Iceland is one of the most special trips we have ever had. This country will enchant you with its contrasts and its rich natural beauty. There you will see glaciers; volcanoes. You will see waterfalls that will take your breath away; you will also meet Silfra. A unique experience that you will surely remember for a lifetime. Silfra is a rift created by the tectonic plates of 2 continents, Europe-Asia and North America. Silfra allows you to dive into the crevasse either with scuba gear or snorkel. You will have the opportunity not only to see these two tectonic plates up close, but also to touch them!
How to get to the dive site
Silfra is located in the National Park, “Thingvellir National Park”, near town of Selfoss, Iceland. The national park is open all year round and 24 hours a day. During your visit you can follow a walking path, ride a horse, or even dive in Silfra, an experience that will surely be unforgettable. Of course, most companies have diving packages from May to September. According to the regulations of the park, it is forbidden to dive alone, to enter caves during your dive and to dive deeper than 18 meters. You will find more information on the official site.
The cost of experience
As we were planning our trip to Iceland, Manos was researching various exciting experiences we could have in this country. So, he came across one of the many diving package sites in Silfra. With no second thoughts we booked our package, 100 €/person, for snorkeling. The package included our equipment, i.e. special suit to avoid hypothermia, flippers, mask, snorkel, photos with Go pro underwater camera and of course our sweetest guide. At the end, we had a bonus treat of a glass of hot cocoa drink, highly enjoyable for closure.
The experience of diving in Silfra
After arriving at the park, we found the meeting point and geared up. The water in Silfra is at -4 0C. The only spot that was uncovered, our face, literally froze and went numb all at once. Apart from the numbing lips, the first contact with the crystalline and clear waters of Silfra, will cause you awe, as you will be faced with an imposing and impressive view. Throughout the route, you naturally only follow the guide, surrounded by tectonic plates, while at the same time impressed by the ravines, caves and tunnels that exist in this underwater landscape. Our guide stops at the narrowest point, where you can touch both tectonic plates with both hands. Unimaginable experience to be able to be between two tectonic plates and have the opportunity to touch them! Of course, at this point we all passed one by one for an underwater photo that will always remind us of this unique experience we had. The photo below speaks for itself.
Silfra, its’ small opening between the two tectonic plates grows by about two centimeters every year, from the earthquakes that occur. And here is the point where you wonder, what will happen if there is an earthquake while diving in the crack?
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