CORTINA - North Sea Coast

The Cortina, a fishing vessel sunk in 1985, is one of our favorite wrecks along the North Sea coast. She lies upright at 24 meters, largely intact, which always makes for a satisfying dive. We love poking around her superstructure, the stern being particularly interesting with the prop still in place, often covered in dead man's fingers. Visibility here can be tricky, sometimes a glorious 15 meters, other days a murky five, so pick your conditions. What really makes the Cortina for us, though, is the sheer number of cod and conger eels that have made her home. You’ll often find large cod schooling in the holds, and the congers are surprisingly bold, peeking out from every nook and cranny. It's not a deep dive, but the potential for strong currents means it's best suited for divers comfortable with a bit of drift and good buoyancy control. Our tip: go at slack tide if you can swing it, gives you more time to really appreciate her.

Location
North Sea Coast, Denmark, Mediterranean & Europe
Coordinates
56.826100, 8.016800
Type
wreck
Maximum Depth
24m

Marine Protected Area: Sandbanker ud for Thyborøn

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 CORTINA

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 CORTINA

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