Silfra Crack

[bagpuss]

I am unsure as to where this post should go but thought perhaps this was the one.

Has anyone dived the Silfra Crack in Iceland, if you have what was it like and was it worth the expense of going over there.

thanks

bagpuss x

[cgrosart]

No, but was planning on a trip this year when other things got in the way. A couple of good mates of mine have dived it. It is emphatically NOT a cave but the fissure between two plates. You are effectively diving inbetween two continents ! The water is VERY cold - I think it was 3-4 degrees when they went there. Dry gloves essential. And not cheap, but then Iceland never is. They had a poke around a few 'caverns' which didn't go very far - not surprising as it is not cave karst.
In short, yes it is worth it and is on my hit list for next year (probably !!)
Chris

[bagpuss]

I was given an article from a magazine in mays issue of mens health, i suppose if you google mens health you will find the article it is quite fascinating, a company called blacktomato do weekend trips for £999.00, i dont know if this company is really expensive but i will be having a look around, yes i do fancy putting that on my "to-do" list

bagpuss x

[Bantam]

Was up in Scotland a couple of years ago at a freediving friend's house, when his mate who is a marine biologist came round for the evening.

He had just been to dive the Silfra crack in Iceland - mainly to look for life in the water - there was very little.

But his photos were just unbelievable. As said, it is very cold, but the viz is almost infinity. The dive is in almost a canyon, which as said before is where the atlantic mid-ocean ridge hits land. The picture I remember the most was a decent sized image - probably A5 sized, but the diver in the picture was only about half an inch long - so over 50m+ viz. Just totally unreal as you couldn't tell the image was taken underwater.

One of my 'must dive' places, but it is expensive. He was lucky enough to get paid to do it. Sod.

[cgrosart]

Originally Posted by bagpuss

I was given an article from a magazine in mays issue of mens health, i suppose if you google mens health you will find the article it is quite fascinating, a company called blacktomato do weekend trips for £999.00, i dont know if this company is really expensive but i will be having a look around, yes i do fancy putting that on my "to-do" list

bagpuss x

What ??!!! HOW MUCH ??!!! No no no.....look at these guys, Dive.IS. Pick a cheap flight and stay in a youth hostel, not a hotel. Buy food from a supermarket and don't drink any alcohol !! You could almost cut that price down by £400.

DIVE.IS - Diving in Iceland - PADI Dive Center Iceland - Diving Tours - Dive Silfra

[Sipadan]

i was there on a weekend break. they wanted £250 for a day's "diving safari". i'm not sure if that included one or two dives. i was up for it, but couldn't quite justify that expense. and iceland is BLOODY EXPENSIVE, a beer was £9.50!

[John63]

DIVE magazine ran an article on this in 2005. Photos showed that viz was fantastic

Link to the online article :


Silfra - A dive between two continents - DIVE Northern Europe


Expensive but unique.

[bagpuss]

well im more than sure i will be doing this dive, no 2 ways about it.

bagpuss x

[cgrosart]

Originally Posted by Sipadan

i was there on a weekend break. they wanted £250 for a day's "diving safari". i'm not sure if that included one or two dives. i was up for it, but couldn't quite justify that expense. and iceland is BLOODY EXPENSIVE, a beer was £9.50!

It is dear, but it included transport transfers and all equipment rental from what I could gather and it was two dives. Oh, and they take your photo as well !

Prerequisites: Scuba dive certification (PADI Open Water or comparable)
Duration: 8 hours
Please bring: Long underwear and thick socks.
Included: Free hotel pick up and return, guide, 2 guided dives, all necessary equipment, light snacks in the dive break, digital photos of the trip.
Price: ISK 24.490,- Booking Request

[bagpuss]

that doesnt sound too bad at all for a one off experience, i paid more than that for one parachute jump in england.

bagpuss x