Cold Water · Denmark
Øresund & Isefjord
An upright trawler wreck and the most visited wreck in the Øresund
The Øresund is the strait between Denmark and Sweden, right beside Copenhagen, and its green water hides wrecks. Boats run out to Vapper, a trawler standing upright on sand, to the Anemone Wreck and to the barge Hven Prammen, while Amager Strandpark gives a shore dive close to the city. When wind keeps the boats in, the Munkholm Bridge across the Isefjord in northwestern Zealand offers a shallow macro dive from the beach.
About diving in Øresund & Isefjord
Diving here splits between boat days on the open Øresund and shore dives a short drive away on Zealand. The wrecks are reached by boat, and wind or current can stop the boats from getting out; when that happens divers switch to a beach or fjord out of the wind the same day rather than lose it. At the Munkholm Bridge the dive starts at the beach, where a group can help one another kit up in peace, and on the Swedish shore Ön in Limhamn is dived from land.
Wrecks stand on sand in green water. Vapper's wheelhouse lies at about 10 m and its propeller stands free of the sand at 24 m, and large parts of the hull carry a layer of mussels. On the Munkholm Bridge pylons in the Isefjord, thousands of sea urchins, plumose and dahlia anemones grow, while crabs, viviparous eelpout and cuttlefish move along the bottom.
The Øresund suits divers who are comfortable in cold water and happy with visibility around 10 m on a fair day. Divers who want a shallower, easier dive do better at the Munkholm Bridge, where any current pushing into the Isefjord is rarely more than a couple of fin kicks can handle, than on the deeper boat wrecks.
Best time to dive Øresund & Isefjord
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Good | Good |
Spring gives the best chance of good visibility on the Anemone Wreck, and with luck very good visibility around Easter. From June to August a club on the Swedish shore runs a shore dive at Ön in Limhamn every Sunday when the weather allows. September and October bring relatively decent visibility, wind and weather out on Vapper.
Dive types & marine life
Shrimp live in the holes of the Munkholm Bridge pylons in such numbers in autumn and winter that they look like an anthill. Cod regularly hide in and around the collision hole of the Anemone Wreck.
- Wreck
- Muck & macro
- Octopus & cuttlefish
- Macro critters
Best dive sites in Øresund & Isefjord
- 1
Vapper
Former fishing trawler upright on sand, its top at 6 m and the seabed at 25 m; big enough for two dives in a day.
- 2
Anemone Wreck
Concrete barge with a collision hole in its side, and one of the most visited wrecks in the Øresund.
- 3
Hven Prammen
Barge wreck from about 20 m; the current often eases by 15 m on the descent.
- 4
Munkholm Bridge
Shallow shore dive along the bridge pylons across the Isefjord, crowded with anemones, urchins and shrimp.
- 5
Amager Strandpark
Shore dive beside Copenhagen through underwater landscapes laid out over about 200 m.
- 6
Ön
Shore site in Limhamn on the Swedish side; dive leaders help divers who are new to it or lack a buddy.
- 7
Ablahamn
Wall dive in Sweden's Kullen nature reserve, run as a full-day trip.
Site guides
Havheksen, an underwater course laid out for divers beside Copenhagen
Wall dives at Ablahamn and odd rock formations at Ransvik
Bridge piers crowded with sea urchins, plumose and dahlia anemones
Wreck
A fish factory trawler standing upright on the sand with an open wheelhouse
Artificial reef
A stone reef built in 2016 that stays sheltered on windy days
How to get to Øresund & Isefjord
Copenhagen Airport (CPH) is 12 minutes by train from Copenhagen Central Station. Amager Strandpark lies close to the city, the Munkholm Bridge crosses the Isefjord in northwestern Zealand, and a dive centre in Limhamn serves the Swedish shore.
Questions divers ask
Do divers need wreck training to dive Vapper?+
No. Most certified divers can dive it, and the wheelhouse, at about 10 m with its hatches and doors removed, can be entered without penetration certification. The wreck is large, so two dives on the same day show it best.
What happens if the wind stops the boats?+
Wind or current can keep boats off the Øresund. Divers then move to a shore site such as the Munkholm Bridge in the Isefjord, where the dive starts from the beach and the current is rarely more than a couple of fin kicks can handle.
Is there shore diving in Copenhagen itself?+
Yes. Amager Strandpark has a row of underwater landscapes and fixed points laid out over about 200 m at 3.5 to 4 m depth, close to the city.
Can divers dive the Swedish side of the Øresund?+
Yes. Ön in Limhamn, 2 km or 10 minutes by car from the dive centre there, is dived from land, and a club runs a dive there every Sunday from June to August when the weather allows.
Sources
- Denmark: Øresund & Isefjord — X-Ray Mag
- Amager Strandpark dykkertur — Dykkeroplevelser.dk
- Kullen heldags dykkertur — Dykkeroplevelser.dk
- Utfärder — Aquatica Dykcenter
- Copenhagen Average Sea Temperatures — SeaTemperature.org
- Copenhagen — Wikivoyage
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