Ultimate Guide To Scuba Diving In Iceland
Iceland, a land of unparalleled beauty and geological marvels, offers some of the most unforgettable scuba diving experiences on the planet. From swimming between tectonic plates to exploring geothermal underwater landscapes and shipwrecks, divers have the unique opportunity to witness a world hidden beneath the cold waters of this Nordic island.
Ready to embark on an extraordinary underwater adventure in scuba diving Iceland? Read on!
Iceland Scuba Diving
Iceland offers an array of spectacular dive sites, catering to all interests and skill levels, making diving there a remarkable journey. Whether visiting the renowned Silfra Fissure in Thingvellir National Park or the geothermal marvels of Lake Kleifarvatn, unique underwater landscapes abound. The abundance of marine life and unusual rock formations further add to the allure of Icelandic diving, making it a must-visit destination for underwater enthusiasts.
Cold Water Diving Perks: Marine Life and Lava Rocks
Iceland’s cold water diving offers encounters with unique marine life, vivid algae, and striking lava rock formations. The country’s cold-water ecosystems are home to a wide range of North Atlantic species, including whales, puffins, and various types of fish, making Iceland an ideal destination for divers with a keen interest in marine biology.
In addition to the diverse marine life, the underwater landscapes of Iceland are shaped by the island’s volcanic history, with lava rocks creating a fascinating backdrop for divers to explore. With so much to see and discover beneath the surface, cold water diving in Iceland offers a truly unparalleled experience.
Iceland Dive Operators
Selecting an appropriate dive operator and tour package is key to ensuring a memorable and safe Icelandic diving experience. customizing your diving package to include additional experiences such as pool sessions, guided tours, and visits to Iceland’s famous Mývatn Nature Baths can further enhance your diving experience and create a truly unforgettable trip. With various operators and tour options available, it’s important to carefully consider your preferences and requirements before making your decision.
Dive.is and Adventures.is are two of the most highly-regarded dive operators in Iceland, offering a range of diving courses, certifications, and tours to suit all skill levels.
When planning your customized diving package, be sure to consider factors such as your skill level, interests, and the time of year. By taking the time to carefully plan and customize your diving adventure, you’ll ensure an unforgettable and rewarding experience exploring the underwater wonders of Iceland.
Diving Season And Conditions In Iceland
The optimal diving season in Iceland hinges on personal preferences, with summer presenting prime conditions and winter offering less congested dive sites with enhanced visibility. Each season has its own unique advantages and challenges, so it’s essential to consider your own comfort level and interests when deciding when to embark on your diving adventure.
Whether you prefer the warmer temperatures and longer daylight hours of summer or the serene beauty and enhanced visibility of winter, Iceland offers an unforgettable diving experience for every season. By considering your own preferences and the seasonal conditions, you can choose the perfect time to explore the wonders of Iceland’s underwater world.
Summer is the ideal time for diving in Iceland, with warmer temperatures, longer daylight hours, and more accessible dive sites. The benefits of diving in Iceland during summer include:
- Longer daylight hours due to the Midnight Sun phenomenon, which improves visibility underwater
- Warmer temperatures, making it more comfortable to dive (although “warm” is a very relative term here as you will see below)
- More accessible dive sites, as some areas may be inaccessible or difficult to reach during other seasons
During the summer months, dive sites such as Silfra and Strýtan become more accessible, and divers have the opportunity to encounter whales and puffins more often. However, it’s important to be aware of potential challenges like overcrowding at popular dive sites and varying weather conditions when planning your summer diving adventure in Iceland.
Winter diving in Iceland offers the advantage of fewer tourists and better visibility, although colder temperatures and limited daylight hours should be considered. With fewer people visiting the country during the winter months, dive sites are less crowded, providing a more peaceful and serene diving experience. However, winter diving also presents its own unique challenges, including limited daylight hours and colder water temperatures. Diving activities are usually done during the daily 4-5 hours of daylight Iceland gets between November and February.
Despite these challenges, winter diving in Iceland can provide a truly unique and rewarding experience, with unparalleled visibility and unforgettable underwater landscapes.
Diving Sites
Stretching from the Arctic Circle to the East Coast, Iceland’s diverse dive sites provide a variety of distinct cold-water diving experiences. The country’s cold-water ecosystems support an abundance of marine life and geological formations, making Iceland a top destination for experienced divers looking to explore the lesser-known wonders of the underwater world.
From the popular Silfra Fissure in the south to the lesser-known Strýtan near Akureyri in the North, Iceland’s dive sites offer a variety of experiences for divers of all skill levels. Whether you’re seeking the thrill of diving between tectonic plates or the serenity of exploring Iceland’s quiet, hidden gems, navigating the country’s dive sites is an adventure like no other.
The Silfra Fissure
The Silfra Fissure stands as one of the most notable dive sites in both Iceland and globally. This incredible geological formation allows divers to swim between the North American and Eurasian continental plates, offering a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Nestled within Thingvellir National Park, the fissure boasts crystal-clear visibility of well over 100ft, making it a popular spot for both scuba diving and snorkeling tours.
Yet, the Silfra Fissure offers more than its singular tectonic location. It also features an impressive underwater landscape, with caverns, tunnels, and vibrant marine life waiting to be explored. The “Cathedral,” the deepest point of the silfra dive at 66ft, is an absolute must-see. No matter the season, diving the Silfra Fissure is an experience you’ll cherish for a lifetime.
Lake Kleifarvatn
Lake Kleifarvatn presents a distinct opportunity for those seeking a less trodden diving experience, allowing immersion into Iceland’s geothermal marvels. Situated in an active volcanic region, this lake features underwater hot springs surrounded by colorful sulfide deposits. While there is no current volcanic activity within the lake, the surrounding landscape is a testament to the area’s fiery past.
In addition to its geothermal features, Lake Kleifarvatn also hosts a variety of algae and kelp species, adding a touch of green to the surreal underwater landscape. Diving into the depths of this lake is like stepping into another world, where volcanic activity and geothermal phenomena intertwine to create a truly unique diving experience.
The El Grillo
Numerous shipwreck dive sites are scattered across Iceland, offering divers exhilarating underwater adventures that intertwine history and natural beauty. The British oil tanker El Grillo, sunk by a German air raid in 1944, is one such example. Situated in Seyðisfjörður, the El Grillo wreck offers a haunting reminder of Iceland’s wartime past, as well as a fascinating dive site to explore.
The El Grillo sits upright in depths between 72ft and 147ft, making it an advanced dive. She is over 430ft long and offers much to see. Those with proper training can also penetrate the wreck.
Diving Tours Off the Beaten Path
For those eager to journey beyond the renowned Silfra Fissure, Iceland presents an abundance of lesser-known dive sites. Bjarnagjá, Davíðsgjá, and Garður are just a few examples of the hidden treasures. Each of these dive sites boasts its own unique underwater attractions, from the crystal-clear waters and lava rock formations of Bjarnagjá to the fascinating history of Garður. By taking a diving tour off the beaten path, you’ll have the opportunity to explore a side of Iceland that few travelers ever get to experience, creating memories that will last a lifetime.
Garður, located on the Reykjanes Peninsula, is a popular spot for divers seeking to explore kelp forests, colorful marine algae, and cold-water corals. With limited visibility, diving in Garður offers a sense of exploration and adventure, as, beneath the surface, the true wonders of Iceland’s underwater world are gradually revealed.
Preparing for Your Icelandic Dive Tour
Whether you are new to scuba diving or an experienced diver, suitable preparation is key to ensuring a successful and enjoyable Icelandic diving experience. This includes obtaining the necessary drysuit certification and packing appropriate gear for diving in the country’s cold waters. By ensuring you’re well-prepared, you’ll be able to make the most of your Icelandic diving adventure, creating lasting memories and unforgettable experiences.
Drysuit Diving Mastery: Certification and Comfort
To ensure comfort and safety during your underwater adventure, obtaining a drysuit diving certification is a benefit before diving in Iceland’s cold waters. A drysuit is a specialized suit designed to keep you completely dry, with seals at the neck, wrists, and ankles to prevent water from entering the suit. Some dive operators may not require the certification, but will want to know if you have drysuit experience. Obtaining drysuit certification not only guarantees your safety, but also allows you to fully enjoy your diving experience without worrying about the cold.
To obtain drysuit certification, you’ll need to take a drysuit specialty course, usually offered after completing your open water diver certification. This course will teach you the essential skills and knowledge needed to dive safely and comfortably in a drysuit, ensuring you’re well-prepared for your Icelandic diving adventure.
What to Pack: From Hot Drinks to Long Underwear
When preparing for your Icelandic dive tour, it’s also essential to consider the season and weather conditions. Rain and windproof items are necessary during spring, summer, and fall, while a warm winter coat is vital for diving in winter. By packing the right gear and clothing, you’ll be able to fully enjoy your diving experience, no matter the time of year or weather conditions.
To ensure a comfortable and enjoyable experience, packing essentials for diving in Iceland should include:
- Warm clothing
- Drysuit
- Thermal undergarments
- A neoprene hood
- Gloves
- Boots
- Suitable gear for cold water temps.
(Some dive operators include the drysuits and gear if you do not have one or don’t want to lug yours around the country.)
Additionally, packing hot drinks like hot chocolate, tea, or hot broth can help keep you warm and hydrated while diving in cold water.
Diving Safely and Responsibly in Iceland
Safe and responsible diving in Iceland involves considering one’s personal health and fitness while adhering to eco-friendly practices to uphold the country’s natural beauty. By taking the necessary precautions and following best practices, divers can minimize their environmental impact and help protect Iceland’s unique underwater ecosystems for future generations.
Health and Fitness Considerations for Divers
Awareness of one’s own health and fitness levels is key to ensuring a safe and comfortable diving experience in Iceland’s cold waters. Divers should be in relative good physical condition to don the necessary gear required for a cold water environment. Additionally, divers must have the necessary certifications to ensure their safety and the safety of others during their dives.
It’s also important to be aware of any medical conditions that may affect your ability to dive safely. Consult with your doctor, if you have any concerns and always ensure you meet the health requirements set by your chosen dive operator. By considering your personal health and fitness, you’ll be better prepared for a safe and enjoyable diving adventure in Iceland.
Preserving Iceland’s Natural Beauty: Eco-Friendly Practices
Adopting eco-friendly diving practices is key to minimizing environmental impact and conserving Iceland’s unique underwater ecosystems. Some of the best practices for eco-friendly scuba diving include:
- Taking only pictures and leaving only bubbles (the scuba divers credo)
- Fine-tuning your finning technique
- Controlling your buoyancy
- Choosing sustainable gear
By diving responsibly and adhering to eco-friendly practices, scuba divers can help protect the diverse marine life, colorful algae, and impressive lava rock formations that make Iceland’s underwater world so extraordinary. As divers, we have a responsibility to preserve these natural wonders for future generations to enjoy and marvel at.
Wrapping Things Up
Iceland offers an awe-inspiring and unique scuba diving experience, with its incredible underwater landscapes, cold-water ecosystems, and diverse marine life. From diving between tectonic plates at the famous Silfra Fissure to exploring the geothermal wonders of Lake Kleifarvatn and diving into the history of shipwrecks, there’s something for every diver in this Nordic island.
By preparing properly, choosing the right dive operator and tour package, and diving responsibly, you can embark on an unforgettable underwater adventure in the land of fire and ice.
Frequently Asked Questions
When can you scuba dive in Iceland?
You can scuba dive in Iceland year-round, but the summer months of July and August offer better conditions for shore diving.
How warm is the water in Iceland for diving?
The water in Iceland for diving is typically between 35-45°Fahrenheit (2-7°Celsius), with it being slightly warmer near Reykjavk compared to Akureyri.
Do I need a drysuit certification to dive in Iceland?
Depending on the dive operator, you will need either a drysuit certification or so many logged drysuit dives to dive in Iceland.
What are some of the unique underwater attractions in Iceland?
Dive between tectonic plates at the Silfra Fissure and explore geothermal depths in Lake Kleifarvatn – all unique underwater attractions to experience in Iceland.
“How boring would the world be if everywhere and everyone were the same. Safe travels and good adventures.” Scuba Jay
