ANNA-GRETHE - North Sea Coast

The Anna-Grethe is a proper North Sea wreck, and we reckon it’s one of the more atmospheric dives off the Danish coast. Lying upright at 33 metres, she’s a fishing vessel that went down in 1979, and the years have given her a beautiful, encrusted character. We love how the deck and superstructure are draped in a thick carpet of plumose anemones, their feathery tentacles swaying in the gentle surge. It creates this living, breathing layer over the steel. You’ll spend most of your bottom time exploring the wheelhouse and fish hold, often finding cod and conger eels peeking out from the darker recesses. Visibility here can be a bit variable, but on a good day, when the sun penetrates that far down, the light reflecting off the anemones is genuinely striking. It’s a dive that suits experienced wreck divers who appreciate the history and the quiet beauty of a wreck reclaimed by the sea. Our best tip? Go on a slack tide, if you can time it right, to really take in the details.

Location
North Sea Coast, Denmark, Mediterranean & Europe
Coordinates
56.257668, 7.415333
Type
wreck
Maximum Depth
33m

Wreck History - ANNA-GRETHE

Year Sunk
1979
Vessel Type
fishing vessel
Cause
storm
Tonnage
49 GRT

The ANNA-GRETHE was a classic Danish fishing cutter, a workhorse of the North Sea fleet. For years, she plied the often-treacherous waters off the coast of Jutland, returning to port with her holds full of fish. Her career came to an abrupt end on a stormy night in February 1979 when she was overwhelmed by heavy seas, capsizing and sinking quickly. Such events were an unfortunate reality for the fishing communities of the era, a stark reminder of the power of the North Sea.

Today, the ANNA-GRETHE rests at a depth of 33 meters. As a designated 'Dangerous Wreck', she poses a potential hazard to navigation, but for prepared divers, she offers a compelling look into the past. The wreck is often draped in lost fishing nets, which create a significant entanglement risk, demanding careful dive planning and a sharp knife. In the typically limited visibility of the North Sea, her ghostly shape emerges from the green gloom, now an artificial reef teeming with life. Large cod have made her their home, and conger eels peer out from pipes and crevices, making this a challenging but rewarding dive for experienced North Sea wreck explorers.

Marine Protected Area: Sandbanker ud for Thorsminde

Best Time to Dive in North Sea Coast

The warmest water temperatures in North Sea Coast occur in January, averaging 4.6°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 4.6°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

  • January: 4.6°C (air: 3.3°C)
  • February: 4.6°C (air: 3.6°C)
  • March: 4.6°C (air: 4.1°C)
  • April: 4.6°C (air: 6.7°C)
  • May: 4.6°C (air: 11.2°C)
  • June: 4.6°C (air: 15.4°C)
  • July: 4.6°C (air: 16.2°C)
  • August: 4.6°C (air: 16.7°C)
  • September: 4.6°C (air: 14.7°C)
  • October: 4.6°C (air: 10.8°C)
  • November: 4.6°C (air: 6.9°C)
  • December: 4.6°C (air: 3.3°C)

Nearby Dive Sites in North Sea Coast

Nearest Dive Centres to ANNA-GRETHE

Marine Life in North Sea Coast

Home to 105 recorded species including 55 reef fish, 9 crabs & lobsters, 8 other, 7 clams & mussels, 6 sea snails & nudibranchs, 5 seagrass & algae.

Notable Species

Recommended Packing List for ANNA-GRETHE

Based on average water temperature of 4.6°C.

  • Drysuit - water at 5°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