A wartime wreck beneath Iceland's creative Eastfjord, accessible to divers only by permit.
Overview
Seydisfjordur combines an artistic Icelandic fjord town with the historic El Grillo oil-tanker wreck, sunk in February 1944. The wreck is an advanced, cold-water scuba objective, not an everyday dive product. Under the 2025 harbour rules, dives require harbourmaster permission and suitable depth qualifications. Icedive advertises individually priced expeditions on request after confirming a permit; DIVE.IS says it is not currently running dives because of oil contamination. A 2026 environmental study provides useful samples but does not clear the site for recreational use. Plan the town, waterfalls, art galleries and guided surface sightseeing as independently worthwhile experiences. Summer offers simpler overland travel and more seasonal excursions, while the El Grillo dive must remain a conditional option until the operator and harbour authority separately approve it.
The 1944 British oil tanker El Grillo is the focal underwater attraction. Its complex depth and approval requirements make this an experienced-diver proposition, not a casual first dive.
Quick shortlist before you jump into the full planning page.
A specialist operator discusses guided, permit-dependent dives on request; a separate established operator says its own trips remain suspended due to contamination. Check Icedive and DIVE.IS.
Seydisfjordur offers the Blue Church, Rainbow Street, Skaftfell art, and nearby Gufufoss, giving non-divers a real itinerary.
Coastal sightseeing by boat is advertised by Trollanes in May to September, but this is not a dive charter.