BALTIC

The Baltic was a Danish sailing vessel, a three-masted schooner that represented an older age of seafaring even as the world plunged into modern warfare. These graceful ships were still a common sight in the early 20th century, carrying smaller cargoes between regional ports. The Baltic was one such vessel, going about its business in the busy shipping lanes of the sea that shared its name.

On October 2, 1939, just one month into World War II, the Baltic met its fate in The Sound, the strait separating Denmark and Sweden. While underway, it struck a naval mine, one of the many thousands laid by both Allied and Axis forces to disrupt enemy shipping. The explosion was catastrophic, sinking the wooden-hulled schooner and making it one of the war's early maritime casualties in the region.

Resting at a comfortable recreational depth of 24 meters near the island of Bornholm, the wreck of the Baltic is a fascinating dive into history. While the wooden structure has deteriorated over the decades, the general shape of the sailing vessel is still discernible. It offers a poignant contrast to the many steel freighters and warships that litter the seabed, reminding divers of a bygone era of sail and the indiscriminate nature of naval mines.