Diving Bodensee (Bregenz Shore)

Site Overview

Bodensee (Bregenz Shore) is a large lake dive site in Vorarlberg, Austria, set among the country’s varied freshwater landscapes. The Bregenz shore gives Austria its slice of Lake Constance (Bodensee), Central Europe’s largest lake. Sites include the Uferwand wall, the Teufelstisch rock and the Pipeline, plus a few sunken small boats. The richest diving is on the German and Swiss sides, but the Austrian shore is a convenient, accessible introduction. Currents can be present and the lake is large, so buoyancy and surface marking matter. Perch, roam and the occasional larger fish use the walls and structures. It is a good, easy Central European dive with the option to cross borders for deeper water. Conditions are typical of Austrian inland water: visibility generally runs from 6 to 18 metres, the current is moderate and the water temperature ranges between 4 and 20 degrees Celsius depending on season and depth. The marine life is freshwater and centred on european perch, roach, northern pike, with the full community described below for those planning a dive. Because of its intermediate rating and the need for Advanced Open Water certification, Bodensee (Bregenz Shore) is best approached with the right thermal protection and, where relevant, altitude or overhead training. It is a representative example of why Austrian lake diving, with its cold clarity, submerged forests and wrecks, attracts divers who want something different from tropical reefs.