BADEANSTALT - Bornholm

Badeanstalt isn't deep, but it’s packed with character. This isn’t about big fish or colourful corals; it’s about history, texture, and a surprisingly engaging dive. We love that it’s essentially an old public bathhouse, sunk in '57 and now spread across a couple of meters of seabed. You'll spend your dive poking around twisted metal frames, broken concrete slabs, and a jumble of pipes. It’s a fantastic site for photographers looking for interesting light and abstract compositions. The wreck is home to schools of small fish, often huddling in the shadows, and you’ll find crabs scuttling over the rust-stained surfaces. It's a shallow, easy dive, perfect for an hour of exploration. We’d suggest a calm day to really appreciate the visibility and the way the light filters through the structure.

Location
Bornholm, Denmark, Mediterranean & Europe
Coordinates
55.705784, 12.613818
Type
wreck
Maximum Depth
2m

Wreck History - BADEANSTALT

Year Sunk
1957
Vessel Type
unknown
Cause
unknown

The wreck known as the 'Badeanstalt' is one of the more unusual and mysterious sites off the Danish island of Bornholm. The name is German for 'Bathing Establishment,' which has led to speculation that this may not have been a ship at all, but rather a floating swimming facility or pier that was wrecked in a storm in 1957. Lying in a mere 2 metres of water, it's barely submerged. The site is classified as a dangerous wreck, indicating that what remains is broken, sharp, and potentially unstable. For divers and snorkelers, it presents an intriguing puzzle-a shallow field of debris that hints at a unique piece of lost coastal history.

Marine Protected Area: W

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 BADEANSTALT

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 BADEANSTALT

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