Woman Explores Only Place on Earth You Can Snorkel Between Tectonic Plates

Incredible footage of a unique experience snorkeling through "stunning" Caribbean-like waters has been captured in Iceland.

Stephanie Michaud, a 31-year-old brand manager in Hermosa Beach, California, shared a video of her snorkeling through the Silfra tectonic fissure in Iceland's UNESCO-designated Thingvellir National Park in a viral post from her Instagram account @imalwaysonpto. The video has had 15.6 million views since it was shared on January 18.

Silfra is believed to be the only spot on the planet where you can snorkel between two tectonic plates. Michaud told Newsweek: "Snorkeling through Silfra was really unlike any other snorkeling I've ever done," adding that "Silfra has some of the purest water in the world and the visibility is absolutely amazing."

She came across Silfra in her research while planning her trip to Iceland last year. "Silfra is the only place in the world where you can snorkel directly in a crack between two tectonic plates so there was no way I was going to pass up the opportunity," she said.

The latest post comes as travel is poised to reach record highs in 2024. Global tourism spending is forecast to hit $2 trillion this year, with sports and adventure travel expected to be major areas of growth in the year ahead, according to a report last month by Euromonitor International.

Silfra, which is around an hour's drive from the Icelandic capital Reykjavik, is a rift formed at the UNESCO-designated Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR), a volcanic mountain range that sits mostly underwater in the Atlantic Ocean.

UNESCO explains: "The MAR separates the North American Plate from the Eurasian Plate in the North Atlantic, and the South American Plate from the African Plate in the South Atlantic. These plates are still moving apart, so the Atlantic is growing at the ridge, at a rate of about 2.5 cm per year in an east-west direction."

These mid-ocean ridge systems are "the largest geological features on the planet," the world heritage body notes. While most of the MAR is underwater, it also forms several islands, such as the whole of Iceland, as well as islands in Norway, the U.K., Portugal and Brazil, according to UNESCO.

Snorkeling in Silfra, Iceland

In addition to its dramatic fissures and cliffs, Thingvellir National Park has "a varied belt of mountains on three sides, featuring grass-covered lava fields" and "this outstanding scenery gives the area its unparalleled value," UNESCO describes.

According to the park's official website, "Silfra is one of the best spots for diving in Iceland and many people find the rift unique on an international scale. The reason for its fame is the astounding visibility in the clear, cold ground water and the magnificent surroundings."

The park website notes that diving permits must be obtained before diving or snorkeling in Silfra. It also warns that "diving is entirely at the divers' own responsibility and risk," noting that "dive operators will require medical information for their guests and wet suit diving is now prohibited."

The website advises: "Divers are required to have a dry suit certificate or 10 registered dry suit dives in the last two years. The proof of the latter must be a written confirmation by an instructor affiliated with an internationally recognized diving organization."

'The Best Water I've Ever Had'

Michaud said the latest video of her snorkeling in Silfra was shot back in May 2023 and was her first experience of doing so there. The footage shows her entering the water in the fissure and snorkeling through crystal-clear blue waters.

The water temperatures in Silfra are around 35 to 39 degrees Fahrenheit year-round, she said, noting "It was absolutely freezing not only in the water but also outside of it." Michaud wore a dry suit, which helped while she was in the water, but her face "pretty much went numb instantly," she said.

The California resident said that the first thing she noticed upon going under was "how clear the water was." The guides "encouraged us to take our masks off and drink the water, which I did. It was some of the best water I've ever had," she recalled.

Michaud also noted that the color of the water was "stunning," appearing like "water you'd see in the Caribbean except you're freezing in the middle of Iceland, which was just wild."

The rock formations were also incredible, she added. "The crux between the tectonic plates are actually constantly undergoing large and small changes, which could be scary to some people, but I thought it was just so cool that I was able to experience it up close."

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