The Torpedoversuchsanstalt is the ruin of a wartime torpedo test station standing as an island in the northern Tollensesee. Under the water its foundation and the remains of the old building above it form a tangle of pipework and machinery, and it is the best-known dive in the lake.
Also known as TVA, Torpedo Test Facility, Torpedoversuchsanstalt.
Where it is and how deep
53.5420° N, 13.2487° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The foundation and the remains of the former above-water building run from the surface down to about 15 m. Among them lies a jungle of pipework, steam-heating plant, gate valves, water boilers and other technical fittings, and its gaps give shelter to many fish.
Background
The island that carries the Torpedoversuchsanstalt is artificial. Prisoners built it in 1942 to bring down the relatively high failure rate of German torpedoes. What remains of the station now stands in the northern part of the lake, its submerged foundation and building remains reaching down to about 15 m.
Marine life and season
- Freshwater fish
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair |
Season follows Tollensesee & Neubrandenburg: No month stands out: dives run on weekends, summer water reaches 20 to 24 °C, and in winter the deep water falls to about 4 °C.
Know before you go
- The wreckage of the station makes unguided dives here a real danger.
- Munitions still lie in the lake; nothing should be touched.
Dive videos
Torpedoversuchsanstalt Neubrandenburg - Der Dokufilm · Redaktion Taucher.Net on YouTube
Questions divers ask
Can the TVA in the Tollensesee be dived without a club?+
No. Dives at the TVA run only from a boat and need a special permit or the company of the local dive schools and clubs.
Sources
- Tollensesee (mit TVA) - 200bar.de — 200bar.de / Tauchsportservice Potsdam
- Tauchen im Tollensesee — Tauchclub Tollense e.V.
More dive sites in Tollensesee & Neubrandenburg
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Similar dives elsewhere
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