AUGUST LEONHARDT - North Sea Coast

The *August Leonhardt* sits upright at 31 metres, a solid chunk of history on the North Sea floor. We love this wreck for its sheer size and how much of it remains intact. You drop down, and suddenly this 100-metre long steamship just appears, the visibility often surprisingly good despite the North Sea’s reputation. She went down in 1940, torpedoed by a British submarine, and you can still feel that story as you glide along her decks. We always make a point of heading for the bow first, then working our way aft, past the massive triple-expansion engines. There’s a beautiful density to the life here, too. Expect to see plump cod hanging out in the holds, conger eels peeking from crevices, and the whole structure draped in anemones, their tentacles waving in the mild current. It’s a proper expedition, a long dive, so definitely bring a pony bottle and plan for decompression. This isn’t a quick dip; it’s a dive where you can truly get lost in the past.

Location
North Sea Coast, Denmark, Mediterranean & Europe
Coordinates
56.501100, 11.698733
Type
wreck
Maximum Depth
31m

Wreck History - AUGUST LEONHARDT

Year Sunk
1940
Vessel Type
cargo ship
Cause
torpedo

The August Leonhardt was a relatively new steamship, built just four years prior to its loss in 1936 by Stettiner Oderwerke for the shipping company Leonhardt & Blumberg. Powered by triple-expansion engines, it was a typical example of the cargo vessels plying the North Sea routes in the turbulent years leading up to and during the Second World War.

Its career was cut short on April 11, 1940, during the early stages of the war. While navigating the waters off the Danish coast, the August Leonhardt was spotted by the British submarine HMS Sealion. A torpedo strike sealed the freighter's fate, sending it to the seabed and making it one of the many maritime casualties of the conflict in the North Sea.

Today, the wreck rests at a depth of 31 meters, making it an exciting dive for advanced and technical divers. The structure is largely intact, allowing explorers to identify key features of a pre-war steamship. Divers can marvel at the large engine block, explore the cargo holds, and witness the torpedo damage that sent this historic vessel on its final journey to the bottom.

Marine Protected Area: Lysegrund

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 AUGUST LEONHARDT

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 AUGUST LEONHARDT

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