Akureyri were the sandbanks that projected into the harbour; in earlier times there were no fewer than five of those. Four have now disappeared, however, owing to the diligence of the Akureyri people in reclaiming land from the sea. The northernmost one, Oddeyri Point, is still in place, though, and a clear landmark in the town. It was in the inner harbour, in the safe shelter of Oddeyri Point, that the merchants of earlier times preferred have their ships lie at anchor. And the harbour depth allowed the largest vessels to anchor in close proximity to the shoreline so that a fully laden rowing boat would reach land within a few minutes.