Snorkeling Between Continental Plates at Iceland’s Silfra Fissure

58. Swim between 2 continental plates

 

I know what you’re thinking — Did you just say snorkel and Iceland in the same sentence?!

YUP! And you are NOT going to want to miss this. Iceland is the only place in the world where you can swim between two tectonic plates, making this the experience of a lifetime. If this wasn’t on your bucket list before – I’m sure it is now. Here’s everything you need to know to make this dream a reality.

 

So what is Silfra Fissure?

Silfra is located within Thingvellir National Park where the Eurasian and North American plates are actually drifting apart, resulting in a rift between the two tectonic plates. The plates are drifting apart at a rate of 2 cm per year! The result of this geological divide is the clearest water on the planet (literally).

Snorkel vs SCUBA

So unfortunately, getting SCUBA certified is still on the bucket list so we opted for the snorkeling option. Snorkeling is a great option for anyone who is comfortable in the water. Even if you have no experience snorkeling, the tour guides are great and will help you through the process. BUT if you are SCUBA certified, I would think this is the way to go. Because you’ll be in a dry suit (more on that later), you’re limited when your snorkeling to basically just drifting along the top of the water (which is still incredible, don’t get me wrong). But SCUBA divers have the advantage of taking a deeper dive to check things out. Heads up to all you divers out there though — you’ll need to be drive suit certified for this tour.

What to Wear

For this tour you’ll be wearing a dry suit. These things are incredibly hard to get on, but don’t worry your guide will basically dress all of you before you go out. So the dry suit will act as a barrier between the water and whatever you’re wearing. We recommend wearing a warm layer underneath. We both had on fleece leggings and a warm baselayer.

Tip #1: Be sure not to have anything on your wrists or water WILL get into your drysuit (We may or may not have learned this from experience thanks to Devin and his Firefly Festival wrist band)

What to Expect

• Get ready to be cold! (sorta). The water in Silfra is about 35° F. The dry suit will keep your body warm and your clothes dry (it’s like magic!!). You will have gloves on, but your hands and your face will still go numb from the cold. It’s not as bad as it sounds, I promise.
• You’ll be in the water for about 30 minutes. This is the perfect amount of time to enjoy the experience. The current will take you most of the way, and you’ll only have to swim for a small portion.
• Don’t bring a camera or cell phone (even if it’s in a waterproof case). The cold water is too much for cell phones or waterproof cameras. We brought a GoPro with a wrist strap a GoPro Floaty on just in case and it was fine. But if you’re worried about it, you tour guide will take plenty of pictures of you and the group.
• DRINK THE WATER (seriously). This is some of the clearest glacier water in the world, and it’s also being filtered out constantly by lava rock. The result is basically amazing.

Tip #2: Don’t pee in your drysuit! lol but really. Don’t worry, this one didn’t come from personal experience. But our tour guide says it does happen. Basically, peeing and drysuits just aren’t a good combo. So don’t drink too much of that water.

• You will never be able to see so far in any other body of water. Silfra has the best visibility of almost any other body of water, allowing you to see about 300 ft around you.
• Warm up with hot cocoa and cookies after work and hangout with your guide. We loved talking to our guide Miguel and learning all about his diving adventures around the world. A lot of these tour guides live amazing lives that make you want quit your job and live like they do.

This is one experience you do NOT want to pass up if you’re in Iceland. Plus, it’s located right along the Golden Circle making this a perfect stop either at the beginning or end of your day trip. Just make sure you save enough time!

This is a once in a lifetime experience that can’t be had anywhere else in the world. So whaddaya say…is swimming between 2 continental plates now on your bucket list?!