‘And maybe we are all tourists in this underwater world—snorkels are our temporary visas, allowing us to visit this mysterious country for brief slices of time.’-Dallas Woodburn

I will be honest, the first time I was in Iceland, I had no idea that snorkeling was an option. I also probably still would not have done it because I was still a ball of nerves and worry. I still am but I have gotten significantly better at doing it anyway. So when I did hear about it and I was slightly less terrified, I knew that I wanted to snorkel Silfra, a large fissure within the Thingvellir National Park where the plates are splitting Iceland in two. I booked via Get Your Guide with Dive.IS being the company. I had pick up and drop off bringing the cost to about $230, which included all the gear I would need plus hot cocoa at the end.

Now, I have done some snorkeling but this was very different than the Great Barrier Reef and the Galapagos. For starters the water is freezing. Like 35 degrees-it does stay pretty stable year round though. I also had to wear a dry suit, which was a very new experience for me. I did wear a swim suit but I didn’t need to. It was under leggings-which were perfect as the legs don’t ride up- and a sweatshirt plus wooly socks. Just make sure you can move easily in everything because the dry suit is uncomfortable, you’re in it for quite a while, and do have to walk a bit to and from the platforms. They really seal you in to keep the water out and your body heat in. The guide checks all the seals and will attach bands if needed. While I do not get claustrophobic, in general, I could easily see how someone could be. And you can barely move. If you have long hair, I recommend wearing it in a low ponytail. It’s what they recommend, what I did, and makes it easy with the head covering they put on. The only thing exposed is your mouth and the gloves aren’t super thick so you will feel the cold.

I have spoken about how I prefer to wear a life vest when snorkeling as an extra safety precaution and, while I can swim, long time in the water, I appreciate the support. You cannot due a life jacket with the dry suit. BUT, it was fine. It sort of puffs up when you get into the water (helps with the body heat) and you sort of float along. Now, I would not do this if I did not know how to swim but it was fine if you are worried about swimming for an hour (approximately how long you’re in the water for). The guide shows you how ‘swim’ sort of like a frog and float. The guide will also take your photo but it’s really hard to get a cute one as moving your neck is nearly impossible.

I had originally purchased a pouch for my phone to record underwater (for the socials, lol) but became very clear that would not work as moving your fingers, pretty awkward. I used my Go Pro Hero 12 and did not have any issues. I did buy a case from Go Pro to help seal it…lessoned learned from Ecuador! I really loved how great the camera worked underwater and the clarity was unreal. I used a float in case I dropped it but it had the added benefit of being able to spot me in the photos I downloaded from the dive company’s website. We all sort of looked the same but I was the only one with a hot pink band on my wrist!

There is not really any life to see in the water. It is too cold for most fish, you may spot one (I think I did) but they’re tiny. There was a lot of algae growth this the time of year (July) but that was also starting to fade. This is just to temper your expectations. The water is very clear and the rocks are really cool. Now, swimming with sea lions in the Galapagos was a lot more exciting but this was a lot more peaceful. Just you and the stillness of the water.

I am really glad that I decided to do this. It was bucket list item and really shows how far I have come. Just something added to why Iceland means so much to me. How a small island can be such a key part of my becoming who I was meant to be. A key piece of something really special in my journey over the last seven years.