AURORA - Bornholm

Diving in the Baltic often conjures images of dark, cold water, but Aurora offers a fantastic reminder of the wreck diving possibilities up north. This schooner sits at a very manageable 20 meters, making it accessible to most certified divers, and it’s a brilliant introduction to European wreck diving if you're keen to move beyond tropical reefs. The ship itself is beautifully preserved, especially the bow, where the anchor chain still drapes over the side. We love how the light filters through the structure on a sunny day, illuminating the interior spaces you can peek into. The main deck offers plenty to explore; you’ll find sections of mast lying across the hull, now home to clouds of small blennies and the occasional scuttling crab. It’s a wonderfully atmospheric dive, a real journey back in time, and we'd suggest going on a day with good surface visibility to really appreciate the ship's scale.

Location
Bornholm, Denmark, Mediterranean & Europe
Coordinates
55.303917, 14.740000
Type
wreck
Maximum Depth
20m

Wreck History - AURORA

Vessel Type
schooner
Cause
unknown

Resting in the cold, clear waters of the Baltic Sea off the island of Bornholm, the wreck known as the Aurora is a site shrouded in mystery. Little is known about the history of this schooner or the circumstances that led to its sinking. Its final resting place is at a depth of 20 meters, making it an accessible and intriguing dive for certified recreational divers.

The wreck is officially classified as a 'dangerous wreck,' which typically means it is significantly broken up and could pose a hazard to navigation. For divers, this translates to a scattered and complex site to explore. You can expect to find timbers, hull sections, and other remnants of the vessel spread across the seabed, now colonized by the marine life of the Baltic. The lack of a known history adds a layer of poignant discovery to any dive here, as every piece of wreckage tells a small part of its forgotten story.

Marine Protected Area: Davids Banke

Best Time to Dive in Bornholm

The warmest water temperatures in Bornholm occur in January, averaging 3.3°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 3.3°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

  • January: 3.3°C (air: 3.1°C)
  • February: 3.3°C (air: 3.2°C)
  • March: 3.3°C (air: 3.9°C)
  • April: 3.3°C (air: 6.0°C)
  • May: 3.3°C (air: 10.9°C)
  • June: 3.3°C (air: 16.1°C)
  • July: 3.3°C (air: 17.4°C)
  • August: 3.3°C (air: 18.0°C)
  • September: 3.3°C (air: 15.7°C)
  • October: 3.3°C (air: 11.5°C)
  • November: 3.3°C (air: 7.1°C)
  • December: 3.3°C (air: 3.5°C)

Nearby Dive Sites in Bornholm

Nearest Dive Centres to AURORA

Marine Life in Bornholm

Home to 67 recorded species including 43 reef fish, 7 clams & mussels, 5 sea snails & nudibranchs, 4 crabs & lobsters, 2 starfish, 2 other.

Notable Species

Recommended Packing List for AURORA

Based on average water temperature of 3.3°C.

  • Drysuit - water at 3°C demands a drysuit with thermal undergarments
  • Hood & Gloves (7mm+) - critical to prevent heat loss
  • Mask - essential for every dive
  • Fins
  • BCD - buoyancy compensator
  • Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
  • Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
  • Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
  • Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
  • Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories