Where can you scuba dive between tectonic plates?
Silfra
Silfra is the only place in the world where you can dive or snorkel directly in a crack between two tectonic plates. The earthquakes of 1789 opened up several fissures in the Thingvellir area, but the Silfra fissure cut into the underground spring filled with glacial meltwater from the nearby Langjökull glacier.
What body of water touches two continents?
One of the top dive sites in the world, the Silfra fissure in Thingvellir National Park is a crack between two tectonic plates. It’s the only spot on Earth where you can swim directly between the North American and European continents.
Where can you touch 2 continents at once?
Silfra Crack
The Silfra crack in Iceland is a rift between the American and Eurasian tectonic plates.
Why is scuba diving in Silfra fissure Iceland so geologically unique?
In this crack between the Eurasian and North American continents, divers can touch two continental plates underwater at the same time—an experience that can’t be found anywhere else on the planet. At Silfra’s point in the range, continental drift forces the two tectonic plates apart by about two centimeters per year.
Is Silfra snorkeling worth it?
Silfra snorkeling is cold but so worth it. And luckily you get to wear a dry suit and other gear to keep you warm. Iceland is the only place on earth where you can swim in between tectonic plates. And what makes snorkeling in Silfra extra special is the incredibly clear water.
Where is the clearest water in Iceland?
Silfra, also known as “The Rift,” is home to astonishingly clear waters — some say the clearest in the world. The water is fed by glaciers and keeps to a temperature of about 2 degrees C (34 F), even in May.
What is a dry suit scuba?
A dry suit or drysuit provides the wearer with environmental protection by way of thermal insulation and exclusion of water, and is worn by divers, boaters, water sports enthusiasts, and others who work or play in or near cold or contaminated water.
Can you swim under continents?
There’s only one place in the world where you can swim in the tectonic plates between 2 continents. The Silfra fissure in Iceland is the crack between North America and Europe. It is the only place in the world where you can swim between two tectonic plates.
Do the continents float?
The continents do not float on a sea of molten rock. The continental and oceanic crusts sit on a thick layer of solid rock known as the mantle. Though solid, this layer is weak and ductile enough to slowly flow under heat convection, causing the tectonic plates to move.
What is the importance of the Silfra gap?
Iceland’s Silfra fissure is one of the only places where you can dive between two continents. In some cases the space is so narrow, you can touch North America and Europe at once.
Does Iceland have the clearest water in the world?
The water comes from the second largest glacier in Iceland, called Langjökull. It takes years for the water to reach the Silfra fissure (about 30!). On the way the water gets filtered through underground lava rocks. This makes it the clearest and purest water in the world.
Can you snorkel Silfra on your own?
Anyone can snorkel Silfra, even without any snorkeling experience, as the route along the fissure is simple and easy. The drysuit will keep you buoyant, so all you have to do is float along and enjoy the surreal underwater world below.