This takes “two places at once” to a whole new (lower) level.
The Silfra fissure is a deep, watery crack that separates the North American and Eurasian continents. It’s the place where two massive tectonic plates once met and now slowly drift apart, causing earthquakes about once per decade.
For many, Silfra is the dive of a lifetime. Not only can you touch two separate continents during your dive, but the frigid glacial water is remarkably blue and astoundingly pure— visibility typically extends over 300 feet in most parts of the fissure, making it home to some of the clearest water in the world.
Armed with a camera, underwater photographer Alex Mustard took a dive at Silfra and three other canyons, determined to document the place where “the earth is ripping apart.”
The results are a reminder that just when you think you’ve seen it all from planet Earth, you ain’t seen nothing yet.
Because Silfra is part of a protected national park, diving the canyon for yourself requires signing up with a tour group. There are daylong tours for snorkelers, too.
On your trip, you’ll don a dry suit and explore all the main parts of Silfra: the Hall, the Cathedral, and the Lagoon. While snorkelers hover, divers will plunge into the Big Crack and swim the narrow passageway between two massive continents.
It’s actually the experience of a lifetime.