BERTHA
Protected Area
Q
Why dive here
With 66+ marine species recorded in the area - including jellyfish lake - BERTHA offers some of Bornholm's richest wreck diving. Water ranges 3-18°C, warmest July, August, September.
Bertha is one of those wrecks that just screams history. Lying at a comfortable 13 metres, she's a fantastic dive for anyone keen to explore a piece of wartime past without needing technical skills. We love how accessible she is, making it easy to spend a full dive just poking around her structure. You’ll find Bertha fairly broken up, but the bow and stern sections are still distinct. It's not a ship where you'll be penetrating intact cabins, but rather exploring the skeletal remains. What really makes Bertha special for us is the way marine life has claimed her. Schools of cod hang out in the deeper sections of the wreck, often just sitting there, letting you get a good look. We’ve also seen some impressive flatfish camouflaged against the seabed near her hull. Visibility can swing a bit here, so aim for a calm day to really appreciate the details. Our favourite part? The scattered debris field around her. Take your time, sometimes you find the most interesting bits just off the main wreck. She's a poignant reminder of the dangers of wartime shipping, now a thriving artificial reef.
Typical BERTHA Dive Profile
Illustrative profile based on site depth and type. Actual dive profiles vary - always follow your dive computer and training.
Safety Notes
Wreck site - avoid penetration without wreck diving certification. Watch for sharp metal and entanglement hazards.
Cold water this month (avg 14°C). Drysuit or thick wetsuit (7mm+) recommended.
Always perform a 3-minute safety stop at 5m before surfacing.
BERTHA Wreck History
Year Sunk
1941
Vessel Type
cargo ship
Cause
mined
The steamship Bertha is a casualty of the Second World War, a period when the Baltic Sea was a tense and dangerous theater of naval operations. On January 11, 1941, while on a voyage from Hamburg, Germany, to Gothenburg, Sweden, the Bertha met a sudden and violent end. She struck a naval mine laid in the waters between Saltholm Flats and Middelgrund, sinking to the seabed.
Resting at an accessible depth of just 13 meters, the Bertha is a popular site for divers exploring the waters around Bornholm. Its shallow depth allows for long bottom times and excellent light penetration on clear days, making it suitable for both novice and experienced wreck divers. As a designated 'Dangerous Wreck', the structure is broken and scattered, but this creates a fascinating underwater landscape to explore. The twisted metal and remaining sections of the hull have become an artificial reef, providing shelter for the diverse marine life of the Baltic.
Nearest Dive Centres to BERTHA
Dive shops near BERTHA
ScubaGear
Dykkercentret
Kingfish Dive & Travel
Ocean Divers ApS
Aquatica
H2O Diving Lund AB
Reviews for BERTHA
Conditions
Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for BERTHA
BERTHA Ocean Conditions
Monthly averages for BERTHA, sourced from Open-Meteo marine data - nearest station: Open-Meteo marine grid (54.94, 13.85) (7km away)
October Averages
Sea Temperature
14°C
57°F · Range: 11.7–16.3°C
Air Temperature
12°C
53°F
Wind Speed
8.16 m/s
15.9 knots
Atmospheric Pressure
1013.3 hPa
Based on 4 years of monitoring data · Data sources: Open-Meteo marine data
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