Iceland: Jokulsarlon Lagoon
From the October, 2008 issue of Scuba Diving Magazine. Dive Log: Secret spots & must-see dive classics.
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From its steaming hot springs and geothermal lagoons to frigid glacial lakes like this one--with stunning views of snow-capped peaks in all directions--Iceland defines the word "extreme." Iceland's best known and largest glacial lake, Jokulsarlon (pronounced "YOKEYULES-our-loan"), is at the south end of a glacier near Skaftafell National Park. A number of major films have been shot here, including Beowulf, Tomb Raider, Batman Begins and the James Bond spy film Die Another Day.
Getting to this remote location, where we later dived in near-freezing water, took an extreme effort. We piled out of the car on the side of the country's scenic Ring Road--in full cold-water dive gear, including steel tanks and 35-pound weight belts--then hiked 10 to 15 minutes and a few hundred yards uphill. But capturing the lake, icebergs and mountains in one frame was worth it.
"We thought we had the whole place to ourselves, but then we saw a college-age couple there backpacking. When they saw us in all our gear, they had this bewildered look on their faces, as if to ask, 'What sort of insane thing are you guys about to do?'"
| This body of water is one of the country's most breathtaking sights, with chunks of ice routinely breaking off the nearby glacier, Vatnajökull, into a lake some 300 feet deep. The James Bond spy movies Die Another Day and A View to a Kill were filmed here. The big draw of Icelandic diving is the thrill of diving between continents, between two tectonic plates. Dive in a drysuit, as water temperatures are in the 30s. Before you book your trip, though, know that your window of opportunity is limited. Harsh Arctic weather and months of darkness restrict transportation here from the capital city, Reykjavik. Icelandair, the country's flagship carrier, offers nonstops to Reykjavik (KEF) from these North American cities: Boston, Minneapolis, New York (JFK), Orlando, Toronto and Halifax. The summer months are peak season, and round-trip airfares from U.S. cities range from $1,000 to $1,200. For combination diving and topside packages spanning a weekend to one week, visit divinginiceland.com. |
