Reefwander
Reefwander
Full calendar

Destinations at their peak each month

  1. Jan167
  2. Feb183
  3. Mar192
  4. Apr216
  5. May186
  6. Jun272
  7. Jul307
  8. Aug313
  9. Sep296
  10. Oct180
  11. Nov119
  12. Dec145

Americas

Europe, Africa & Middle East

Indo-Pacific

Kristiansund & the Atlantic Ocean Road · Norway · Wall

Skardhammeren

A vertical wall that drops to 180 m

Skardhammeren is a sheer drop-off on the Atlantic Ocean Road coast, a vertical wall that falls far past recreational range. The dive is kept to the upper part of the face and calls for divers with real drop-off experience, rewarded by clear water once below the surface layer.

Also known as Skardhammaren.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Skardhammeren: typical dive to 39 m (to 128 ft), deepest point 180 m (591 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit39 m180 m maxtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 210 m (689 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

No published position for this site — the map shows Kristiansund & the Atlantic Ocean Road and its other sites; operators know the mooring.

The dive

The dive on Skardhammeren follows a vertical wall from the surface down to a recommended limit of 39 m, while the rock itself carries on to 180 m. A five-metre plateau of white sand at 30 m gives a place to stabilize. The top 10 m often carries a moderate current; once below it, the visibility is usually very good. Sponges, Medusa starfish, crabs, lobsters, cod and coalfish live on the wall.

Marine life and season

The sources we used don't single out particular species here.

Month-by-month season rating for Skardhammeren
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
GoodGoodGoodGoodGoodPrimePrimePrimePrimeGoodGoodGood

Season follows Kristiansund & the Atlantic Ocean Road: The Atlantic Ocean Road centre runs from early June to late September; the Kristiansund club boat goes out every Sunday all year.

Know before you go

  • The wall continues to 180 m, far below the 39 m limit of the dive.

Sources

  1. Skardhammeren - Strømsholmen Seasportcenter — Strømsholmen Sjøsportsenter

More dive sites in Kristiansund & the Atlantic Ocean Road

Reef

Fogna

Kelp-edged rock gullies where seals share the water

15–25 mintermediate

Kelp forest

Føllingen

A kelp-roofed rock corridor

4–13 mbeginner

Wall

Hottane

Clear water under the salinity layer

5–36 madvanced

Wall

Tevikholmen

Island rock, a sand shelf, then a steep plunge

to 39 m · max 70 madvanced

Drift

Vevangstrømmen

A tide-driven ride through a narrow pass

15–18 madvanced

Similar dives elsewhere

Wall

Gabriola Bluffs

Nanaimo & Gabriola Island · Canada

A sheer anemone-covered face that drops away straight off the boat

18–36 madvanced

Wall

Kittiwake Rookery

Whittier & Prince William Sound · United States

A wall beneath a kittiwake colony, 5–10 minutes by small boat

to 40 madvanced

Wall

Kongebrogaarden

Lillebælt & Middelfart · Denmark

The shortest swim from shore to 40 m anywhere in Lillebælt

to 40 madvanced

Wall

Lime Kiln Point

San Juan Islands · United States

Bull kelp over a cliff that rolls down to nearly 37 m (120 ft)

8–37 madvanced