 His district stretched from Árnessýsla to Skeiðarár Sandur, including the Westman Islands, and was difficult to cross owing to the many unbridged rivers.Doctors were very poorly paid in those days so, to support his family, Sveinn also fished at sea from a rowing boat, and farmed.His wife Þórunn Bjarnadóttir, was hardworking and took charge of the farm when Sveinn was away.