Since getting my PADI Open Water Diver certification in Bocas del Toro, I’ve been looking out for epic dive websites and underwater adventures all over the world.

The Silfra Fissure is some of the unbelievable dive locations on earth, so it was an absolute MUST once I went to Iceland.

Attention-grabbing Info concerning the Silfra Fissure

• The Silfra fissure is a crack between the North American and Eurasian continental plates.
• It’s the one place on this planet the place you can dive or snorkel straight between two continental plates.
• The underwater visibility within the Silfra fissure is over 100 meters, making it among the clearest water on the planet.
• The water is filtered by means of porous underground lava for 30-100 years till it reaches the north finish of Thingvellir lake, seeping out from underground wells and thru the fissure. The filtration course of is what makes the water tremendous clear in addition to drinkable!
• The water is sort of freezing (2°C / 35°F – 4°C / 39°F yr spherical ) as it’s glacial water from the Langjökull ice cap.

Whereas touring by means of Iceland with my buddy and fellow journey blogger Matt, of Knowledgeable Vagabond, we partnered up with Arctic Adventures to see and do among the greatest issues in Iceland.

Lower than 24 hours after arriving in Iceland, I used to be hitting the highway with Arctic Adventures for his or her Black and Blue Caving and Snorkel tour to go snorkeling within the Silfra Fissure and caving in a lava tube!

The Silfra Fissure is situated in Þingvellir Nationwide Park which is a brief drive from Reykjavik. (Facet be aware: Þingvellir can be one of many first stops alongside Iceland’s well-known Golden Circle Street Journey!)

For the reason that water is only a few levels above freezing, we suited up in dry fits. First, we placed on fuzzy heat physique fits, not dissimilar to 1 piece pajamas. We placed on the precise dry go well with and made positive our wrists have been sealed tight.

The dry fits would make every thing aside from our palms and heads utterly water-proof.

Our palms have been outfitted with thick neoprene gloves and we slipped thick hoodies over our heads. Whereas our palms and heads would get moist, the neoprene would lure the water and our personal physique warmth would heat the water, preserving us from getting too chilly.

The final necessities have been flippers and a snorkel masks after which it was into the fissure!

I felt like an astronaut getting into a brand new planet as I slowly dipped into the water. The go well with ensured I’d float proper on the floor and the present gently drifted me down the fissure.

I put my face into the water and was immediately shocked by the unbelievable chilly! Although, simply as I used to be informed, I couldn’t really feel a factor after a couple of minutes.

Matt and I have been capable of snap plenty of pictures because of our water-proof and freeze-proof LifeProof iPhone circumstances however, my palms did get unbearably chilly midway by means of the dive, so I’ve to thank him for a lot of the Silfra pictures! “Thanks Matt!”

Once we acquired out of the freezing chilly water I noticed my physique stayed (largely) dry however, my chilly moist hair left me shivering. Fortunately, we have been greeted with an enormous cup of sizzling cocoa.

It was the proper decide me up!

Subsequent, we boarded the Arctic Adventures van for our subsequent journey: the “black” a part of our tour. I’d been caving earlier than however by no means in an underground lava tube, so I had no thought what to anticipate.

The Þingvellir Nationwide Park is scattered with attention-grabbing lava caves and we might be going inside one. It was a brief drive from Silfra to the caves however, once we stopped, it felt like we have been in the course of nowhere.

We placed on helmets and headlamps and adopted our information to the opening of a really inconspicuous lava tube entrance.

The doorway to cave was created by a lava tube collapsing. And the tube was created by flowing lava that hardened and turned right into a form of underground tunnel.

We walked in a single finish and over volcanic rock in full darkness (solely lit by our headlamps) till we reached the opposite finish. Completely different colours within the rock lit up from our headlamps.

It was like getting into one other world!

I had such an incredible day with Arctic Adventures and extremely suggest their Black and Blue tour. It was very cool to expertise two components of Iceland, Earth & Water, in a single day!

Useful Suggestions

• Although the web site says you’ll do black earlier than blue, we went snorkeling first.
• Chances are you’ll get moist. My dry go well with had a small leak within the foot, however I didn’t even discover I used to be moist till I took the dry go well with off after my dive.
• My palms acquired REALLY chilly whereas underneath water. Earlier than diving, the guides knowledgeable us that it’s greatest to maintain your palms in your head out of the water or to not swim round with them. The motion pushes the nice and cozy water out of your neoprene gloves. When you’re planning on snapping pictures, mentally put together your self!
• Convey an additional change of garments, simply in case. Further heat socks are good thought. Hand heaters aren’t a foul thought both!

I returned to Iceland 2 years later and selected to scuba dive within the Silfra Fissure. When you’re a licensed diver, try my Silfra diving expertise right here—I’d extremely suggest it!

Particular because of Arctic Adventures for having me as a visitor. As at all times, the content material & opinions expressed listed below are fully my very own.