Dive Sites in Germany

Diving in the Alpine foothills – a challenge and a unique adventure

Most dives take place in cold fresh water, mainly in moraine lakes, reservoirs or flooded quarries.
The underwater landscape is often spectacular: steep walls, rugged rock formations, sunken trees (mixed forests), and sometimes even the remains of human settlements or old roads.
The lakes are cold. The surface temperature can reach 20°C to 24°C in summer, but below the thermocline (usually from 10 m to 15 m), the temperature drops rapidly to a constant 4°C to 8°C.
Due to the water temperatures, special equipment is required. In most lakes, a dry suit is mandatory outside of midsummer to prevent hypothermia. Regulators must be suitable for cold water to prevent icing and blowing off the stage. Significantly more lead is required than when diving in the Red Sea.
Visibility can vary greatly. It is often best in autumn and winter (sometimes over 20 m), while in summer it can be poorer due to algal blooms (sometimes only 2 m to 5 m).
Marine life is completely different from that in the sea, but has its own charm. You will encounter eels, pike (often impressively large), carp, trout, perch and large schools of small fish. In the shallow water area, there are reed beds and various freshwater plants.
Many dive sites are known for sunken objects (wrecks of cars, boats, sculptures, training helicopters) that serve as artificial reefs.