Polaroid Minningar
Samansafn af myndum úr ferðum okkar
Images of our Icelandic Dive Life
Over the years we have collected a number of photos on our tours that capture the atmosphere of diving and snorkeling with us here on our little island on the arctic circle. A couple years ago we created an album of some of our favorite photos in the collection in the style of old polaroids and printed them as a christmas gift for some of our partners, friends and colleagues.
Now we found one stash of these Polaroids in a box on our attic and decided to scan them and put them here for you to enjoy. We hope you will.
Diving above hot springs in Kleifarvatn Lake
Kleifarvatn Lake is one of our favorite dives sites near Reykjavík. The underwater hot springs on the lake's floor provide a fascinating and thrilling experience for both divers and snorkelers. Gases trapped underground push through cracks in the lake's floor and bubble up to the surface of the lake. The vibrations of this activity create an atmosphere that divers have described as "diving in a glass of champagne".
Because of the lake's position on the fault lines of the mid-Altantic ridge, earthquakes often lead to changes in the water level of the lake. For some time it seemed that the lake would disappear entirely, but thankfully the water level rose again and we can continue to enjoy the unusual underwater views of the hot springs on snorkeling and diving tours.
Diving Strýtan, the hydrothermal chimney
Strýtan is a hydrothermal chimney in the northern fjord that leads to Iceland's second biggest town, Akureyri. It is the only place on earth where a hydrothermal chimney is shallow enough for recreational divers. Strýtan is a spectacular dive site and we love getting to dive there on our multiple day tours and expeditions. In this picture, hot water can be seen seeping out of the chimney. The warm water allows for unusual flora and fauna around the chimney.
Instruction during a PADI Open Water Diver Course
All of our guides are also instructors and they love to teach! Because of Reykjavík's small population, our dive center doesn't have demand for as many Open Water courses as one finds in warmer weather diving destinations, so our instructors jump at every opportunity to teach. Here is our Operations Manager and Instructor, Jammi, with a student underwater at a local pool during one of the pool sessions in which students practice the basic skills required of diving.
A wolf fish is showing off his teeth
The abundance of marine life in the Atlantic Ocean around Iceland is great.
To come so close to these wonderfully freakish cold water creatures and observe their natural behaviour is fantastic.
We love especially our ocean dives sites in Eyjafjörður and there particularly the dive around the under water hot springs of Strýtan, the geothermal chimneys.
We have a couple of Multiple Day Dive Tours on which we offer to dive here.
Guillemots diving off the coast of Grímsey
Colonies of the strong yet elegant Guillmot bird can be found along the coast of Iceland during their breeding season. Being joined underwater by Guillmots diving for food is an incredible experience we won't forget from one of our expeditions in the north of Iceland. This picture was taken just off the coast of Grímsey, an island to the north of Akureyri.
Divers Crossing Traffic Sign
At Silfra divers have to dress up into their dive equipment on the Silfra parking lot which is on the other side of the road as the Silfra crack itself.
We are glad the authorities of the Thingvellir National Park put up this sign for our safety... and guest amusement. It has become a popular snapshot for visitors to Silfra.
Diving the El Grillo shipwreck
The oil tanker SS El Grillo was sunk by German air forces during WWII. There were no casualties and the shipwreck now provides a fascinating dive site off the eastern coast of Iceland near Seyðisfjörður. The diver in this photo shines her torch into the door of the ship. Just beyond this door, a staircase leads down into the now cavernous and dark spaces of the wreck.
Divers returning to the yacht Aurora near Hornstrandir, Iceland
One of our favorite expeditions of recent years was our 10-day adventure sailing around the Westfjords in the yacht Aurora. We dived some of the most magnificent ocean dive sites and visited parts of Iceland that are accessible only by boat
Divers Night in Silfra
DIVE.IS and the Icelandic dive community host an annual "divers night" at Silfra. Local divers gather for a fun dive in Silfra in the dark and the crystal clear water of Silfra is illuminated by an array of torches. The incredible visibility in Silfra allows you to see as far as the torch reaches. Thingvellir is usually completely empty at night, providing a atmosphere at Silfra. Arctic char from Thingvallavatn lake have a greater tendency to venture into Silfra in the dark and it is quite fun to see them briefly in the spotlight.
