Diving Silfra Iceland | JONATHAN BIRD'S BLUE WORLD
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 31 ธ.ค. 2015
- In this exciting Blue World adventure, Jonathan travels up to Iceland in search of a dive site called Silfra which supposedly has the clearest water in the world! But it's cold!
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Temperate water is rarely very clear. We consider ourselves lucky to get 30 feet of visibility in New England. Sometimes it’s not even that good-more like 10 feet. You can barely see anything until you are right on top of it. Plankton makes this water extremely fertile, but you can’t see through it very well.
In the tropics, water has less plankton and it’s often quite a bit clearer. It’s not unusual to have 100 feet, sometimes even 150 feet of visibility in the tropics.
At the massive Neutral Buoyancy Lab in Houston-a huge indoor swimming pool where astronauts are trained-I have experienced visibility of at least 400 feet. The water is so clear, it’s like it’s not there at all. But this is a pool. The water is filtered and chlorinated. Is there anyplace in the world with naturally-occurring clarity like this?
Iceland is right smack-dab in the middle of the mid-Atlantic ridge, where two large tectonic plates meet. Lava coming out from between these plates at a hot spot created Iceland about 20 million years ago. But since those tectonic plates are still moving, Iceland has cracks down the middle and occasional earthquakes as a result.
Silfra is one of those cracks. It has filled with spring water that percolates up through the ground from distant glaciers. So it’s cold and it’s clear.
Iceland itself is a beautiful and sparsely populated country full of natural wonders.
It has huge glaciers. And those glaciers give birth to icebergs which float away into the North Atlantic ocean.
But even though it’s called Iceland, it’s not all ice by any means. At least in the summer.
There aren’t many trees, but the landscape features rolling green grassy hills. There are grazing sheep. And lots of farms.
Summer meltwater feeds scores of rivers and streams. Some are crystal clear, others are filled with minerals making them milky white.
And there are waterfalls. I mean a lot of awesome waterfalls! This is Gulfoss, one of Iceland’s largest.
Until recently, the only divers who came here were animals.
But Silfra has changed all that. Divers now come from around the world to experience the amazing visibility in this tiny dive site just a few meters wide and a few hundred meters long.
They say this is the clearest water in the world. Let’s go find out!
My adventure begins in downtown Reykjavic, Iceland’s capital city.
Diving here is not without difficulty. I’ll need a dry suit to stay warm in the water which is barely above freezing. Since most people don’t go to Iceland specifically to dive, they often don’t bring any gear. Dive Iceland supplies everything you need, even the dry suit. Our team has decided to try their gear, for the full experience. So we’re all getting into drysuits we’ve never worn before.
After we have our suits on, I have to carry my camera all the way from the parking area to the entry point.
Jose hands me my camera and I sink down into clear, cold water.
Under the surface, there is nothing to see but bare rock-and crystal clear water. My first view under the surface blows my mind-I can see all the way down to the end of the crack where it takes a turn! I have no idea how far that is.
Once everyone is ready, we submerge. Then Jose leads the way downstream. There’s a gentle current in Silfra from the spring opening all the way down to a lake.
The incredible visibility is no exaggeration! This is the clearest water I have ever seen in sunlight. The straight sections of Silfra aren’t even long enough to test the full visibility, but it’s easily many hundreds of feet.
We swim for a few minutes through a narrow crack, which is at least 50 feet deep. There’s nothing to see down there, so we stay pretty shallow where the marginal morning light is a little better.
In this shallow water, strands of green algae thrive on the ample summer sunlight.
After passing through the shallow section, we head into another deep crack. Now that the initial excitement has worn off, I’m noticing the water temperature, which is only 36° Fahrenheit, barely above freezing.
My face is completely numb. This water is nearly as cold as the water in Antarctica! It might look tropical because of that blue color seen in very clear water, but I’m definitely not in the Bahamas.
this man is still replying and hearting comments four years later... legend
😎
I am sure he has a team to help him so I am gonna say... legends.
I don't know why it took me so long to stumble across this channel!
For anyone like myself, who is constantly mesmerised by the marine environment, it does not get much better than this.
Cool
Yep definitely a legend
Awesome video ❤❤❤
After all the years I could definitely say screw going big on TV. What you have done is so much better and you can say you truly did it on your own. So proud of you man, I was just thinking to myself why isn't this man on my TV yet, then I thought to myself it wouldn't be the same.
Its amazing just discovered it!
Can we just talk about how good this man’s camera equipment is
I know
Precisely. The clarity is just insane!
I see I’m 4 yrs late to this video. Stunning! 💞
Because of you, I've ventured out more than possible in my situation. And I am grateful. Thank you.
That is breathtaking. You're a one man Discovery Channel!
+Justin McLeod Technically I have help!! But thanks!! :-)
Yes
It's hard to let people know how clear Silfra is. We had one guy bail out because he couldn't get a point of reference and he wasn't used to cold water diving.
Silfra is a must dive. Anyone thinking of diving it, make sure you can dive in cold water with a drysuit. It would be sad to lose a dive because of that.
Jonathan, I hope you got to dive the geothermal chimneys in Strytan. It has jets of warm water. It's also fun to see fish swimming vertically.
Great jobs on the videos. Lease keep them coming.
I did it in an *open* cell wetsuit! ...I have NEVER been so cold, ever.
wdym he couldnt get a point of reference? isnt that what clear water helps with? i mean i think i could imagine that amount of clarity being vertigo inducing because of the openness to it, but sounds like it was more because he didnt like/wasnt used to the cold water?
I hope Jonathan and his team know how many people they inspire. Really great stuff.
Thanks!
Jonathan, thank for risking everything to get these beautiful videos..I salute you..!!
Just dove the Silfra last week, on recommendation of Jonathon Bird! Wonderful experience, thank you and keep up the great videos!
Wow. I wish to go thee one day. Need to vet used to cold water diving though
i remember watching these when i was young and i was in my dads office at school, and i recently came across these again. so much nostalgia.
What are these?
HONESTLY, SOMETIMES IT MAKES ME THINK THAT THE WATER IS DRINKABLE..
It is
Hush, boomer.
@@nuclearjanitors excuse me?
@@jasonpelareja8475 shut up, boomer.
@@nuclearjanitors wow oh my gosh that was so funny what an original joke that was totally applicable to this conversation /s
It's nice knowing you can take you reg out and just have a drink whenever you want to!
Jonathan you inspired me to get a scuba cirtifacation
Awesome!
that water is so blue and clear its hypnotic
Storm Gaming I’m about to get mine!
same!! I'm going scuba diving in Bonaire on spring break with my family!!
Same!
ABSOLUTELY BREATHTAKING!!💖😀💖😀 BEAUTIFUL VIDEO!!💖😀💖
yes thank you very much for posting often this shows me an idea of what to look for while diving and getting ready for whats coming ahead when I take my marine biology class. this actually has helped me a lot with learning the basics of the ocean. looking forward for the next couple of videos! :)
That was unreal. So beautiful!
This it's so impressive. I was amazed the whole video, that water was so clear ! and all the environment I actually find it beautiful !! thank you for another amazing video Jonathan and team !!!!
Hi carla
This is just spectacular! I never knew places like this exist! Thanks for introducing us to a whole new world!
It's so beautiful!The the lack of fish really brings a certain feel to it.
Actually there are some trouts there.
My sister and her family lived on the Air Force base there in Reykjavik. She said a good day was no wind. Lol. This dive you guys did was so awesome!
It's so crystal clear. Those rocks and the clarity looks amazing underwater. I don't know swimming in this life but I surely want to be Jonathan Bird in my next life and I'm not exaggerating
Thank you for documenting your amazing adventures!
I don't know when I could do it myself
Beautiful...thank you for sharing...amazing!
That’s awesome regardless of the cold. Thanks for this video folks!
Amazing! So beautiful!
this is the best scuba diving video ive ever watched. watched that many times and every times like first time
super beautiful, glad it pop up to my recommendations ❤
Awesome and Amazing.So crystal clear of Silfra waterways in Iceland. Alhamdulillah.Praise to Allah. Thank you again, Jonathan. You and your team inspired us more than anything to appreciate our nature.Bless you all.
I also enjoyed this adventure. Thank you Jonathan.
Wow... the water is so clear and also 1080p60 video... love it!
Watching from Philippines
June 18,2020
I love this very much.. so crystal clear.. hv seen many times.. i wish i have a chance dive here ... love love love
+1 to the Bucket list.
Espectacular amazing dive,I'm diver also and two days a go I reach to see some of your videos and there are awesome and very impressive congratulations for the inspiration...💯👍
Wow so clear! Awesome 😱👏👏👏 huge thanks Sir Jonathan!
Yes, you found a place of water that was very clear and really peacefully serene. Even if there was very little fish or their creatures, it still worth the cold experience.
You have found maybe one of the last clean places of earths clean clear water.
Good thing you have such video evidence before others might ruin what’s left.
Thank god for you! Peace friend.
This video is very pleasant.
I had to watch it again.
What very nice place to go diving.
Very peaceful and serene.
Your videos are .....AMAZING. Every time I see your videos I just get amazed by those animals
Incredible!
I have no words. You sir, are a massive legend in my books. Oh and Happy New Year to the whole team at BlueWorldTV!
+Sergio Hernandez Thanks Sergio! You too!
one of the most amazing diving video.
This looks beautiful!
wow that's Amazing!
Beautiful beautiful pls paradise out of the world 💕💕💕
beautiful video
Awesome vid!!! This is prob the best one I’ve seen so far. This deserves no dislikes.
how didn’t I see this 5 years sooner!
Wow na wow!!!super linaw ng tubig.ang ganda ng tanawin sa ilalim.
Wow, amazing!
101% so clear! But cold i love watching your vedio's....
What a beauty of a place! Great video as always. Keep the good work.
This is mesmerisingly beautiful!
this is beautiful! i love underwater stuff...
I guess you are talking to kids? Great family video!
Truly beautiful wonders....
This is my new dream dive site😂. All of that aside, great video. Can’t wait for more!
Magical !
that was amazing!!
I absolutely LOVE these videos❤️❤️
magnificently done...!!!🙋🏼♂️
I am so jealous! this is my number one dive spot I want to go to on my bucket list LUCKY!!! lol
Hey, Brave Wilderness went there! I'm really excited for your crossover!
WOW!! Thank you for this.
You are so welcome!
I really like your cave diving videos. Thank you!
Magnificent! It looks like a very hard place to live at but the paradisiac beauty it holds are worth every effort and penny one spends to either live or visit such place. Thanks for the video, Jonathan and team. I wish you, all your loved ones and all those around you all that you need throughout this new year. Thanks loads, lads, for all you created and shared with us last year on this channel . Looking forwards for all your aqueous shenanigans you have planned for these coming twelve months. :))
+Mark Said "aqueous shenanigans!" can we use that one? Love it! Thanks for the nice comments Mark!
BlueWorldTV, you are welcome. Yes, of course you can use it. :))
I swear you have been nearly everywhere at this point, and I just took my open water diving course from the inspiration of your content! I recently stopped watching as much TH-cam but you are possibly my most watched and one of the few in still watching.
Also when I did my course I struggled with just the dive equipment and you have that huge camera, how you manage it I don’t know but I’m glad to see your still uploading.
Cameras have gotten smaller!
Look up Dive Talk also, you'd likely enjoy them also. I'm not a diver and I enjoy it alot
I've watched this video a few times because I just think it is so awesome that you can actually see those two tectonic plates.
you are great :-) its the first channel that i ve actually loved to subscribe :-) love from Pakistan. Stay blessed.
Great place
Wow, Iceland sure is a breathtaking place!
+Xxxsorrow Yes, very beautiful place to visit. Stunning.
Thank you for sharing this :-)
So many people who do these videos like to focus on one fish eating another. This channel focuses rather on the beauty of nature. Thank you
It's like diving with Randy of TPB love it excellent show
Diving here next month.. Can't wait!
Incredibly beautiful....
that's so awesome
wow! incredible:)
wow that was so amazingly beautiful. .😲😲😲😲
Wow nice... Amazing 👍👍💟
Great video! The best preview I could have for my upcoming dive in Silfra in 2 weeks 😉 Thanks!
Have fun!
Wow. This is just beautiful. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for replying!
Cool video. Thanks dude.
I loved my visit to Silfra. I was surprised that the water wasn't as cold as I was expecting.
this man should be called Jonathan FISH.
What a fun. Very nice video.... Amazing
Iceland is so beautiful, it's once of my favorite places.
loved it 😍🥰
I've been at the end of March. Daytime temps about 50ish, but still snow on the ground. It's amazing coming up from a dive, surrounded by mountains covered in snow. Oh... and you forgot to say.... you can drink the water too. End the dive, take a gulp!
Your narration is wonderful
so cool!! so amazing!!! I love it!!!
AMAZING!
Just wow! 😮
What a great experience. #Scuba4Families loves this channel. Its on our bucket list.
What an awesome life you gifted with! Wow I am speechless man ❤️ I am in total love with your videos
Thanks!
so refreshing 😍😍😍
Thanks for another great video. I hope some day i can go on my first dive in a place like that
Another brilliant video. This is one I really want to do after I complete my Padi open water course
Really nice job for to see uor world beauty clear Cristal water amazing adventures
I definitely want to dive here. Its so beautiful
Awesome video! Thank you for sharing your experience. We'll be there to dive & snorkel next month. Yikes!
How was it Sherri?
What
So interesting, i'd like to add iceland to my bucket list.❤️
Thanks for the tour❤️
Thanks for watching!
bucket list dive for sure