BAJORAI - Bornholm
Bajorai is one of those surprisingly rewarding wrecks, proving that depth isn't everything. Lying just two metres down off Bornholm, this 38-metre fishing vessel, built in 1956, ran aground in '99 and has since become a fantastic spot for a long, shallow dive or even a snorkel. We love how the hull and superstructure break the surface, inviting you in. You'll spend your time here picking through the ribs of the old boat, seeing how the Baltic has slowly reclaimed it. Schools of juvenile cod often hover in the shadow of the remaining bulkheads, and we've spotted plenty of blennies tucked into crevices, watching us with big, curious eyes. The visibility can be surprisingly good on a calm day, letting you really appreciate the scale of the wreck from bow to stern. It’s a photographer's dream in the late afternoon sun, with light shafts cutting through the shallow water and illuminating the rusty metal. Bajorai is perfect for divers who appreciate history and don't mind getting shallow to explore every nook and cranny.
- Location
- Bornholm, Denmark, Mediterranean & Europe
- Coordinates
- 55.065500, 15.138667
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 2m
Wreck History - BAJORAI
- Year Sunk
- 1999
- Vessel Type
- fishing vessel
- Cause
- grounding
The 'BAJORAI' was a 38-meter fishing vessel with a long career, having been built in 1956. For over four decades, it worked the seas until its final voyage in the winter of 1999. On December 6th, it ran aground off the Danish island of Bornholm, ending its service life and creating an unexpected new dive site. The wreck settled in the shallows, battered by the elements until it became a permanent feature of the coastline.
Today, the 'BAJORAI' is an incredibly accessible wreck, resting in a mere 2 meters of water with parts of its hull and superstructure often visible above the waves. This makes it a perfect destination for snorkelers, freedivers, and beginner scuba divers. The shallow depth allows for long, relaxed exploration in abundant natural light, offering fantastic opportunities for underwater photographers to capture the vessel's remains as they are slowly colonized by Baltic Sea marine life.
Marine Protected Area: Listed
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
- 422 - 20m (wreck)
- AAR - 11m (wreck)
- Abille - 5-15m (shore)
- ACAPULCO 5 - 3m (wreck)
- Achterdiek See (reef)
- ADA - 42m (wreck)
- Adlergrund (reef)
- AEGEUS - 55m (wreck)
- AINAN - 7m (wreck)
- ALBERT - 4m (wreck)
- Alexsi Tauchschule
- ALIDA (OR ELIDA) - 18m (wreck)
- ALLEN - 16m (wreck)
- Allinge
- Alter Kahn
Nearest Dive Centres to BAJORAI
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
- Protestant (Clupea harengus) - Reef Fish
- Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) - Reef Fish
- Fluke (Platichthys flesus) - Reef Fish
- whiting (Merlangius merlangus) - Reef Fish
- sprat (Sprattus sprattus) - Reef Fish
- dab (Limanda limanda) - Reef Fish
- Blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) - Clams & Mussels
- Pollock (Trachurus trachurus) - Reef Fish
- bull rout (Myoxocephalus scorpius) - Reef Fish
- Ocean quahog (Arctica islandica) - Clams & Mussels
- eel (Anguilla anguilla) - Reef Fish
- four-bearded rockling (Enchelyopus cimbrius) - Reef Fish
- New Zealand Mudsnail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) - Reef Fish
- Common sea star (Asterias rubens) - Starfish
- lumpsucker (Cyclopterus lumpus) - Reef Fish
- saithe (Pollachius virens) - Reef Fish
- Split (Scomber scombrus) - Reef Fish
- Common cockle (Cerastoderma edule) - Clams & Mussels
- Haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for BAJORAI
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