Bjarnagjá – A Brackish Fissure Dive Where Fresh Water Meets the Sea
Bjarnagjá is a fissure dive tucked away on the rugged coast of the Reykjanes Peninsula near Grindavík, in the south-west of Iceland. What makes it special is the water itself: a stone’s throw from the Atlantic, the fissure holds brackish water, a mix of fresh water and seawater, so you dive where two very different worlds meet. It is a hidden gem with a bit of wild character, and often our go-to dive when conditions out at sea are not ideal.
The dive
You glide through narrow rock walls with the lava on either side of you. Bjarnagjá is a calm dive, and a stunning one in its own right, not just a fallback for days when the ocean is too rough.
Because fresh water and seawater mix in the fissure, the water varies in temperature and visibility, and no two dives here feel quite the same. That variety is part of the appeal: every visit shows you the site a little differently.
What you will see
Bjarnagjá blends a freshwater and a marine ecosystem in one place, and the life reflects that. Look closely along the walls and the bottom and you will find amphipods and sticklebacks, the occasional crab, and from time to time an ocean fish that has drifted in from the sea.
Much of the life here is small, so take your time and look carefully. The pleasure of Bjarnagjá lies in the detail and in the unusual setting.
Who is it for
Bjarnagjá suits any certified diver with a dry suit certification who is looking for calm conditions and a dive with a bit of character. It is a good choice if you have already done the better-known sites and want something a bit wild and different, and it is the dive we often turn to when the sea is too rough for the ocean sites.
Not dry suit certified yet? Have a look at our diving courses. The dry suit course can be combined with a dive tour.
Good to know
- Location: on the coast of the Reykjanes Peninsula near Grindavík, south-west Iceland
- Type: fissure dive in brackish water between narrow rock walls
- Water: brackish, a mix of fresh water and seawater. Temperature and visibility vary from dive to dive, and every dive is made in a dry suit
- Conditions: calm. Bjarnagjá is often our choice when ocean conditions are not ideal, but as always we choose the day and the site according to the forecast
- Requirements: Open Water certification and a dry suit certification
Tours and pricing
Bjarnagjá is one of the sites on our 2-day Ocean Tour around the Reykjanes Peninsula, and when the sea is too rough for the ocean sites it is often our go-to dive. Single dives at Bjarnagjá and combinations such as Bjarnagjá and Kleifarvatn are arranged on request, so contact us for pricing.
- 2-day Ocean Tour around the Reykjanes Peninsula: 165,000 ISK per person
Discount: bring your own dry suit and receive a 10,000 ISK discount.
Included: all necessary dive equipment, hotel pickup and drop-off, and transportation to and from the dive site. A minimum of two divers is required per tour. Private tours get a separate quote on request. See all our dive tours in Iceland, or browse our other dive sites in Iceland.
Bjarnagjá is also one of the sites on our Reykjanes Dive Explorer, a 3-day dive trip from Reykjavík. See all our adventure dive tours.
Book a dive at Bjarnagjá
If you are interested or have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at icedive@icedive.is. We’d love to dive with you!