Diving Fernsteinsee

Site Overview

Fernsteinsee is a mountain lake dive site in Tyrol, Austria, set among the country’s varied freshwater landscapes. Fernsteinsee is a deep mountain lake with a submerged forest and a medieval bridge, set in crystal-clear high-altitude water. The bridge (or its reconstruction) and the standing trees create a fairy-tale underwater scene beloved by photographers. Visibility is often extraordinary, making the lake one of Tyrol’s most atmospheric alpine dives. Cold and altitude mean a drysuit and altitude procedures, with depth building from the shore. Char and trout use the forest and walls, and the still water rewards slow, careful diving. It is a remote, high-quality site best approached with a guide or self-sufficient team. Conditions are typical of Austrian inland water: visibility generally runs from 12 to 28 metres, the current is low and the water temperature ranges between 3 and 17 degrees Celsius depending on season and depth. The marine life is freshwater and centred on lake trout (brown trout), arctic char, noble crayfish, with the full community described below for those planning a dive. Because of its advanced rating and the need for Advanced Open Water certification, Fernsteinsee 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.