Magnus Lundgren - Thingvellir National Park, Iceland
November 16th, 2009 Posted in Northern Europe, UncategorizedNo Translations
The wind is cold in my face and there is a dignifying silence resting in this place. The sea is more than 50 km away. Still I find myself standing in Thingvellir National Park in Iceland in full scuba gear. This vast, and partly water filled, valley is like a natural cradle fenced by snowcapped mountains. I am looking straight down into a wide crack in the crust of mother earth.
It is filled with silver liquid that shifts from transparent lush greens into distant blues. I smile inside and then I take a giant stride. The big chilly splash breaks the silence when I fall into Silfra’s incredible water world. Finally inside the place of my dreams.
The scenery is straight up in my face and absolutely mind-blowing in its true sense, and at the same time the merciless and bone-chilling 3 degrees C enfolds me. It is like entering a “cathedral natura”. Proud towering walls falling straight down along the edges of this submerged valley. Huge boulders are scattered around and the scenery is dressed in silvery water. My mind and body is busy trying to catch up with the unreal reality and I quickly dump air from my tank into the dry suit to insulate. Silfra is a cold beauty.
My improbable dive guide, Louis from Namibia, is pointing downwards towards the deep cavern opening below us. As carefully planned we descend together into the black crack. It is like swimming into the mouth of mother earth and Jules Verne’s ”A journey to the center of the earth” flashes in my brain. We enter the dark side of Silfra and follow a fixed line as our reference. Deep inside I look up and there are openings high above, like skylights on a ship, and the sunlight travels all the way down to us at 40 meters, in the clear water.
I follow Louis, or rather his torchlight, under a massive boulder wedged between the walls in the cavern. I think about the fact that these walls are actually moving away from each other by 2-3 cm per year. Sooner or later this rock has to tumble down but I decide it is not just now and swim under. The Atlantic rift is actually a huge crack in the earth’s surface between the continents of Europe and America. This fault cuts its way through the centre of Iceland through Thingvellir National Park. The fact that Silfra is a part of the divergent tectonic boundary between the North American and Eurasian plates is making us literally swimming between two continents.
In some places it is tight and we can reach out and touch both sides. I feel very small in this big-scaled thought. Louis finds his way out from the cavern systems into the open crack that is bathing in sunlight and colors. The cold is taking its toll on Louis but we continue over a shallow part to enter yet another part of Silfra further downstream. This stretch is even more overwhelming and scenic. The wild landscape in this clear water is luring my brain into doing visual somersault readings and distances are confusing to judge.
The reason behind Silfra’s incredible water clarity is the fact that melted water from the glacier Langjoekull is filtered through lava rock underground for 20 to 30 years before it is vented through wells and then slowly runs via the crack of Silfra to the lake Thingvallavatn which is Iceland’s biggest lake. The water temperature is stable, 2 to 4 degrees C, all year around. Unesco has declared Thingvellir National Park a world heritage site, both for its cultural & historical significance as well as natural & geological uniqueness. In Thingvellir the first parliament in the world was held year 930.
I continue to dive in Silfra for the whole week with Louis from Namibia. We investigate the deep and dark areas, the parallel cracks and of course the fantastic lagoon. I even find the brown trouts, Salmo trutta, inside small caverns and overhangs. Apparently arctic charr, Salvelinus alpinus, and three-spine stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus, are also around. Gradually, dive after dive, my buddy Louis is freezing up faster and faster and I know I am wearing him down to the limit. I ensure him that I am leaving Iceland soon and he just has to bite the bullet for a couple of more days. I send my regards to him and thank him for his heroic stamina.
One day we decided to visit the sea to reset the Silfra brain. We drove to a place called Garthur, not far from Reykjavik, and did a dive from a pier. Straight away I realized that the wind from the previous days had lowered the visibility to 1 or 2 meters. After Silfra this vis is hard to coop with. Finalizing the first dive I was spending time around a sandy patch at around five meters. I discovered aggregations of dabs, Limanda limanda, hanging out, suggesting some sort of mating behavior. They were everywhere swimming around in “show off” mode. I decided to go back with a wider lens to capture dabs on the move. So on the second dive I stayed on that very patch at 5 meters shooting the dabs for more than two beautiful hours and they continued to show off over the sand.
I saved my favorite for last - the lagoon. And the lagoon is actually, no surprise, a lagoon connected to the Silfra crack running towards the lake. When I enter the lagoon the first time and realize that I can easily see straight through to the other end I find it hard to believe. The scenery is strong with fantastic lighting, spectacular colors and cracks and piled stones making the dramatic shapes. Bearing in mind that water is our true origin Silfra lagoon symbolizes and embodies the unspoilt wilderness we want to preserve. She is a roll model and very much an icon for untouched nature.
It is my last dive and I hang around in the lagoon. Looking up at my exhaust bubbles, shining like quicksilver domes, I see Louis signaling his exit quite early shivering like an autumn leaf. I stay as I do not want to let go just yet. My mouth is very dry after breathing scuba air for 80 minutes. I decide to lift the mouthpiece of the regulator a fraction and I drink pure refreshing water while diving. It feels a bit strange but works fine. I say my fare well to Silfra as I hover close to a long stone ridge. It’s just the spectacular lagoon and me… and of course Louis on the top probably wondering why on earth I am taking so long?
After 20 years of underwater photography the most interesting and rewarding things is to enter a, for me, new type of environment, a new type of habitat. While in Silfra I rediscovered my long forgotten memories from dives made in Pupu Springs in New Zealand in 1992. The memories came back when I re-entered the same “water world” in Iceland 17 years later. In my heart Silfra is a place of true wonder and raw beauty and of great importance on any given level. I am a fan for life. Thank You world, thank You Silfra… and thank You Louis from Namibia!
Next I went to the Azores to explore the great wide open sea looking for interesting mammals and marine life. The main target was the greatest toothed animal on earth, the greatest diver ever seen, equipped with the largest brain around even if Einstein would have been alive – the powerful, thrilling and mysterious sperm whales. Stay tuned these reports are coming very soon.
Magnus Lundgren / Wild Wonders of Europe
Please note that blogs reflect our photographers' opinions and not necessarily those of the directors of Wild Wonders of Europe.
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51 Responses to “Magnus Lundgren - Thingvellir National Park, Iceland”
By Bridget Wijnberg on Nov 16, 2009
oh… you have put a big smile on my face… again! Wow… what a place! And the way your write about it Magnus your passion is as clear as the water you were diving in
By Ricardo on Nov 16, 2009
Wow!!!!!
Amazing,.. just like entering a dream world!
Great photos
By Putte Karlsson on Nov 16, 2009
Silfra amazing place and again wonderful photos! If you’re a fan for life of island i’m a big fan and probably for life of youre pictures! just waiting for the stories and photos of azorerna!! Putte
By Sanna on Nov 16, 2009
Let’s go diving! It looks amazing, Iceland seems such a cool place. I want to go…
By colleen nacson on Nov 17, 2009
WOW!!!!!!!! I’M ENVIOUS MAGNUS……………………
By Ian Finlay on Nov 17, 2009
Hi Magnus,
This beats taking pictures of Sophie and I changing diving kit U/W for our dive master exam!!!! Do you have any of those old photo’s ‘96-’97?
The nearest thing I have seen to this site is in the Galapagos Islands called ‘el Groto’, about half an hours walk west of Finch Bay Resort near Puerto Ayora. It’s and inland geotec crack fed by filtered sea/rain water, also extrememly clear (shame I didn’t have may U/W camera at the time).
Amazing, and wish I could see it for myself!
By Per-Åke Aronsson on Nov 17, 2009
Amazing!!!
By Magnus Persson on Nov 17, 2009
Diving in liquid crystal, what an adventure!
Despite the apparent lack of marine life you succeed in delivering breath taking pictures!
Well done!
By Andrija Vrdoljak on Nov 17, 2009
amazing shots!
By Oren on Nov 17, 2009
Looks impressive ! we missed you last week in Eilat
By Magnus Lundgren on Nov 17, 2009
Hi Oren! Next year I will be there
with the glass fish by Moses rock! A great place.
By Annika Blomberg on Nov 17, 2009
Hello Magnus!
The blue and green colours are really fantastic. Very impessive!
By Solange on Nov 17, 2009
Another tick off in the “before i die/quit diving” book..! Do go on and do keep that as great writing of yours going. A truly nice twenty minutes spent by me, the computer screen diver…
Sunny Road of S Lebo
By Helen Werme on Nov 18, 2009
This place has been in my dreams since i first started to go beneath the surface. Seeing and reading this makes me realize it can be more than just a dream!
Thank you for all the wonderful things you show us.
By Hedinn Olafsson on Nov 18, 2009
We do the Silfra tour every day year around and even after more then 1000 Silfra dives, I still love every dive
By Rebecca on Nov 18, 2009
Tack Magnus för att Du kittlar fler sinnen med Din inlevelse..Livets lidelse..närvaron blir tydlig!…Tur att Du har kameran, så Du kan föreviga…och släppa taget.
Du är en sann ambassadör;-)
By Rebecca on Nov 18, 2009
Måste kommentera Dina fina bilder som ser ut att vara hämtade ur en känd trilogi.
Är det i ytan som reflektion sker eller är det ett “super-språngskikt”? -Det är andlöst vackert och Du har fångat det!
mlu_silfra_3 tar priset med blandade känslor.. och mlu_silfra_1 ger verkligen känslan av “cathedral natura” - överhäftigt..tilltalande!Tack Magnus, keep up the good work!
By Magnus Lundgren on Nov 18, 2009
Hi Rebecca, I answer in english. Top part of the image mlu_silfra_3 is a reflection shot in the more shallow mid section. In Silfra there is no thermocline. It is plain 3-4 degrees from top to bottom. Always. My dry gloves were punctured on one dive so I know how this temperature feels for real. I managed to repair the gloves with a tire-fixing kit bought at a gas station i Reykjavik.
By Bo and Steina on Nov 18, 2009
A superb photographer at a superb dive site. Of course we expect superb pictures … and we get it! Nice. We are particularly impressed by the last photo in which the contrast between the warm brown color of the foreground rocks and the cool blue background, with the miniscule diver, creates the impression of supranatural visibility (and the unnecessary dive torch adds much to the picture). Alveg frábært!
By Håkan Berg on Nov 19, 2009
Great pictures as usual! And allso very good written. Makes me want to sell my car and go there…
By Stefan Beskow on Nov 19, 2009
Some really breathtaking pictures! Looks like a very productive place to be for taking good pictures. On the other hand, most locations are with a great photographer!!
/Steffo
By Nuno Sá on Nov 20, 2009
Hello Magnus congrats on yet another breathtaking set of images, beutifual scenary. Looking forward to seeing the whales of the Azores. Excelent job.
All the best, Nuno Sá.
By Bosse Lundgren on Nov 20, 2009
I feel warm in this cold place to look at the great panorama by the pictures. It´s
just great to know the differense between
the two world-blocks. Amazing.
By Kerstin Lundgren on Nov 20, 2009
Always on top. So even this wonderful photos.
By Tobias Klose on Nov 20, 2009
Hi Magnus,
wow, nice to finally see the photos we have been freezing for :-).
Those are the best photos I have seen of Silfra ever… and I think I have taken a couple of dozens of professional photographers out there.
Amazing Job!! Congratulations!
All the best,
Tobias
By Benny raftmark on Nov 21, 2009
This is what diving is about. Thank you for those god pictures. It reminds me to start diving again. It just have to happened.
By David on Nov 22, 2009
Wow!! Such a cool place (I´ve been there myself:-) and a wonderful and enlightening article as well! My congratulations!
By Louis the Namibian on Nov 22, 2009
I just want to tell every one that Magnus forgot to mention the suit warmers that he snugg in to his suit when I wasnt looking
Great photos and article
By Feke on Nov 23, 2009
Superb photage!
By Sandra Fjerting on Nov 23, 2009
I love the story, I thought that diving was only worth the go in warm waters, this is incredible… It is like a cold fairytale world. I love the pictures, the photographer is very skilled in his work. I hope to see more of him in the future!
By farel media - Mikael Hådell on Nov 23, 2009
The artistic quality I find in your way of capturing the essence of this magical world is worldclass.
The contrasts between the blue colours of the water and the harsh volcanic rock is breathtaking.
Keep up the good work !
By farel media - Mikael Hådell on Nov 23, 2009
The artistic capture of this “out-of-wordly” landscape is that of a master.
The pictures are captioning the interface between the different blue colours of the water and the harshness of the volcanic rocks.
You can almost feel the ambience.
And that is the hallmark of really good photographs - when the viewer can relate to your subject - by merely watching the pictures.
M
By Eva on Nov 24, 2009
Underbart att läsa om din glädje i att ständigt upptäcka nytt på vår jord, vilket ställe!
By Patrik L on Nov 25, 2009
Hi Mange,
Your photos are, as always, fantastic but I’m also impressed by the you express yourself and the way you discribe your trip and dives. Wonderful!
By Guido Brink on Nov 26, 2009
MAGNUS!!! breathtaking, awesome…wonderous photos of a world in a world.
To bad Jules Verne didn’t have dive gear…this is like the journey to the center of the earth!
See you in Raja Ampat…some time soon?
By Guido Brink on Nov 26, 2009
Breathtaking, awesome, out of this world.
Amazing light and composition…
A world in a world…Jules Verne was right! One can take a journey to the centre of the earth!
By Badflickorna on Nov 27, 2009
Å vad toppen! Fantastiska bilder.
Hälsar Flickorna i badet
By Onno on Nov 27, 2009
Hoi Magnus,
thank you for amazing text and photos. Great work!
By Renate Comuth on Dec 3, 2009
Hi Magnus, I have been snorkeling at Silfra with Tobias from dive.is. It was a great adventure,especially as I am already over 60. Your photos remind me of it.I have never seen such beautiful underwater photos. Just great! Thanks!
By Dog G on Dec 4, 2009
Hi Magnus
Such fantastic photos of such a beautiful, magical lagoon.
Thank you.
By TomF on Dec 9, 2009
I had the chance to dive Silfra in July 2007 and it was incredible, although cold at 1C. These pictures remind me of what it was like. Thanks!
By Kerstin on Dec 11, 2009
Vi vill bada där istället för här…
Kerstin i badet
By Curt B Ellgren on Dec 12, 2009
Fantastic pictures. I have been to Iceland an seen a lot of the nature but nothing like this. Amazing!
Curt
By Susanne on Dec 14, 2009
Magic.
By Maria L on Dec 18, 2009
Thank you Magnus for showing us this world, now I just have to go there!!! Magic pic’s as usual.
By Alexander on Jan 1, 2011
hej! jag har kollat igenom varenda bild 5-6 gånger och kan bara inte fatta hur det kan bli så jäkla bra! jag är 16 år gammal och fotografering är mitt liv, finns det verkligen några hemligheter i fotograferingen? jag menar många andra fotografer säger det, bilder blir inte bra för att man har en bra kamera utan för att man kan det man gör! jag är grymt imponerad på hur duktig du är! very god work!!
By Susan on Feb 5, 2011
Nice shots. Even I’m a diving enthusiastic. Think I need to visit Þingvellir National Park atleast once.
By Michael on Jul 14, 2012
You do it justice. I there just 4 days ago and already I know that I’ll never forget the experience. Dioving the Silfra Fissure is truly awesome in the correct dictionary definition of that word. I spent 90 minutes immersed and I swear the sheer exhileration kept me from feeling the cold. Just check out the HD YouTube clips if you need further convincing - awe inspiring!