Saltstraumen · Norway · Channel & pass · Kelp forest
Tunnelen
Swim straight into a giant tidal pothole
Area photo: Ryan Hodnett · CC BY-SA 4.0
Tunnelen is one of the best-known dive sites in the Saltstraumen strait near Bodø, a giant pothole that divers swim straight into. It is dived from a boat that collects divers at the bridge, timed to the tide table, and the descent runs between large kelp blades with the current felt in the first few metres.
Also known as The Tunnel, Tunellen.
Where it is and how deep
67.2332° N, 14.6110° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The descent runs between large waving kelp blades. The current is clearly felt in the first few metres, then eases off a little further down. The dive swims straight into the pothole, a giant bowl that lies at 25-30 m.
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 | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Off-season |
Season follows Saltstraumen: The current itself runs year-round on the tide, but winter brings harsher weather and fewer daylight slack-water windows, so ratings favor the more reliable months.
Dive videos
Diving in Saltstraumen from Kvitberget to the tunnel. Dykking Saltstraumen Kvitberget tunellen · Geir Helland on YouTube
Diving the Salstraumen Tunnel in Norway / Dykking i Tunnelen, Saltstraumen · Nina Åxman on YouTube
Sources
Similar dives elsewhere
Channel & pass
Velikaya Salma Strait
White Sea · Russia
Sponge and hydroid gardens fed by a strong tidal flow
The peninsula's largest gentoo colony, 6,500 pairs
Chinstrap colony and seal haul-outs in McFarlane Strait
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Dahlia anemones in their hundreds, reached on a short slack-water window