Looking for a good outfit to dive with at Silfra - Iceland

[Telvar]

Last December I booked a flight to Iceland next October to cross off one of my bucket list items: diving at Silfra. We'll see if we can at that time, but I'm already looking what to do and where to book. There are several outfits that offer dives at Silfra and I've heard very good and terrible stories (herding masses of tourists through the fissure is my definition of terrible).

I'm looking for a nice outfit that takes a little time to do it right and that will not assign one guide to 10 divers. The cost is already very high so that's not of primary concern. Does anyone have any good experience with any of the outfits? Thanks in advance.

 

[al248005]

I went with a group last year and we used Magmadive. They offered two dives there where most others just offered one. Our tour guide (Becca? I think was her name) was awesome! They picked us up outside of the hard Rock and gave us like a mini tour and told us stories in route to Thingvellir. Equipment they provided was all good quality stuff too! All of the different groups gather in one parking lot and get dressed and then walk across the road to the dive site. You definitely will not be alone while you're in there you will always most likely see a snorkel group or other divers in the distance. I was there the last week of September last year and they only have about two weeks of fall three if you're lucky and if you hit it then the country is so beautiful and full of color. Let me know if you have any questions and by the way rent a car now because the price will triple if not be 4xs times as much when you get there.

 

[Subcooled]

Silfra is not the only crack in the lake.

I did hire a private DM for my second dive and the dive was wonderfull. Better than Silfra (but Silfra was wonderfull too). I cannot recall the dive centre - it was 6 years ago - but they did promise smaller groups.

 

[Ministryofgiraffes]

I think whomever you dive with silfra is the same deal...a long line of divers queueing up waiting to get in the water...across the road and into the carpark it’s basically like a mass baptism ceremony...

 

[al248005]

Yep pretty much

 

[Ministryofgiraffes]

View attachment 587394 View attachment 587395
I went with a group last year and we used Magmadive. They offered two dives there where most others just offered one. Our tour guide (Becca? I think was her name) was awesome! They picked us up outside of the hard Rock and gave us like a mini tour and told us stories in route to Thingvellir. Equipment they provided was all good quality stuff too! All of the different groups gather in one parking lot and get dressed and then walk across the road to the dive site. You definitely will not be alone while you're in there you will always most likely see a snorkel group or other divers in the distance. I was there the last week of September last year and they only have about two weeks of fall three if you're lucky and if you hit it then the country is so beautiful and full of color. Let me know if you have any questions and by the way rent a car now because the price will triple if not be 4xs times as much when you get there.

And make sure you research ‘Iceland rental car scams’ before you go...you will be glad you did.. make sure you don’t pick up a rental car in the dark. Make sure the staff is with you and make sure you make a video on you phone of the whole car close up and then finish with the staff member in shot!

 

[al248005]

Yes...that happened to a couple in our group...they rented from an off airport site and got a huge lemon..car looked like it just came from the demo derby

 

[Ministryofgiraffes]

More a case of the poor guy from Omaha having a screaming match with the staff about a $700 charge they were levying against him for perceived ‘minor damage’ to the car he was returning. He was obviously adamant that it was fictitious. It was honestly literally nothing...‘slightly scuffed Wheel rims’ and minor scratches to the roof etc.

they tried to hit us with similar charges and then I pulled out the video and showed it to them..the car was in exactly the same condition as when we took it and they responded with ‘oh....ok then you can go’....utter @ssholes....

 

[Snoweman]

Don't you need to be dry suit certified to dive Sifra?

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

wow. bucket list turns to sht list pretty quick. I was really looking forward to diving Silfra and now it sounds like I should find another big crack in the ground.