Diving in Iceland is not for the faint hearted, but is most certainly a location that any passionate diver should not miss. Iceland has a variety of interesting dive sites to choose from, whether you want to plunge into the Silfra Fissure in the Þingvellir National Park, explore an historic wreck, experience the waters of the North Atlantic Ocean or whether you are looking for a completely unique dive in the form of the extraordinary hydrothermal chimney Strýtan. While the waters of the Silfra Fissure remain between 2 and 3°C all year round, the sea temperature ranges between 2°C during the coldest months (January - March) and 10° in the summer months.
The Silfra Fissure is located in the northern part of Lake Thingvallavatn, which lies in the rift valley that extends south from the Langjökull glacier to Mount Hengill and from Botnssulur mountains in the west to Lyngdalsheidi heath in the East. Measuring 84 km² in area size and 100 metres above sea level, Lake Thingvallavatn is Iceland's largest lake. The deepest part of the lake is 114 metres and consequently reaches below sea level. What makes diving in the Silfra Fissure so extraordinary is its location in a narrow canyon in the lava field between Europe and America, meaning that you can actually get the unique chance to dive between both continents.
Silfra Fissure is made up of groundwater from the surrounding area and melt water from the Langjökull glacier, which lies in the Icelandic highlands. Since the Langjökull glacier's melt water takes some 20 years to filter through the extensive lava field prior to reaching the fissure, the waters here are consequently some of the cleanest and purest in the world. The depths of the Silfra Fissure present a unique and somewhat otherworldly underwater scene, unlike anywhere else on the planet. The crystal clear and vibrant blue waters boast excellent visibility of up to 80 metres, where the lifeless volcanic landscapes are an indescribable sight to be seen.
For another unique diving experience, we can take you to North Iceland, where from Akureyri you will be taken on the fascinating Chimney Dive. This interesting dive site offers divers the rare opportunity to dive amongst the diving wonders of the geothermal chimneys, since these are the only ones known to exist in the world. Named Strýtur by the original founders back in 1997, these giant submarine geothermal silica cones rise from the 70 metre deep seafloor and are estimated to spurt out around 100 litres of 75°C hot water per second.
Other dive options from Akureyri include the Northern Water circle, consisting of a site similar to that of Silfra (yet barely heard of). Like Silfra, Nesgjá is Silfra of crystal clear waters and remains at a constant temperature of between 2 - 4 °C all year round. This fissure is often full of Arctic Char and on occasion ducklings too. The maximum depth here is just 6 metres.
Departing directly from Reykjavik is our boat based diving day trip, where divers will plunge into the North Atlantic Ocean, complete with two dives and opportunities of encountering such marine life as wolfish, monk fish and a variety of other interesting species.
Our ultimate Icelandic diving experience is designed for experienced divers, since the maximum diving depth is around 30 metres (100 feet). This two day diving trip comprises two dives in the Silfra Fissure on the first day, before heading up north to Grenivík village and spending the night at a local guesthouse. The following day you will experience the geothermal chimneys of the Strýtan dive site, the geothermal chimneys of which are estimated to have formed around 10,000 years ago.
For further details on the diving trips we offer, please refer to the list on the left hand side of this page, or to discuss your options further, please Contact Us.
