Lake Thingvallavatn
- Open Water
- Fissure
Open Water≤18 m
Silfra Fissure
Dive site in Iceland – Þingvellir, Iceland
Glacial meltwater between two tectonic plates, with visibility that can pass 100 m.
- Usual dive
- 18 m
- Deepest point
- 18 m
- Level
- Open Water
- Entry
- From shore
- Current
- Moderate
The story
Silfra was formed by the Eurasian and North American plates drifting apart. Its water starts as meltwater from the Langjökull glacier and percolates through the aquifer for thirty to a hundred years before emerging in the fissure.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
The dive
A fissure dive from the shore.
Who it's for
Open Water≤18 mSource: adventures.com
Recommended minimum: Open Water (PADI Open Water, CMAS/FFESSM N1).
- Cold waterCold water, often with a drysuit; plan for heavier kit.
- Requires Drysuit certification.
Conditions
- Dive type
- Fissure
- Entry
- From shore
- Estimated
- Current
- Moderate
- Estimated
- Environment
- Open water
- Water
- Fresh water
What you might see
- Freshwater fish
From our original catalogue, not yet checked against a published source.
Why divers come
- Tectonic fissure
- Exceptional visibility
- Geology
Where is Silfra Fissure?
More dives in Iceland – Þingvellir
Fissure
down to 30 m
Davíðsgjá
- Advanced
About this page
Values marked “Estimated” come from our original catalogue and are being checked against published sources one by one. Sourced values link to where they come from. Conditions change with the season, the weather and the tide: confirm with a local dive centre before you dive.
Photo credits
- Lake Thingvallavatn dive site, Iceland, sikeri from Silver Spring, MD, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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