The Baldur ferry departs from Stykkishólmur harbour and crosses Breiðafjörður to Brjánslækur in the Westfjords, a journey of about two and a half hours via the island of Flatey. This is the main reason many travellers pass through Stykkishólmur: it's the gateway to the Westfjords by sea, and the crossing itself is one of the more spectacular ferry rides in Iceland.
The bay is scattered with around 2,700 small islands and skerries, and the passage through them on a clear day is remarkable. Eider ducks, Arctic terns, and puffins are commonly seen from the deck. The ferry stops at Flatey, a small inhabited island with wooden 19th-century houses and a notable illuminated medieval manuscript, the Flateyarbók, which was kept here for centuries before being moved to Reykjavík. Even if you're not continuing to the Westfjords, the harbour in Stykkishólmur — with its fishing boats and coloured houses — rewards an early morning or evening walk.