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piles, cavities and crevices all filled with some of the world’s purest water. In fact, divers are encouraged to taste the water along the way! Unique to Silfra, divers can actually reach out and simultaneously touch both the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. Diving here is akin to being transported to another world…with visibility exceeding 300 feet, tem- peratures hovering around 34-degrees Fahrenheit and a gentle flowing current, the dives are magical and transformative. Silfra is a “must dive” for any dive tour. 2. Strytan Hydrothermal Vent: In 1997, a hydrothermal vent in the dark waters off the shores of Hjalteyri, a small fishing village located near the town of Akureyri was discovered. Strýtan, as this location has been named, is a towering chim- ney-like geological formation rising to over 200ft (230m) from the ocean floor to nearly 50ft (15m) below the surface. Hydrothermal vents have been discovered in many places throughout the world, usually along continental rift zones, but they are generally located many thousands of feet deep. Currently, Strytan is the shallowest known vent in the world. A “White Smoker,” Strytan is a set of chimneys that emit very hot water (167˚F/75˚C) at an estimated rate of 26-gal- lons/100 Litres per second. Divers can explore these towering formations and will marvel at the marine life that abounds in these waters. Macro enthusiasts will spot colorful nudibranchs, crustaceans, sponges, starfish and anemones. Swirling around the chimneys are schools of cod and Pollack, and sharp-eyed divers will also encounter the curious Lumpsucker fish and the ferocious looking Wolf fish. Despite the fascinating array of marine life, however, our attention was repeatedly transfixed by the flowing hot water, which creates its own thermocline in the cold ocean water. For a unique photo opportunity, divers can carefully remove their gloves and warm their hands in the hot water spewing from the vents…just be advised to not get too close! 3. Gardur: This is a shore dive located about an hour’s drive from Reykjavik and close to the airport at Keflavik. A shore dive with a gently sloping bottom, divers can explore a kelp garden thriving with marine life. Flounder, wolf fish, lumpsuckers, nudibranchs and rays are some of the denizens of this dive site. 4. Davíðsgjá: The name translates to “David’s Fissure” and is similar to Silfra but less often visited. It is usually slightly warmer than Silfra. Divers walk straight into the water and after a shallow swim they enter the long, deep and narrow fissure. This site often has incredible underwater visibility, and is sometimes called Silfra's wilder and darker sibling.
Surface Interval Visiting Iceland for scuba diving can be life changing. But there is much more to Iceland than what lies beneath the surface of its waters. All tours of this country should include ample time to explore the many wondrous sites spread across the expanse of the island. Visitors can trek to dramatic waterfalls, explore lava tubes, walk on black sand beaches,
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