Dive with

Best places to dive with Troll Hair Algae

Filamentous freshwater algae (unidentified; locally 'trollahár')

The bright green filamentous algae that grows along Silfra's lava rock and is the most visible living thing in the fissure. Icelandic operators call it trollahár — troll hair. It is the reason the Lagoon reads green rather than grey, and it is the closest Silfra comes to a biology draw.

Destinations ranked by how reliably troll hair algae is seen. The bars show the likelihood by month — never a guarantee. See the full species page for more.

Silfra, Iceland
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
Februarycommonly seen
Marchcommonly seen
Aprilcommonly seen
Maycommonly seen
Junecommonly seen
Julycommonly seen
Augustcommonly seen
Septembercommonly seen
Octobercommonly seen
Novembercommonly seen
Decembercommonly seen

Present year-round throughout the fissure; no seasonal peak. Most obvious in the shallow Lagoon where light reaches.