Silfra diving day tour at thingvellir national park. Big crack, silfra hall, the cathedral and silfra lagoon. In the following guide, you will learn more about how silfra and the surrounding landscapes were formed. Because its basically a 4 hour thing, it does take a big chunk out of a day. When you enter the pool, you will feel the current slowly pushing you forward. It can be booked easily via internet and costs about 1. Silfra is one of the best cold water dive sites in the world. The silfra fissure is one of the highest rated dive sites in the world. Silfra fissure is the only place in the world where you can dive between two. It has the clearest water in the world with underwater visibility over 300 feet.
Its amazing that youre swimming right in between two continental plates. The first section near the entrance is the silfra deep crack, which is long and narrow as it winds a little to the left and right. Snorkeling silfra, iceland day tour iceland advice. The last stop is silfra lagoon, a shallow water space with incredible colors. With us, you are guaranteed a small group experience.
The diving and snorkeling site at silfra is right where the two continents meet and drift apart about 2 cm per year. Dive silfra is an icelandic owned and operated snorkeling and diving tour company deadicated to leading fun and ecofriendly underwater excursions for all of our visitors. We offer daily snorkeling tours of the famous silfra fissure and if you prefer to drive yourself, you can meet us directly at the site. Big crack also holds the shallowest areas it is only 0. Diving silfra is your opportunity to dive the famous silfra fissure. The silfra fissure is one of the most incredible dive destinations on earth, so it was an absolute must when i went to iceland. A silfra fissure snorkeling tour is an adventure you cannot miss in iceland. You will float through big crack, silfra s narrowest section and where the continental plates are so close you can almost touch them. Iceland is a volcanic island of striking landscapes. The crystal clear water at this unesco world heritage site in thingvellir national park will leave you speechless. Silfra is the only place in the world where you can dive or snorkel directly in a crack between two tectonic plates. At this point, if you look at just the right angle you can see all the way to.
Diving silfra day tour in iceland dive silfra with dive. Even though snorkelling in winter is one of the last things you expect to do, you really shouldnt pass up snorkeling silfra, a fissure between two tectonic plates, with some of the clearest water and best visibility in the world. Here the full spectrum of silfras colours and clarity become all the more apparent. Snorkeling between continents silfra fissure, iceland. Explore one of the most beautiful diving locations in the world. Scuba diving the silfra fissure in iceland youtube. Silfra constantly fills with glacial water that has been trickling through underground lava rock for 30 years. Youll start by diving the silfra deep crack, a long and narrow valley.
Silfra admission fee hot drinks and cookies after the tour. During your dive you will explore the four main parts of silfra. If youre looking for a unique experience to cross off that bucket list of yours and lets be honest, to tell all your family and friends about look no further as i share happy campers experience snorkeling in silfra. Snorkeling in silfra in iceland between 2 continents what to wear for snorkeling in silfra when i received my tour confirmation email from dive. I look down into icelands silfra crevasse and i can feel the chill of the pristine glacial water drifting up toward my face. Enjoy a onceinalifetime experience with a snorkeling tour of silfra. Silfra snorkeling between two continents in thingvellir iceland. The thingvellir national park unesco world heritage site is the only place in the world where you can swim between two tectonic plates in a rift filled with glacial meltwater. You will float through big crack, silfras narrowest section and where the continental plates are so close you can almost touch them.
Experience snorkeling in iceland in silfra fissure. Silfra is a crack in the earth ripped open by the movement of the north american and eurasian tectonic plates. Silfra is a crack between the american and the eurasian continents, where the two massive tectonic plates are slowly drifting apart. Drysuit snorkeling in silfra with underwater photos tra. Silfra diving day tour at thingvellir national park extreme iceland. Officially known as the silfra tectonic fissure, or just silfra for short, this freshwater rift between two continents is not only geologically intriguing, it also happens to be stunningly. As it is located in a national park, you will need to join a dive tour operator.
Silfra fissure snorkeling tour at thingvellir arctic adventures. This then widens slightly into what we appropriately call the silfra hall, which leads to the deepest point at 22m called the silfra cathedral. The one must do on their list was snorkeling silfra. You begin in big crack, silfra s narrowest section. This process formed the midatlantic ridge and later, the island of iceland. Join the best diving tours offered by diving island and enjoy the breathtaking experiences in one of the worlds most unique freshwater sites. With about 100 metres visibility and water temperature between 2 and 4 degrees celsius, there. The valley, and silfra itself, were formed by the divergent tectonic. Pushing apart the continental plates the north american and european tectonic plates move apart on an average of two centimeters per year, at silfra crack you can dive in between them and touch both sides in some sections. Yes, it is a thing, and if it isnt already you should add it to your iceland bucket list. When world war ii came to bell island, newfoundland. The fissure lies between the plates of europe and america making it possible for. Perched on the edge of the atlantic, iceland is one of the most geologically active places on earth. Diving silfra was one of the most fantastic things ive ever done.
Snorkeling in iceland silfra snorkeling extreme iceland. During the dive, you will explore the four main parts of silfra. I will admit, when h first told me about his dream to go snorkeling in iceland there was something about swimming around the. Snorkeling in silfra with scuba iceland happycampers. We would absolutely book another excursion with arctic adventures if we returned to iceland. The guides were very professional, clearly well trained, and also very jovial and humorous. A diver diving inbetween the north american and european continental plates at silfra crack, iceland.
My fiancee and i went on the silfra fissure snorkel and glacierice cave day hike with arctic adventures and loved the experiences. We are a family owned company with a closeknit team and we are passionate about exploring nature through diving and. The maximum depth of your dive in silfra will be 18 meters, but the average is around five meters. Snorkeling silfra ultimate adventure in iceland free photos. Its a result of icelands unique geographical and geological properties. This remarkable crack between two tectonic plates is therefore filled with the clearest water. Silfra consists of many different rooms and includes two smaller rifts. Silfra diving day tour discovering the unique underwater world between two tectonic plates in iceland, through the hues of turquoise and sapphire light. Its some of the purest and clearest water in the world, attracting divers. As the fissure widens you will find yourself in the majestic silfra hall with the possibility of local geese and ducks paddling overhead.
Unbelievable visibility and out of this world experience. It takes 30100 years for the glacial waters from the nearby langjokull glacier to filter through the underground lava rocks and into the fissure. We provide dry suit diving opportunities and various kinds of diving adventures in silfra, iceland. Snorkeling silfra in iceland is like entering another world. Silfra is actually the ravine between the eurasian and the. We will also explain how nondivers and firsttime snorkelers can have access to this site. Icelands silfra dive site is revered around the world. We snorkeled between two tectonic plates in glacier water at the silfra fissure and it. There is no shore diving site quite like the silfra fissure in iceland, famous for being. Dive site silfra in thingvellir national park, iceland dive. All depending on the weather and road conditions of course. Silfra is located in thingvellir national park, about 45 minutes from reykjavik. It provides a unique and rugged underwater landscape, made of vibrant rocks cliffs and incredible blue appearances. Dive in silfra september 2012, national park thingvellir, iceland.
On my first trip to iceland five years ago i asked my viking what was something on his iceland bucket list. Well guide you through the main silfra big crack, silfra hall, silfra cathedral, and silfra. We visited silfra in february for diving and had a couple of days that we made a few diva at this wonderful place. Explore the hidden world made of lava rock, sand and algae. Its a huge crack in the earths surface, where the continental plates meet and which is slowing widening by about two centimeters per year. Water temperature is always between 2 and 4 degrees celsius and the visibility over 100 meters, so diving in silfra is like diving in the purest drinking water. It is a multilevel dive, so diving silfra means having good control of your buoyancy. Dec 30, 2019 i traveled to iceland with my teenage daughter and her friend. Come with the trolls to discover the amazing sights of silfra glacial fissure in the worlds clearest waters one of the major wonders to be found in iceland. We are proud that tripadvisor has named our snorkeling silfra day tour the no. Scuba diving the silfra in iceland dive buddies 4 life. Silfra is one of the largest cracks and one of the most popular dive and snorkel sites in the world.
Explore silfra fissure on iceland scuba diving tours. Jul 06, 2016 there is definitively no need to hire a dive guide to dive at silfra. Its billed as one of the best dive sites in the world. There are also several walking trails around silfra if youll like to enjoy the scenery by the water. As always, you should control your dive position in the water with your lungs first, bcd second, and drysuit.
Tauchen in silfra, island diving silfra, iceland youtube. Silfra diving day tour at thingvellir national park extreme. Ive been seeing all over tripadvisor and everywhere else how highly rated and recommended snorkeling the silfra in thingvellir national park is just wanted some of your thoughts. The place is well attended by commercial diving groups. Silfra fissure is a rift formed within this incredible feature and when you place yourself at silfra, you are literally standing between two continents. Divers and snorkelers travel from all over the world to experience the absolutely unique underwater world of silfra. Silfra fissure snorkeling tour thingvellir national park. You will float through big crack, silfra s narrowest section, where you can have your dive between the continents photo taken. Snorkelling silfra with scuba iceland the scuba news. The entire island is situated on top of a fault line between two tectonic plates.
You will see why snorkeling in iceland is so popular and why divers from all over the world come to iceland to explore this unique place. Chantelle wyatt iceland picaga photography radoslaw krol scuba diving iceland silfra silfra crack. We also visited gullfoss, gejser and some other places. So silfra has been on my to do list for as long as i can remember and my interest in it has developed with every visit to iceland. Freedive silfra tour in a wetsuit guide to iceland. Continue into silfra cathedral, the deepest part of the dive. Silfra is a rift formed in the divergent tectonic boundary between the north american and eurasian plates and is located in the. But what makes diving silfra crack in the thingvellir national park extraordinary is that, by diving here, youre in the space between two worlds. Silfra tectonic fissure is the only place in the world where you can dive or snorkel between two continental plates. Which may seem odd because its a freshwater dive with almost no interesting visible life.
Snorkeling silfra, thingvellir national park, iceland. Snorkeling in silfra in iceland between 2 continents. Snorkeling in the silfra fissure is a once in a lifetime experience that you dont want to miss. The rift is the most popular diving site in iceland, first of all because it the crack between the american and eurasian continent and secondly because of the magnificent visibility that isnt anywhere else under those circumstances. Feb 17, 2017 one of the people diving in silfra, a crevasse at. Dive in the silfra fissure, between the north american and eurasian tectonic plates.
Snorkeling between two continents at the silfra fissure in. Our most extreme iceland adventure has definitely been snorkeling silfra, a crack between the north american and eurasian continents. You will learn how to safely and confidently dive in a dry suit and thus enjoy diving in silfra even more. Home to hundreds of volcanoes, geysers, smokers, fissures and hydrothermal vents, it straddles the rift zone between the north american and european continental plates and lies just below the arctic circle, with the small off shore island of. During the tour, you will explore the four main parts of silfra. The silfra fissure is one of the highest rated dive. The silfra fissure is a crack between the north american and eurasian continental plates. Snorkelling tours in silfra, iceland diving island. The water is crystal clear and i can see the jet black lava stone bottom 70 or 80 feet beneath the surface. Here the full spectrum of silfras colors and clarity become all the more apparent.
The clearest water coming from the glazier in to silfra. Oct 29, 2006 a nice report about the most spectacular dive site in iceland. Snorkeling at silfra is suitable for anyone who feels comfortable in the water. The crystal clear glacial water filling the silfra fissure has been filtered for decades through underground lava rock, providing over 100 meters of underwater visibility. Scuba diving and snorkeling in silfra is popular because of its clear water and location within the continental rift. Although mild, the current takes particles that fall into silfra, or might be kicked up by a diver or snorkeller, out into lake thingvellir, returning silfra to her perfect clarity within minutes. Located in the thingvallavatn lake in the thingvellir national park in iceland, silfra is part of the atlantic rift the dividing line between the continents of europe and america. Dry suit diving adventures in silfra, iceland diving island.
Is which is a padi 5 star dive center that also offers snorkeling tours. Here the full spectrum of silfra s colors and clarity become all the more apparent. Water travels from the langjokull glacier through porous lava rock during a journey that takes between 30 and 100 years before seeping into the fissure. If the current is not strong enough, you can use your flippers to propel yourself. Hier kann man zwischen zwei kontinentalplatten tauchen. I found iceland adventure tours which was by far the best deal going. Proximity to the arctic circle, rapidly changing weather patterns, ancient glaciers when it comes to cold, icelands got it covered big time. During your snorkel, you will explore the four main parts of silfra. If you opt for the silfra snorkelling or diving experience and selfdrive, note that you need about 45 minutes to 1 hour from reykjavik downtown to drive out to thingvellir national park, where the crack in the earth is located. During this journey, you will snorkel within a crack between the eurasian and american continents. As always, you should control your dive position in the water with your lungs first, bcd second, and drysuit third if you have little experience with drysuit diving. We offer daily tours where you get the chance to float between the two continental plates while enjoying the clarity of the water.
The force of the spring is strong enough that it creates a current that runs through the crack. The silfra fissure has four important, and distinctive sections that can be dived or snorkeled. Silfra is a fissure between two continental plates with over 100m visibility underwater. Dive site silfra in thingvellir national park, iceland. There is no shore diving site quite like the silfra fissure in iceland, famous for being, well a giant crack in the earth.
You dont need to be a certified diver in order to experience water at its clearest. Apr 14, 2017 snorkeling in silfra with scuba iceland published. The silfra fissure is a waterfilled crack between the north american and eurasian tectonic plates, where the two continents drift apart from each other. This halfday tour offers diving in icelands top diving destination and gets you back to reykjavik before 3pm the same day.
Icelands silfra dive site is revered around the world, but as mark evans found out, there is much more to this dramatic island than this singular iconic location. These are the silfra big crack, the silfra hall, the silfra cathedral and the silfra lagoon. Located in the thingvellir national park, silfras crystal clear waters are unmatched and perfect for underwater sightseeing. Float between two continental plates, surrounded by astonishingly clear water and mesmerizing colors while admiring this underwater world. Silfra is a fissure between the north american and eurasian continental plates. The crack between two tectonic plates in iceland causes frequent volcanic activities that formed and shaped a diverse range of amazing sceneries and landscapes in the area. There is also the silfra cave too, which actually leads completely under the surface of thingvellir national park. Silfra snorkeling trips to silfra, thingvellir traveller. Silfra is an otherworldly scene located in the lava field directly on top of the continental rift valley between america and europe. The rift was formed in 1789 by the earthquakes accompanying the divergent movement of the two tectonic plates. You will also receive a padi dry suit specialty certificate, which is an internationally recognised certification and often a requirement for diving in challenging coldwater dive sites elsewhere in the world.
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