Diving in Sweden is well worth braving the cold!
The Gullmarsfjord or Gullmarn Fjorden, both names are used, is Sweden's largest fjord. It is more than 25 km long and some parts are more than 100 metres deep. It has been declared a National Park and because this water is home to animal species normally seen at greater depths. That is why it is a special diving spot.
Diving in Sweden might not be the most obvious choice for your diving holiday. Scandinavian countries always have a huge appeal for us, and the fact that you can also enjoy diving there makes it an ideal combination.
Gullmarn Fjords at a glance
Where is it located?
Gullmarsfjorden is located in the middle of the Bohuslän archipelago on Sweden's west coast. A beautiful area with picturesque fishing villages and the famous Swedish red boathouses. It is a large archipelago with more than 8,000 islands, you can imagine that water sports are a big attraction. And that includes diving!
How deep is it?
Gullmarsfjord is deep, as much as 125 metres. The location is widely used for deep diving specialties and you will see many double sets, sidemount sets and rebreathers. Of course, you can also make nice dives in the shallower parts, as the bottom drops gradually. We dived to max 26 metres and there was plenty to explore.
What is the visibility like in Gullmarsfjorden?
Visibility ranges from 3 to 10 metres.
And the water temperature?
You dive in cold water in Sweden, even in summer the water is only around 20 degrees. In winter, that drops to just above freezing.
Can you fill scuba tanks there?
Yes, there are a few options around this fjord. Pay close attention to opening hours, especially out of season. Contact us in advance to ask if you can get there.
We could fill our tanks at - www.teampaulsen.se
On the other side of the fjord, there is a lot of diving around Lysekill. We haven't been there yet, but you'll find this diving school, among others: diveteam.se
Special animal species in the fjord
Gullmarsfjord has a fairly unique marine life. You can see species here that are normally found at much greater depths.
I didn't quite understand why these animals live shallower in this fjord than elsewhere, a Swedish diver told us, but with my Swedish and his English we didn't quite get it.
If you do know, I would love it if you send me a message or write a comment below this blog.
We came across this "Seafan" at about 26 metres. In the middle of a sandy plain, it was clearly sticking out above the sand. Beautiful to see and certainly fun to photograph underwater. At the time, I had not yet taken the decompression course and we had no nitrox. So there was limited time to photograph at this depth. When we go back to dive in Sweden again, I want to photograph there again. You can get very creative photos there!
Want to know more about why you want to dive with Nitrox when photographing? Then read about the benefits of diving with Nitrox here.
Where can you dive along this fjord?
You can dive in all sorts of places around the Gullmars fjord, both on the north and south side. We dived several times in Jordfall, coordinates 58.3294, 11.5701.
It is a small harbour, where you park right next to the water. You pay a small fee for parking. There is a toilet and picnic benches right next to the water where you can relax after diving, but which you can also use very nicely to put your things on.
You enter the water very easily, with the bottom descending very slowly at first.
The bottom is mainly sand with occasional rocks where there is an immediate concentration of marine life. Along the edge of the fjord it is rocky with lots of cracks and crevices where all sorts of things live.
Other Swedish dive sites
Other locations for diving in Sweden along the fjord coast are:
- Skär – 58.2978, 11.5314
You launch at the red boathouse or at the stony beach on the right. - Fossen Camping – 58.3214, 11.5599
Only possible when the campsite is open. Please enquire at reception. - Hällebäck – 58.3454, 11.5891
At a marina with a small beach
The surroundings
The Gullmarn fjord is in the middle of the Bohuslän Archipelago on Sweden's west coast. The surroundings are beautiful for hiking and cycling. Forested hills and meadows alternate. The views over the water are beautiful and you will find cosy villages to stroll through and have a coffee.
Where to stay?
We camped in the marina directly at the dive site Jordfal.
So we could walk right out of the motorhome and into the water. As the marina has no camping facilities, there is only a toilet, we also stayed at this campsite. Hafsten.se
It was the only campsite open in autumn.
Of course, there are also all kinds of cottages to rent in the area. We like to camp, but you can choose from all sorts of accommodation.
