Exploring the Pristine Depths of Silfra Fissure: An Unforgettable Scuba Adventure in Iceland

Iceland, a land of stunning landscapes and natural wonders, offers a unique and mesmerizing experience for scuba divers at the renowned dive site, Silfra. Nestled within Thingvellir National Park, Silfra is a fissure between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates, providing divers with an extraordinary opportunity to explore the crystal-clear waters that fill the gap.

The Geological Marvel of Silfra

Silfra is not just any dive site; it's a geological marvel. The fissure is part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where the North American and Eurasian plates are slowly drifting apart. The result is an underwater chasm filled with some of the purest water on Earth, sourced from the nearby Langjokull glacier.

Visibility Beyond Compare

What sets Silfra apart is its unparalleled visibility. Divers often boast about the visibility reaching up to 330 feet (100 meters) or more, making Silfra one of the clearest dive sites globally. The pristine glacial meltwater, filtered through underground lava for decades, creates an otherworldly underwater landscape.

Diving Between Continents

Silfra offers divers a unique opportunity to literally swim between two continents. The visibility allows you to see the dramatic geological formations and vibrant colors of the rocks below as you navigate the narrow channel. The experience of drifting peacefully along the continental divide is nothing short of awe-inspiring.

The Four Sections of Silfra

Silfra is divided into four distinct sections, each offering its own charm. The Silfra Crack is the main attraction, known for its narrow and deep crevice. The Silfra Hall, Silfra Cathedral, and Silfra Lagoon provide diverse underwater landscapes, featuring caves, caverns, and expanses that showcase the geological wonders of this underwater realm.

Challenges and Rewards

While Silfra is renowned for its clear waters, the frigid temperatures are not to be underestimated. Even in the summer months, the water hovers around 35.6°F to 39.2°F (2°C to 4°C). Divers are required to wear drysuits to protect against the cold. However, the challenges are rewarded with an unparalleled underwater experience, where the incredible visibility and unique geological features make it a bucket-list dive for many.

Experience and Training

Due to the extreme cold in Silfra it is a drysuit dive, local dive companies all adhere to the same rules with regard to training and experience for this dive. A minimum of 10 logged drysuit dives in the the last 2 years OR drysuit certification from any diving agency. Local companies also offer a 2 day package of drysuit diving day number one and Silfra on day number two for those who aren’t already certified or experienced with a drysuit. Once you have drysuit training then it opens up a whole new world of scuba diving.

Dive Details

Location - Thingvellir National Park, Iceland

Depth - Maximum 52 ft (16m), average 23 ft (7m)

Marine life - This is a freshwater site, so no marine life but large lake trout and Arctic Char can be spotted.

Diver Tips

Visibility - 330 feet plus (100m plus), every day of the year.

Current - Minimal, there is a lazy current gently pushing you down stream.

Local guide - A local guide is highly recommended, their knowledge of the park and the dive site enhances this once in a lifetime experience plus it’s much easier to get the required equipment as it is hard to rent in Iceland, they also take care of park fees and transport.

Dive season - All year around, but summer is the peak diving season from May to October.

How to get there - Iceland has never been more accessible with flights from almost all major US and European cities direct to Reykjavik.

Local Operators

Arctic Adventures - Arctic Adventures offer daily snorkeling and diving tours and all of their packages include everything you need for the day, guides, park fees, equipment and even hot chocolate and cookies (www.adventures.com)

Magmadive - For a more specialist multi day diving experience in Iceland Magmadive offer multi day dive expeditions with highly experienced local guides and tailor made trips to all the other incredible dive sites in Iceland along with Silfra (www.magmadive.is)