Snorkelling the Silfra Fissure
In this week’s travel feature Louise Anne Mañasco and Max Pizarro take a dive in the cold waters of the Silfra Fissure, Iceland.
by Louise Anne Mañasco and Max Pizarro
Located within the Thingvellir National Park, it is the only place on earth where you have the unique opportunity to dive between two tectonic plates (Eurasian and North American).
The clarity and colours of these waters is mesmerizing and is difficult to put into words in order to do it any form of justice.
The snorkelling itself, the time we spent in the water, was close to 40 minutes, however it felt no longer than five minutes.
From the second we stepped foot into the fissure to when we stepped out, we were both in complete awe and utter admiration into the beauty and geological significance of Silfra.
From the Silfra Hall through to the Cathedral and in to the Lagoon, the variation in colours, depths, widths and formations within Silfra will no doubt leave you lost for words as well as forgetting the waters are only 2°C.
What makes the water so clear? The water that fills the lake originates from Langjokull Glacier, approximately 50km away.
With no direct route for melt water to reach Thingvallavatn Lake this water infiltrates through the lava rock which acts as a natural filter.
With 50km to travel, a journey taking between 30 to 100 years and constantly being filtered along the way, Silfra is provided with possibly the clearest and most pristine waters on our planet and despite the cold winter temperatures, a light snowfall and waters at 2°C, Dive.is equipped us so well that we forgot it was cold.
Having come out of the water to a light shower of snow, there was not a lot more we could have asked for, but to finish it off there were hot drinks and biscuits over our final goodbyes.
Louise-Anne and Max are a local travel couple who have visited over 60 countries.
To read more about Louise-Anne and Max’s travels check out their blog:
www.lifeoutofourbackpack.com
And their Instagram account: @lifeoutofourbackpack
