ELSTORF - North Sea Coast

Elstorf is one of those wrecks we keep coming back to. A trawler, sunk back in 1919, she sits upright on the seabed at a comfortable 22 metres. We love how intact she is, not just a pile of rubble. You can still make out the superstructure, and the bow section feels particularly dramatic, often shrouded in a hazy green light that gives it a real ghost ship vibe. The main draw here is really the atmosphere and the exploration. Swimming along her deck, you’ll find schools of small cod darting into the shadows, and we’ve spotted some hefty conger eels coiled up inside the holds on more than one occasion. It’s a site for divers who appreciate history and the slow colonisation of steel by marine life. Our favourite time to dive Elstorf is on a calm, sunny day after a few days without strong winds; the visibility can really open up then, letting you appreciate the scale of her. Just watch out for the occasional fishing net snagged on the rigging, a reminder of her working life.

Location
North Sea Coast, Denmark, Mediterranean & Europe
Coordinates
55.408283, 7.748017
Type
wreck
Maximum Depth
22m

Marine Protected Area: Sydlige Nordsø

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 ELSTORF

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 ELSTORF

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