KRISTINE - North Sea Coast

Diving the *Kristine* off the North Sea Coast, it’s not the depth that’ll get you, but the eerie chill of history. She went down in December 1942, a victim of a mine, and has rested upright on the seabed ever since. We love how well-preserved she feels; you can still make out the superstructure, the deck outline, and even peer into parts of the cargo hold. The *Kristine* really suits divers who appreciate a narrative with their exploration, a tangible link to a past event. Visibility can be a real North Sea lottery, but when it’s good, the wreck appears out of the green gloom like a ghost ship, covered in a shaggy coat of anemones and dead man’s fingers. Schools of cod and pollock often drift lazily around the mast, and we’ve spotted plenty of crabs scuttling amongst the plates. Our favourite detail has to be the subtle shift in light as you descend onto the wreck itself; the ambient light dims a little, creating a truly atmospheric dive. Dive this one on a calm day, and ideally, time your visit for a slack tide – strong currents here really stir things up and make for a far less enjoyable experience.

Location: North Sea Coast, Denmark, Mediterranean & Europe
Coordinates: 55.552776, 10.540278
Type: wreck
Maximum Depth: 11m

Marine Protected Area: Fyns Hoved, Lillegrund og Lillestrand

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)

Nearest Dive Centres to KRISTINE

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

dab (Limanda limanda) - Reef Fish
Protestant (Clupea harengus) - Reef Fish
Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) - Reef Fish
whiting (Merlangius merlangus) - Reef Fish
Ocean quahog (Arctica islandica) - Clams & Mussels
Fluke (Platichthys flesus) - Reef Fish
Blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) - Clams & Mussels
sprat (Sprattus sprattus) - Reef Fish
Common cockle (Cerastoderma edule) - Clams & Mussels
bull rout (Myoxocephalus scorpius) - Reef Fish
Sea potato (Echinocardium cordatum) - Sea Urchins
Sand mason (Lanice conchilega) - Worms
eel (Anguilla anguilla) - Reef Fish
Edible periwinkle (Littorina littorea) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
Common sea star (Asterias rubens) - Starfish
long rough dab (Hippoglossoides platessoides) - Reef Fish
Pollock (Trachurus trachurus) - Reef Fish
Common shore crab (Carcinus maenas) - Crabs & Lobsters
New Zealand Mudsnail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
Common dragonet (Callionymus lyra) - Reef Fish

Recommended Packing List for KRISTINE

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