The Strýtan Day Tour

The Strýtan Day Tay Tour is our most popular tour. It contains two dives to two different divesites, both hydrothermal chimneys, Arnarnesstrýtan and Strýtan. This tour is made for experienced divers that want to dive something unique and wonderful. 

We always start our days with a little tour around the divecenter and our Strýtan Exhibition to explain to you what you’re going to dive down to. Then it’ll be time to get ready and start diving. The first divesite, Arnarnesstrýtan, is only 5 min boat ride away on our zodiac. There you can visit our friends, the wolfish and the cod and experience vast underwater life, you can also take of your glove and feel the heat from the 80°C water coming from the chimney every second. After the first dive we rest a bit in the divecenter, switch tanks and maybe take some very urgent toilet break. The next dive is Strýtan, only 10 minutes by zodiac. We can almost promise that Strýtan will blow your mind. It’s so extraordinary and unique, it has been building from the last ice age and stands there tall and alone. You can see where the warm water comes from the chimney and where it’s still building. After the dives you can go and relax in the hot tub and enjoy the beautiful scenery over the fjord.

Even though it’s two dives, both to hydrothermal chimneys, they’re so different.

Arnarnesstrýtur are full of diverse underwater animal life. Everything from small nudibrachs to huge wolfishes, even some humpbacks if you’re very, very lucky. It almost takes two dives just to discover everything in this small area, 30×30 m, one whole dive can go in looking at the bigger things, like the fish and the chimney itself. Another dive can simply go in discovering the smaller creatures living in the deep and in every crak and crevice. We always find something new and exciting when we go there. It never looks the same. It also has vast seasonal changes and you can see some spieces come and go for the season and the fauna does the same.

Strýtan is so unique and extraordinary. It stands alone at 65 m, in the middle of the fjord, and rises up to 15 m. It has been building for the last 11.000 years or since the last ice age. Some scientists believe that a hydrothermal vent on a small depth like this is the beginning of all life on earth. It’s like a rock giant but unfortunately very vulnerable and can break easily. That’s why this area, as well as Arnarnesstrýtan, are protected and Strýtan Divecenter is its offical protector.

Ratio

Our usual guide to diver ratio is 1:4 unless anything else is requested, for example if there are bigger groups of very qualified divers.

The ratio drops down to 1:2 if divers only fulfill the minimum requirements to ensure safety and that everyone have the attention that they need.

Duration and Time

The tour itself is around 6 – 8 hours but you’re more than welcome to stay longer and enjoy the small fishing village of Hjalteyri and the scenery from our hot tub.

In the winter time we dive according to the daylight and weather.

Weather and Conditions

It’s said that Icelandic weather changes every 5 minutes, that’s maybe not the exact case but it can change quite rapidly and the same goes with water conditions. Be aware that we can change our tours on a short notice to ensure your safety and so you have the best experience as possible.

It’s good to bring clothes for every condition, the weather can be great in front of our divecenter, almost boiling, or it can be windy and quite cold.

Note

•   The chimneys are incredibly delicate and challenging divesites so if we feel that our divers are not qualified to dive the second dive to Strýtan we’ll tell you so and suggest another divesite.
•   If you’re less experienced you might want to check out Orientation Dive and Arnarnesstrýtan.