Faroe Islands · Faroe Islands · Reef
The Rocking Stones in Oyndarfjørður
An overhang on a boulder you can hear moving
Photo: Erik Christensen, Porkeri (Contact at the Danish Wikipedia) · CC BY-SA 3.0
The Rocking Stones are two boulders in the shallows below Oyndarfjørður, one of which still moves while the other sits wedged in place by two stone blocks. Visit Faroe Islands gives a maximum depth of 8 metres and visibility of at least 5 metres, and the dive is simply a matter of swimming around both stones and getting under the overhang on the larger one.
Also known as Rinkusteinar, Oyndarfjørður.
Where it is and how deep
62.2724° N, 6.8537° WPublished position for this site.
The dive
The path down to the stones is signed from the road just before you arrive in Oyndarfjørður, and from there you have a choice: enter at the stones, or swim out to them from the village harbour. Either way the dive is short and shallow. The water here is no more than 8 metres deep and visibility is a minimum of 5 metres, so the two boulders are the whole of the site rather than one stop on a longer route.
Swim around both stones. One of the pair is wedged into position by two stone blocks and sits still; the other still moves, and the large overhang on it is where the dive comes together — from underneath you can hear and see the rock working. It is worth circling the pair more than once at this depth, since there is no reason to rush the ascent. Kit can be rinsed at the harbour afterwards.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Off-season | Off-season |
Season follows Faroe Islands: May–Sep is the practical season; North Atlantic weather closes the islands for days at a time even in midsummer.
Know before you go
- Diving becomes much more difficult during swells, and it is not recommended in unsettled weather. Check the forecast rather than driving out on spec.
Photos from The Rocking Stones in Oyndarfjørður
Erik Christensen, Porkeri (Contact at the Danish Wikipedia) · CC BY-SA 3.0
Erik Christensen, Porkeri (Contact at the Danish Wikipedia) · CC BY-SA 3.0
Questions divers ask
How deep are the Rocking Stones?+
Visit Faroe Islands gives a maximum depth of 8 metres, with visibility of at least 5 metres. It is a shallow shore dive rather than a depth dive.
How do you get to the Rocking Stones?+
A signed path leaves the road just before Oyndarfjørður and drops down to the stones. You can enter there or swim out to them from the village harbour, which is also where kit can be rinsed.
Sources
- The Rocking Stones in Oyndarfjørður — Visit Faroe Islands
- Diving in the Faroe Islands — Visit Faroe Islands
Photo credits
- A large seaweed-covered boulder held by rope markers in the shallows at Oyndarfjørður by Erik Christensen, Porkeri (Contact at the Danish Wikipedia), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Blue trailhead sign reading 'RINKUSTEINAR (Rocking-Stones)' beside the road into Oyndarfjørður by Erik Christensen, Porkeri (Contact at the Danish Wikipedia), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Houses at Oyndarfjørður clustered along a rocky, tide-washed shoreline by Erik Christensen, Porkeri (Contact at the Danish Wikipedia), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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