Diving between continents

GO ICELAND: IAIN WILLISfinds Iceland's soul deep down in the Silfra fissure – a sub-zero wonderland where two continents are moving apart

IT IS 10am on an extremely icy morning in Reykjavik. A thin sliver of snow powders the ground as Magnus, my diving companion for the day, pulls up in a worn out 4x4.

A sturdy Nordic handshake, a brief caffeine stop later, and we are on the road to Thingvellir (Þingvellir) National Park. As we drive I quiz Magnus about the geology of the volcanic landscape surrounding us, waxing lyrical about the endless lava flows submerged here and there by snowdrifts until I catch his sardonic grin in the rear view mirror and realise he probably hears this kind of thing all the time.

Iceland, after all, is one of the most strangely beautiful landscapes on the planet. It is a mixture of moonscape and tundra, occasionally punctuated by glacier-covered volcanoes that erupt on average once every five years.

But my high spirits are as much to do with what is below our feet as they are the view from the window. You see, Iceland’s dramatic landscape is in part a result of its prime location on the dividing line between the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates. And in Thingvellir it is possible to dive between these two vast land masses.

I was 16 when I first heard the notion that the earth’s crust was actually a fragmented eggshell, that the Himalayas used to be an ocean, that the US drifts daily from Europe; and that continents are in a constant state of flux. I was amazed then, and after 14 years of continued research in this subject, I am still enchanted by this notion.

Geographer Alfred Wegener’s 1912 concept of continental drift was earth-shattering at the time. It was a geographer’s equivalent of Darwin’s On the Origin of Species. As well as the visual similarity of how the South American coastline fits snugly alongside Africa, Wegener had gathered geological evidence from either side of the Atlantic proving our geographic origin. He correctly postulated that there was a thermal conveyer belt shifting our continents around.

One of the prominent elements of Wegener’s work was the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. An oceanic zip splitting the Atlantic from the mid-Arctic to the Antarctic. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge separates North America from the Eurasian plate, it divides Africa from South America and North America from Europe. It moves at different speeds in different areas but is estimated in Iceland to be around 3mm a year. On its winding path through the latitudes, most of the ridge is buried deep from view at the bottom of the Atlantic. In fact, Thingvellir National Park is the only place where the ridge can be accessed above sea level.

As we pull up to the dive site, it is clear that something significant is going on just beneath our feet. The land on the North American side of the divide is jolted high above the Eurasian side. It looks like a godly hand has pressed a little too hard on Europe and broken the crust below.

We put on our dry suits, check our buoyancy control devices (BCDs), and are readying ourselves for the plunge into the -1°C glacial water when Magnus taps me on the shoulder.

“You do know this is a very famous place, don’t you? I mean, for Iceland,” he says. I shake my head. “This is where the first parliament was formed.”

I must still look puzzled because he continues: “In AD 930, the first Icelandic settlers formed the world’s first ever government – right here at the divide.”

Thingvellir is an old Viking word meaning “parliament”. It was only 60 years after the first Nordic settlers had pulled their ships ashore that a medieval government was forged. For two weeks every summer thousands of islanders would descend on Thingvellir. As well as discussing the local politics or news of distant lands, scores of merchants, sword-makers and tanners would sell their crafts at the assembly. The site continued this tradition for nearly 1,000 years and it was here that the embryonic Iceland took the decision to officially adopt Christianity as its religion in AD 1000 (known to locals as kristnitaka). In 2004 Thingvellir was granted world heritage status by UNESCO.

I am thinking about these great meetings of humanity that once animated this land when Magnus, taking a final glance at his pressure gauge, gives me the signal and we sink below the water into a silent world.

The Silfra fissure is a truly amazing spot. It is arguably one of the world’s best dive sites and even if you are not interested in the geology, you will still love the dive. The fissure is a landlocked glacial lake and although Magnus assures me he has seen minnows during summer months, in the deep of winter the only marine life are the short grasses that carpet the shallows.

DUE TO THE undulating nature of the tectonic rift, the gorge essentially provides a series of deep pockets to dive through. There are moments when the rift valley is just a metre wide and you must squeeze yourself past the continental divide, taking care to avoid dashing the scuba tank against the sharp edges of volcanic rock. After a shallow water stroll between two areas of the gorge, the land below me drops again into deep blue. I am now floating in tectonic no-man’s-land. The visibility is upwards of 150 metres and, as I roll onto my back, I watch spellbound as the bubbles from my BCD float upwards, disappearing among the filtered sunlight that breaks below the surface.

The light dances off every rock face with such vigour you can be forgiven for feeling vertigo. As I glide through the fissure, there are two igneous columns guiding my way towards the lake entrance. This is known by local divers as the “Cathedral”. It’s a fitting name. This is the opening of the Icelandic rift valley. It provides a chasm between two continents: Eurasia is on my left and North America to the right.

There are no fish here, no corals, but somehow that feels right. The raw imposing faces of two continents are being pulled apart and there is something fitting about the cracked lavas that dominate. There is a weightless calm about the Silfra fissure, although an almost imperceptible current carries us steadily towards the lake. It is January in Iceland and yet with limited sunlight I am still able to see everything around me with the clarity of a midday sun. Such vistas come courtesy of 12 years percolating groundwater seeping into the lake. On its journey through the porous volcanic rock, the glacier water is cleaned of any impurities and sediment. What is left is crystal clear diving.

We surface from the dive in the shallows of the lakeside. Magnus looks over, acknowledging my broad smile. “You should try the night dive!”

On the drive back to Reykjavik it starts snowing. As the 4x4 cranks and grinds through the gears I stare out of the window and think about Thingvellir and its unique place in history. It seems oddly appropriate that a site where the land is literally pulling itself apart was the location of the first attempt by humans to forge a parliament of the people. The fact that over a thousand years later the land is still tearing itself apart while governments around the world continue to rise and fall with the regularity of Icelandic eruptions, tells us a great deal about the chaotic and beautiful world we live in.

A number of dive centres organise day trips to the fissure from Reykjavik, offering free hotel pick up and return and two guided dives at the fissure. A day trip with Dive Iceland costs around €180. See dive.is.

Iceland where to . . .

Stay

Hotel Cabin (hotelcabin.is). Simple, clean and affordable, and within easy reach of Reykjavik city centre. It’s a five-minute walk from the city’s main park and a popular choice for those on citybreaks. It’s also available as part of a citybreak deal with Icelandair (icelandair.com). Singles from €43.

Hotel Odinsve (hotelodinsve.is). Located in the charming and quiet Óðinstorg Square in downtown Reykjavik, Hotel Odinsve is surrounded by restaurants, cafes, museums and art galleries. All rooms include a shower, minibar, complimentary tea and coffee, and free wireless. Doubles from €66.

Hilton Reykjavik Nordica (hilton.co.uk/reykjavik). Located in the financial district of the capital, a five-minute walk from Laugardalur park. The Nordica offers great views of the city, wireless internet and TV in each room. Doubles from €179.

Eat

Kaffitár (kaffitar.is). Iceland’s answer to Starbucks. Five of the most popular coffee bars in Reykjavik are owned by Kaffitár. A good chance to rest your feet from strolling the city centre. The hot chocolate and whipped cream comes highly recommended.

Geysir Bistro and Bar (geysirbistrobar.is). A fusion of both traditional Icelandic dishes and familiar favourites such as home-made burgers, fish and soup.

Dill (dillrestaurant.is). A great fine dining option, this restaurant is in Reykjavik’s landmark Nordic House, opened in 2009 and serves local delicacies such as free-range Icelandic lamb and salt-cured cod. The schnapps, infused with wild thyme, is well worth a try.

Get there

Icelandair (icelandair.co.uk) operates a daily service from Reykjavik to London Heathrow. A Northern Lights citybreak deal with the airline offers three nights BB in Reykjavik from €350pp (price includes return flights, bus transfer to Reykjavik and free admission on the Northern Lights tour).