Fantastic diving in Norway
The Norwegian coast has so much to offer. Whether it’s wreck-diving or investigating marine life, there are plenty of outstanding dives waiting for you in the Norwegian fjords and archipelago.
Norway is best known for its amazing nature—the shining fjords, the rugged mountains and enchanting waterfalls—but there is just as much spectacular scenery under the water. The country’s leading diving centre, Gulen Dive Resort, is just two hours’ drive north of Bergen, where visitors from all over the world come for the wide range of amazing diving and water sports opportunities. Further south, the Sørland coast also offers a wealth of unique sea diving beneath the fjord.
Photo: Johan Wildhagen – Visitnorway.com
First-class wreck-diving
Gulen Dive Resort is situated on the south side of Sognefjord, Norway’s most beautiful fjord. The area was of strategic significance during the Second World War and many fateful incidents were played out here, leaving their mark under the tides. There are over 25 wrecks in the area, offering unique, first-class diving opportunities.
For example, why not dive to the wreck of the German freighter Frankenwald, voted Norway’s best dive in 2009. The Frankenwald sank in Sognefjord in 1940 and more than 90 per cent of the ship is still available to explore in the water with the mast still visible. At a height of 44 metres and 122 metres in length, a dive to this mammoth is an experience that will fire up the pulses of even the most experienced divers!
Photo: Casper Tybjerg – Visitnorway.com
In addition to the Frankenwald, there are also many other Norwegian and German freighters, passenger ships, lifeboats and much, much more. If you want to spend your holiday on an epic string of rusty dives, Gulen Dive Resort offers a wreck safari, where you can share your experiences with others and perhaps be inspired for your next adrenalin-filled underwater adventure.
Experience the variety of marine life under the surface
The Gulen area is also a veritable gold mine for divers interested in marine life. This is one of the most popular dives, where you will experience an incredible array of marine fauna and flora, including 73 species of nudibranch, a wide variety of gobies, clingfish and other unusual marine creatures. You may also catch sight of many larger predatory fish, as well as a cornucopia of shellfish, from microscopic plankton to large lobsters and king crabs; not forgetting spiny creatures such as the sea urchin, the starfish, sea cucumbers and beautiful crinoids, or sea lilies. And don’t forget your underwater camera — there’s just so much unique aquatic life to photograph.
Sørland — exciting wartime history and beautiful sub-aquatic fauna
Further south, the Sørland coast in southern Norway offers many fascinating diving opportunities. Just off Kristiansand, you can dive around a multitude of wrecks from the Second World War, of which the most interesting is undoubtedly the 140-metre-long freighter, MS Seattle, although there are many other intriguing wrecks, including aeroplanes and freighters of various lengths.
If you’re more interested in marine-life diving, you’ll love this stretch of the coast. The area offers fantastic opportunities to observe fascinating undersea flora and fauna. Explore the seaweed forests and steep cliffs from beneath the sea. The waters along the Norwegian coast are often crystal clear and perfect for underwater photography, so you’re guaranteed to return home with albums full of undersea adventures and memories after a trip beneath the Norwegian waves.