HARDING - Baltic Coast

Harding is one of those wrecks that really sticks with you. We love it because it’s surprisingly shallow, just 10 metres, making it accessible for divers who want a proper wreck dive without the overhead of deep decompression. The steamship went down in 1954, and while the Baltic isn’t exactly a tropical reef, the cold, clear water has preserved it remarkably well. When you drop down, the sheer size is impressive. The bow is particularly striking, rising from the seabed, still looking like it’s straining against the waves. We’ve spent many dives just tracing the lines of the hull, spotting the portholes, and imagining the crew’s final moments. Visibility here can be excellent, often reaching 15-20 metres, so you get a full view of the structure. Our favourite part is navigating the scattered debris field – plates, cups, and machinery are still lying around, testament to the ship’s sudden end. Look closely, and you’ll find plenty of crabs scuttling over the metal, and often schools of small fish darting in and out of the crevices. It’s an evocative dive, perfect for wreck enthusiasts and even newer divers looking for their first true wreck experience. The lack of strong currents makes it pretty relaxed, too.

Location: Baltic Coast, Sweden, Mediterranean & Europe
Coordinates: 60.300000, 19.150000
Type: wreck
Maximum Depth: 10m

Marine Protected Area: 2056378 Understens-Viten

Best Time to Dive in Baltic Coast

The warmest water temperatures in Baltic Coast occur in January, averaging 0.6°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 0.6°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

January: 0.6°C (air: -0.4°C)
February: 0.6°C (air: -0.3°C)
March: 0.6°C (air: 1.7°C)
April: 0.6°C (air: 4.6°C)
May: 0.6°C (air: 10.5°C)
June: 0.6°C (air: 17.2°C)
July: 0.6°C (air: 17.8°C)
August: 0.6°C (air: 17.3°C)
September: 0.6°C (air: 13.2°C)
October: 0.6°C (air: 8.5°C)
November: 0.6°C (air: 3.8°C)
December: 0.6°C (air: -0.5°C)

Nearest Dive Centres to HARDING

Marine Life in Baltic Coast

Home to 59 recorded species including 31 reef fish, 9 seagrass & algae, 5 sea snails & nudibranchs, 4 other, 3 whales & dolphins, 3 sharks & rays.

Notable Species

Blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) - Clams & Mussels
Protestant (Clupea harengus) - Reef Fish
bladder wrack (Fucus vesiculosus) - Seagrass & Algae
New Zealand Mudsnail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
Fluke (Platichthys flesus) - Reef Fish
Ruffe (Gymnocephalus cernua) - Reef Fish
Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) - Reef Fish
sprat (Sprattus sprattus) - Reef Fish
bull rout (Myoxocephalus scorpius) - Reef Fish
Sea gooseberry (Pleurobrachia pileus)
pike (Esox lucius) - Reef Fish
common jellyfish (Aurelia aurita) - Jellyfish
Spawn (Gasterosteus aculeatus) - Reef Fish
burbot (Lota lota) - Reef Fish
Sea Trout (Salmo trutta) - Reef Fish
black goby (Gobius niger) - Reef Fish
salmon (Salmo salar) - Reef Fish
lumpsucker (Cyclopterus lumpus) - Reef Fish
eel (Anguilla anguilla) - Reef Fish
eelgrass (Zostera marina) - Seagrass & Algae

Recommended Packing List for HARDING

Based on average water temperature of 0.6°C.

Drysuit - water at 1°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