Stockholm Archipelago & Dalarö · Sweden · Wreck
Bodekull
A cannon still on its wooden carriage aboard a frigate lost in 1678
Bodekull, often called the Dalarö Wreck, is a Swedish frigate built in 1660 on the order of King Charles X Gustav that sank in October 1678. She lies west of Edesön outside Dalarö, and divers come for a 17th-century warship with stoneware jugs around her and a cannon still on its wooden carriage in the stern.
Also known as Dalarövraket, Dalarö wreck, Edesövraket, Gubbvraket.
Where it is and how deep
59.1533° N, 18.4670° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The frigate sits with a 17-degree list to starboard, her stern at 28 m and her bow resting just over 30 m, so the whole dive stays deep. The hull is just under 20 m long over the stems with a continuous deck. Many Bartmann jugs lie on and around it, a cannon still stands on its wooden carriage in the stern, and the objects found on the seabed all lie on the starboard side.
The wreck
- Vessel
- Bodekull
- Type
- Frigate
- Sunk
- 1678
- Cause
- Hit by a sudden squall in rough weather, heeled to starboard and took on water
- Lies
- West of Edesön at 28–30 m with a 17° list to starboard
Bodekull was a frigate built for King Charles X Gustav in Karlshamn, a town then called Bodekull, which gave the ship her name. She went down in October 1678, most likely struck by a sudden squall in rough weather that heeled her to starboard until she filled. The wreck now lies west of Edesön outside Dalarö as part of Dalarö Dive Park, where divers visit it with licensed guides.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime |
Season follows Stockholm Archipelago & Dalarö: Autumn, winter and spring are the best time for the Dalarö wrecks; a drysuit is needed in every season.
Dive videos
Vrakdykning i Dalarö - Bodekull · Vrakdykarpensionatet on YouTube
Bodekull the Dalarö wreck: History and Wreck dive (By Paolo VDL with Orcatorch D630) · Paolo Underwater Dimension on YouTube
Questions divers ask
What certification does the Bodekull wreck need?+
Advanced Open Water for the depth: the stern lies at 28 m and the bow just over 30 m.
Sources
- Dalarö wreck – Wikipedia — Wikipedia
- Dalarövraket – Wikipedia (sv) — Wikipedia
- Bodekull – ScubaGo — ScubaGo
- Dalarö Dive Park – Vrak — Vrak
Photo credits
- A round stoneware jug lies on the sandy seabed beneath dark wooden hull timbers, lit green in murky water by Jens Lindström (Statens maritima museer), CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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