Lake Vättern is dived from Jönköping, from Hjo on the west shore and from rocky shore sites around Ödeshög. The water is cold and the visibility generally very good. Most dives run from 3 m to about 20 m, and the draw is the wrecks: the brick freighter TageTure and the potato boat Matilda lie at 31 to 32 m on either side of Hjo, and Elsa af Lidingö sits at 21 m off Fjuk.
About diving in Lake Vättern
Diving on Vättern splits between boat trips and shore entries. The Hjo club runs boat trips to the wrecks just south and just north of the town, while the sites around Ödeshög have shore entries, some with only two places to get in and out. Vättern is known for sudden changes in the weather, so the forecast decides the day, especially for the boat. The exposed shore sites are avoided in a heavy sea, and in busy spots a dive flag goes up and divers ascend close to the cliffs because of boat traffic.
The wrecks are of two kinds: cargo boats that went down, such as TageTure, known to divers as Hajen, and Matilda off Hjo, and boats sunk on purpose, such as Smaragden, one of two wrecks scuttled in southern Vättern. Off Karlsborg in the north, Byälven, Tysken and Kung Ring lie within 20 m. The shore sites around Ödeshög drop to 25 and 40 m, and at Stora Lund a small plateau at 3 to 5 m gives way to a steep slope down to a second plateau at 13 to 18 m. Schools of small fish and crayfish share the bottom with perch, burbot, pike and, at best, salmon.
Vättern suits drysuit divers who want wrecks in fresh water and do not mind the cold: a drysuit is almost always a must, even in midsummer. The shore sites around Ödeshög suit all certification and experience levels, though the southern part of Stora Lund, entered from the cliffs, asks for a little more experience. Smaragden at 14 m makes a good first wreck dive, while the Hjo wrecks at 31 to 32 m call for divers comfortable at that depth in cold water. Anyone looking for warm water should look elsewhere.
Best time to dive Lake Vättern
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair |
December to February: winter, when training is in an indoor pool and the lake is at its coldest, with February averaging about 2 °C off Jönköping. March and April: spring courses return to the lake while the water is still near 3 to 5 °C. May to September: courses run in the lake, though June and July readings at 5 m can swing between 11 and 24 °C. August is the warmest month at about 17 °C. October: autumn courses carry on in the lake before the move indoors in November.
Best months: March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October
Dive types & marine life
Schools of small fish and crayfish are the usual company at the shore sites, with a chance of perch and burbot. Pike turn up at Öningen, and salmon are a lucky sighting there rather than a reliable one.
- Freshwater
- Wreck
- Freshwater fish
Best dive sites in Lake Vättern
- 1
TageTure (Hajen)
Two-masted brick freighter at 31 m just south of Hjo, reached by boat.
- 2
Matilda
Potato boat that sank with her cargo to 32 m just north of Hjo.
- 3
Öningen
Shore site near Ödeshög falling to 40 m past large vertical cliff walls and ravines.
- 4
Elsa af Lidingö
Wreck at 21 m in the waters around the island of Fjuk.
- 5
Smaragden
Wreck about 12 m long at 14 m, scuttled in 2012 in southern Vättern.
- 6
Omberg
Shore dive near Ödeshög reaching 25 m, where the water can at times run with a little current.
Site guides
A loop around a small island straight from a harbour ramp
Wreck
One of four wrecks off Karlsborg, all shallower than 20 m
Vertical walls, a steep southern slope and fallen boulders to the north
Freshwater
Pike, perch and burbot over a rocky plateau off the shore
Artificial reef
A boat scuttled in 2012, five minutes out from Jönköping harbour
Wreck
Two-masted brick freighter known to divers as Hajen
How to get to Lake Vättern
Jönköping has a local airport with connections to Stockholm, Visby and Frankfurt; the closest major airport is Gothenburg Landvetter, about 120 km west. Dive centres are in Jönköping and Hjo, and the shore sites at Omberg and Öningen lie near Ödeshög.
Dive videos
Episode 19: Lake Vättern, Sweden · Baltic Circle Diving on YouTube
Lake Vättern Wrecks · Baltic Circle Diving on YouTube
Questions divers ask
Is a drysuit needed to dive Lake Vättern?+
Almost always, even in midsummer. The water averages about 2 °C in February and only about 17 °C in August, and summer readings at 5 m have dropped as low as 11 °C.
How do divers reach the wrecks off Hjo?+
By boat from Hjo. One dive is made on Hajen or Matilda, then the boat returns to Hjo harbour, where divers can refill air and have lunch during the surface interval.
When can divers train in the lake?+
In spring, summer and autumn. From November courses and training move to an indoor pool, so winter is not the time for a lake course.
How is Lake Vättern reached?+
Jönköping has a local airport with flights to Stockholm and Frankfurt, and Gothenburg Landvetter is about 120 km to the west.
Sources
- Lokala dykplatser — Atlantis Dive College
- Utfärder — Hjo Dykarklubb
- Om oss — Ahlins Gasmix
- Bästa dykningen runt Vättern — Naturkartan
- Rekord i Vättern — SVT
- Jönköping — Wikivoyage
- Vättern Wassertemperatur — wassertemperatur.org
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