TURISTEN

Best months: Jul–Aug

Protected Area

Lillebælt

Why dive here

With 95+ marine species recorded in the area - including seals & sea lions, sea turtles and jellyfish lake - TURISTEN offers some of North Sea Coast's richest wreck diving. Water ranges 3-19°C, warmest July, August, September.

Best timeJul–Aug

WetsuitA 5mm wetsuit

Marine lifeSeals & Sea Lions, Sea Turtles and Jellyfish Lake · 95+ species recorded

Water3-19°C · warmest July, August, September

CharacterWreck dive · max 6m

The Turisten wreck off Denmark’s North Sea coast is one of those sites that just gets under your skin. We love it because it’s so accessible, sitting at a maximum depth of 6 metres, yet it offers a proper wreck dive experience. You’re not just looking at a few bits of wood here; this is a merchant vessel, sunk in 1942 after hitting a mine, and she’s still remarkably intact given the shallow depth and exposure to the elements. Descending onto the Turisten, you immediately feel the history. The deck planks are draped in kelp and anemones, and we’ve often seen schools of cod darting in and out of the holds. Look closely in the crevices and you’ll spot velvet crabs scuttling about, or perhaps a curious lumpfish observing you from a shadowed corner. Our favourite moments are exploring the bow section, where the anchor chain is still visible, encrusted with barnacles. It’s a dive that suits anyone comfortable in cooler waters and with an interest in maritime history; you get a real sense of what it would have been like to sail this ship. Visibility here can vary, but on a good day, with the sun breaking through the surface, the light filtering onto the wreck is just mesmerising. We’d suggest timing your dive for a slack tide to make exploring the exposed wreck even easier.