Diving North Iceland | Eyjafjörður & Hydrothermal Vents

About North Iceland – Eyjafjörður & Hydrothermal Vents

North Iceland is the only place on Earth where recreational divers can explore living hydrothermal chimneys. Off Akureyri, Strýtan rises from 65 m to 15 m, venting 72°C alkaline water and supporting bizarre thermophilic bacterial mats and tiny invertebrates on a magnesium-white cone. Little Strýtan is a shallower, equally otherworldly version. The region also has Nesgjá, a Silfra-style freshwater fissure with 30–50 m visibility between lava cliffs, and Litlaá, a spring-fed lagoon of crystal water and green algae. Hjalteyri holds herring-era wrecks, Dalvík offers steep walls and the chance of humpbacks at the surface, and Grímsey on the Arctic Circle has kelp, cod and occasional blue sharks. Guided, cold and current-prone, this is Iceland’s most geothermally unique diving.

Highlights

• ✓Strýtan: the world’s only geothermal chimneys reachable by divers
• ✓Little Strýtan: a shallower hydrothermally active cone
• ✓Nesgjá: a crowd-free Silfra-style freshwater fissure
• ✓Litlaá: a spring-fed lagoon with algae forests
• ✓Hjalteyri & Grímsey: wrecks, cod and Arctic Circle life

Getting There

Fly to Akureyri Airport (AEY) from Reykjavik or drive 4–5 hours via Route 1. Strýtan and Nesgjá launches are near Akureyri; Hjalteyri, Dalvík and Grímsey are short drives or a ferry flight north.