The Old Lillebælt Bridge, built between 1925 and 1935, crosses the Little Belt beside Middelfart on granite piers. The piers are overgrown with marine life and shelter large cod, and divers reach them from the shore or by boat for a structure dive in a tidal strait.
Also known as Old Little Belt Bridge, Gamle Lillebæltsbro.
Where it is and how deep
55.5183° N, 9.7104° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
Shore divers enter beneath the bridge and take a compass bearing towards the western corner of the pier, over a rolling seabed of eelgrass meadows and sugar kelp slopes. Further out the growth thins and large rocks overgrown with breadcrumb sponge turn orange in a lamp, with cod behind some of them.
At 20 m lie the remains of the Second World War mine countermeasure devices placed on both sides of the piers. The piers themselves are overgrown with marine life, with large cod among it, and the eastern corner of the pier reaches 18 m. The other piers go to about 30 m, but those dives must be made from a boat.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good |
Season follows Lillebælt & Middelfart: May to September is the best season for diving the bridge piers.
Know before you go
- A compass reacts to the iron in the bridge construction, so its readings near the piers are unreliable.
- The tide can be strong in the Belt, though it is not often strong close to the coastline.
Dive videos
Den Gamle Lillebæltsbro · Martin's Underwater Videos on YouTube
Sources
- Old Lillebælt Bridge — VisitDenmark
- Diving and snorkelling | VisitFredericia — VisitFredericia
Photo credits
- Low view from the water of a steel truss bridge resting on tall brick-clad piers in dark blue water, with houses on the far shore. by Staunited, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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