How deep is the Silfra crack?

How deep is the Silfra crack?

How deep is Silfra fissure? The cave systems in Silfra can be up to 60 m deep. However, your dive in Silfra will be from about 7 to 12 m, and the maximum diving depth that is permitted is 18 m.

How was the Silfra fissure created?

The Geology of Silfra Silfra is a fissure between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates in Thingvellir National Park. The rift was formed in 1789 by the earthquakes accompanying the divergent movement of the two tectonic plates.

How long is the Silfra fissure?

100 metres
The Cathedral is a 100 metres (330 ft) long fissure with visibility almost from end to end.

How cold is the Silfra fissure?

The water temperature in Silfra is 2-4°Celsius all year around. This converts to 35-39°Fahrenheit.

Are there animals in the Silfra fissure?

Although there is plenty of life in Silfra, most of it is either plant life or microinvertibrates, which are not visible with the human eye. Throughout the rest of the year, the only fish who live in the Silfra fissure are the Dwarf Char, a subspecies of the Arctic Char.

Can you drink Silfra water?

The water in Silfra is as pure as water can get: meaning that you can drink it at any time during the dive! Silfra is also the only place in the world, where you can swim between two continents: those of North America and Europe, which are actually drifting apart (at a rate of 2cm a year)!

Is Silfra water drinkable?

Geography of Silfra It can take the water up to a century to reach Silfra and this long filtration process results in the water being both extremely clear and drinkable.

What lives in the Silfra fissure?

Dwarf Char
Throughout the rest of the year, the only fish who live in the Silfra fissure are the Dwarf Char, a subspecies of the Arctic Char. These range in size from a few centimetres, to approximately 10cm maximum, and live down in the darker recesses near the rocks and as such are not often spotted by divers or snorkelers.

Why is Silfra so clear?

Why is the Water so Clear in Silfra? The cooler the water the clearer it is. The water temperature at Silfra is constantly between 2 and 4C (35 to 39 F), making it too cold for most creatures to live there. However, this is not the main reason for its crystal clarity.

What makes Silfra so special?

It is the unique geological and hydrological characteristics which make Silfra so special. The island of Iceland resulted from a massive and violent movement between two enormous tectonic plates that have been drifting apart continuously and unstoppably, forming the island’s landscapes over the last 18 million years.

Where is the Silfra fissure located in Iceland?

Silfra fissure. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge passing through Þingvellir. Silfra is a rift formed in the divergent tectonic boundary between the North American and Eurasian plates and is located in the Þingvallavatn Lake in the Þingvellir National Park in Iceland.

What kind of water is in Silfra fissure?

Silfra is one of the fissures in Thingvellir, but one with a slight difference. When the fissure that formed Silfra cracked open the land, it broke through an underwater spring, filling the fissure with the crystal clear water that we see today.

Where is the Silfra rift in North America?

Silfra. Silfra is a rift formed in the divergent tectonic boundary between the North American and Eurasian plates and is located in the Þingvallavatn Lake in the Þingvellir National Park in Iceland .

What was the result of the Silfra earthquake?

When the fissure that formed Silfra cracked open the land, it broke through an underwater spring, filling the fissure with the crystal clear water that we see today. Since 1789 when the majority of fissure in Thingvellir, including Silfra, opened up, Silfra has seen many changes with each round of earthquakes resulting in rock falls and collapses.

How deep is the Silfra crack? How deep is Silfra fissure? The cave systems in Silfra can be up to 60 m deep. However, your dive in Silfra will be from about 7 to 12 m, and the maximum diving depth that is permitted is 18 m. How was the Silfra fissure created? The Geology…