Best diving in Iceland – Silfra, Strytan…

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20 June 2024
Iceland has dive sites that are unlike any others in the world. She is most famous for her fresh water dive sites in the national park of Thingvellir. Called Silfra, you dive in a narrow crack between the American and the European continental shelves in astonishingly clear water.

Diving Silfra in Thingvellir

Another dive unique to Iceland is Strytan. This spire marks a hot spring of fresh water at over 70 ^oC. It is though to be the only one in the world at diveable depth – the top of the pinnacle is at 15 m and it drops down to 70 m.

There is also diving in the Atlantic Ocean.

When to dive Iceland?

The water is cold with sea temperature being between 7 and 12 ^oC. February to April is the coldest and August the warmest. Fresh-water sites like Silfra has a constant temperature of 2-4 ^oC. There will be fewer divers in the winter, but the conditions are more challenging.

Dive Sites in Iceland • Iceland Diving Operators• Leave a Comment

Where are the Best Dive Sites in Iceland?

According to the votes for the top dives in the world, the best dive in Iceland is Silfra in Thingvellir.

Thingvellir is a national park. The area is on the tectonic plate boundaries of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. There is amazing crystal-clear diving in the rifts between the European and American plates at Silfra and Daviosgja.

Diving in Iceland by Sebastiaan van Aard, who was making his first dive in a dry suit.

Silfra is 50 km North East of Reykavik. At 2-4 ^oC you need a dry suit.

Photo credit: David Ramsey, Magmadive

“Flosagja and Haagja are also interesting to dive and have clear water. There are caves extending from the cracks under the lake and can by dived by very experienced cave divers. The cracks require advanced dive experience.
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Georg Birgisson

“Diving between European and American tectonic plates.
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Petteri Nyström, Finland, 2012

Strytan is in the North of Iceland, over 400 km by road from Reykjavik. It is another dive site unique to Iceland, the only geothermal pinnacle which is at diveable depth. Strytan rises from 65 m to 15 m. Hot freshwater pours out of the top of the pinnacle.

This British oil tanker was sunk by the Germans in Seyoisfjörour on the East coast of Iceland. At its deepest it is at 45 m; the bridge is at 27 m.

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