There are not many places in the world where you can dive and see the northern lights on the same day. Iceland is one of those unique places.

In April the days are short in this northern island country, yet we have enough time for two dives. The guide drives from Reykjavik and into the starkly beautiful Thingvellir national park. Snow spatters the mountains, yet today is rather warm, it has reached 8 degrees Celsius.

Above the Water, Silfra, Iceland – Photo Credit: Chris Vyvyan-Robinson

The water, however, will be nowhere near that, if we’re lucky 3 degrees. Silfra is world-renowned due to its unique landscape and the fact that it has the clearest waters in the world. This division between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates is filled with crystal glacial waters.

I dress my dry suit and climb down the ladder into the water, the water like needles to my exposed face, mind-numbing. The water is pristine and it takes my breath away in more ways than one. I make my way down to the plate division, the narrow gully fascinating to a geography student like myself.

Silfra. Iceland – Photo Credit: Chris Vyvyan-Robinson

After spending a full dive admiring the views and sipping pure water through my regulator, I make my way into the Silfra lagoon where colours and reflections seem endless, the moss covered lava boulders 100 metres away can be easily seen.

Silfra Fissure, Iceland – Photo Credit: Chris Vyvyan-Robinson

Only the promise of hot chocolate and warm clothes makes me leave this majestic water, and as I walk the 250-metre path back to the car, my dry suit is already showing signs of frost and the sky is beginning to dance.

The Author: Chris Vyvyan Robinson is an underwater photographer and divemaster with 1000+ dives around the world.