Þingvellir National Park, located on Iceland’s Golden Circle, is home to the meeting point of two tectonic plates: the Eurasian and the North American, which are gradually drifting farther apart. This natural phenomena is the reason why Iceland has so many volcanoes and is able to utilize geo-thermal energy. Pretty neat, right?
I was totally nerding out over all this science during my winter visit to Iceland. I even decided to snorkel the Silfra, a deep fissure that has formed between these two tectonic plates! It’s the only place in the world where you can snorkel/dive between two continents. Yay science!
Watch my video of Snorkeling the Silfra:
Snorkeling the Silfra…. in Winter!
The water in the Silfra fissure is fresh glacial water, which keeps a temperature of 35°F (or 2°C) year round. I visited Iceland in November, which meant the frigid water was actually warmer than the air temperature! All of my friends back home thought I was crazy for even considering snorkeling in winter. To be honest… this was not the first time they had questioned my actions.
I met my snorkel guide from DIVE.IS at the Þingvellir National Park visitor center and began suiting up in our drysuits (a thick dive suit that is designed to keep you dry and warm). I had never worn a dry suit before. It was so tight, pushing my appendages through the arm, leg and head holes took real courage!
It was approximately 0°C outside. Within 15 minutes of doing the march of the penguins toward the water, my toes had gone completely numb and my lips were swollen.
“Do I look like Angelina Jolie?” I asked my guide, puckering up my lips.
He laughed… a little too hard.
We were briefed and then it was my turn to enter the water, which I was now dreading. Maybe I am crazy for doing this, I thought. I waddled down the steps and, to my surprise, the water actually felt warm!
“Okay, here’s THE moment.” My snorkel guide announced. “Look down.”
I dipped my face into the water and gasped.
The water literally took my breath away, and I’m not talking about the freezing temperature. Imagine the bluest, clearest water you’ve ever seen (over 100 meters of visibility), and you won’t even come close. The aqua-marine water in the Silfra fissure undergoes a vigorous 50km long filtration process that can take up to 100 years as it slowly percolates through subterranean lava fields (source).
We were told to taste the pure water. Now that’s high-quality H2O!
Floating through No-Man’s-Land
While snorkeling the Silfra, I kept twisting my neck to see both sides of the fissure, narrating in my mind: “To the east, we have the European plate, and to the west: North American.” Does that mean I was currently floating in no-man’s land?
After 40 minutes in the water, floating and occasionally kicking my legs to keep warm, I emerged. The world outside had received a sprinkling of snow. The color contrast came as a shock, and I preferred my blue underwater oasis.
Hot chocolate and cookies were served as I clumsily peeled off my dry suit. I was shivering, swollen, with snowflakes slowly covering my face and hair, but I felt elated from the whole experience.
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Is it worth snorkeling the Silfra in winter?
Absolutely! I’d do it again. Our guides even told us that they prefer winter snorkeling/dive trips. In the summer, the Silfra maintains 35°F, so you still have to wear a dry suit. The only difference is that you are sweating and very uncomfortable in the suit when out of the water. In the winter, you’re pretty much cold the entire time, but it’s bearable. The hot chocolate helps.
*Thanks to DIVE.IS for offering us this incredible experience. As always, the opinions expressed in this article are our own.
Am SO enjoying your Iceland posts–keep ’em coming. The idea of diving between two tectonic plates–between two continents–is mind-boggling. WOW, what an experience. (BTW, I love the science stuff, too). Too bad you couldn’t take the tiny house, although after spending weeks in the van, the tiny house probably seemed enormous. Love your adventurous spirits–thanks for the wonderful vicarious journeys. –cathy m
Thank you!!
We were there! (Even though we didn’t do the snorkelling). It’s such fascinating geology!
Are they operating the scuba diving in the winter? We dived it during the summer and will be back this winter.
Heck yeah they do, and they prefer it since they don’t cook in their dry suits 🙂
Hello! The magic of the interwebs and the algorithm or tracking that leads to google search results has finally produced something interesting for me & that is your blog! Not only did I just stay in a tiny home for the first time, but I also booked a trip to Iceland and a dive with the same company just weeks ago! Am thoroughly enjoying your blog, and can think of many questions I’d love to ask you.
First one for now though is:
Did the dive shop make you sign up for the padi drysuit diving course before diving silfra?
Thanks very much for your time & for sharing your thoughts & adventures with us!
&(full disclosure) there’s a great chance I will end up rescheduling my trip for another yr, but I have everything planned out for now, and bec I’m signed up for the 10+hr course +dive, I wanted to ask y’all how you did it, how long it took bec I want to maximize my time there (about 4days) Thank you!
Wowww, just watched the vid to discover I didn’t read closely . Snorkel- got it. Sorry. Pls disregard
Hi! I am about to do the same tour over Thanksgiving holiday!! Questions: What did you wear under your wetsuit? Is there anything that would have made you warmer? Lol. I cannot STAND COLD WATER, but this is a “Bucket List” experience that I just cannot pass up! Wondering if I should purchase a wetsuit and wet socks to wear under the dry suit? Lol. Any advise would be greatly appreciated!!
Thanks! JS
I just wore a bathing suit under my wetsuit. Look, it’s going to be cold. I don’t think a wetsuit will fit under a drysuit. At least not a heavy one. The dry suits can be rather tight (as seen in the video, I had a hard time getting it on). Your hands and feet will not be in the dry suit, and they will become numb. It’s all part of the experience! What doesn’t kill you.. etc. etc. Do it!
Hi! I’m planning a trip to Iceland for the end of January. Do those suits have any sort of flotation aspect to them?
I believe they do. They are dry suits, so full of a bit of air.
Hi, I’m going to Iceland this thursday and want to go snorkling as well. Did you pick the morning or afternoon for it? What do you recommend?
Love your blog!
I don’t think it matters. The water will be the exact same temperature, so it depends on the weather outside, which can change in the blink of an eye. Do, however, book ahead. It sells out! And no matter what the weather, it will be the same beautiful, tranquil, and freezing cold experience under the water.