottom half of the towel back in the water and replaced it over my legs. Then he would take the top half of the towel off to the side, dip it in the water and replace it on my top half. This was repeated for legs, arms, back, belly and chest. The towels were quite thick and when filled with water the heft put pressure on us which was quite comforting. Lastly our faces were scrubbed and a mask was applied. The mask stayed on for the rest of the process. The next part was the most bizarre. There is a type of algae that grows only in these waters. Like the moss that had traditionally been ground up and added to the bread, there are medicinally beneficial aspects to this algae. So we were each slathered with the algae and to keep it on our skin we were slipped into a large plastic bags. I mean large because I was able to fit in easily. More algae was applied and then the top of the bag was gathered around our necks. A floating neck pillow was put on our necks and then they slid us off the table and we were set adrift, free floating bagged humans. There is a cooking technique, Sous Vide, in which you seal the item to cook in a plastic bag and then set it in a warm water bath. It gives the chef much more control over the cooking process. As I floated I could feel tiny bubbles percolating as the algae did their thing and I could only think of being cooked in the Blue Lagoon ala sous vide. We had a 20 minute "cook" time after which the massage began. This was more conventional with the exception of the positions we needed to be in for the masseuse to get leverage. There were ropes stretched parallel to the surface of the water that they used to prop an appendage up occasionally to get leverage. During the massage we were back on the rubber mats but not on the tables. At regular intervals they would push us down by the hips back into the water. As the massage was ending it began to rain a little. The tiny drops would land on my face and wash away the mask bit by bit. I was getting kind of hot so the cold rain was very soothing. To be honest we were both a bit sore after the procedures, perhaps due to the free floating positions or the occasional lack of back support.
The retreat was quite strict about no pictures to protect the privacy of their guests, so I had to go over Into the Blue Lagoon property itself to take pictures
You can see the ropes used to hang a leg off of for leverage
These are the mats that we laid on with the large towels on top of the mats
This is part of the Retreat. There is a little window at the corner of this building where they can watch anybody coming from the Blue Lagoon over to the Retreat. If they are not Retreat customers they are turned away
One of the most beautiful parts of the Blue Lagoon is how the Mist will ebb and flow as the wind blows harder and softer.
Thicker plumes are from the geothermal power plant in the distance
The sun is breaking through the clouds
People are out there in the mist
Water, lava, sky
