Diving the Schönrainsee

22m Max

8-22m Vis

shore

Site Overview

Schönrainsee is a training and reef dive site in Central German Quarries & Lakes, Germany, reached from the base town of Schönrain. The Schönrainsee is a flooded quarry in Bavaria with clear water, training platforms and healthy fish stocks. It is a well-run site for courses and relaxed diving in a pretty setting. The site reaches a maximum depth of 22 m with an average profile around 12 m and a shallow start near 2 m, which places it firmly in the intermediate category and means divers should hold at least an Open Water certification. Conditions are typical of the flooded mine environment: visibility generally runs from 8 to 22 metres, the current is weak, and the water temperature ranges between 5 and 20 degrees Celsius with low surge exposure. The marine community is centred on European Perch, Common Roach, Northern Pike, Common Rudd, Signal Crayfish, European Eel, and the full species list is detailed below for divers planning a trip. The combination of wall, plateau topography and rock and sand substrate gives Schönrainsee its distinctive character within the Central German Quarries & Lakes region. Schönrainsee is a strong representative of why German diving is so highly regarded, blending the geology, history and biodiversity that define the country's underwater exploration. It pairs naturally with the other sites of the Central German Quarries & Lakes region for a varied holiday, and with the right thermal protection and, where relevant, the correct specialist training, it offers a memorable dive for photographers, naturalists and wreck, reef or freshwater enthusiasts alike. As with every German dive, a drysuit and a careful respect for cold-water limits turn a good day into a great one.

Dive Briefing

"Entry is made by a shore entry near Schönrain, and divers should check in with a local centre in Schönrain before entering the water. The Schönrainsee is a flooded quarry in Bavaria with clear water, training platforms and healthy fish stocks. It is a well-run site for courses and relaxed diving in a pretty setting. Plan your profile around a maximum depth of 22 m and an average of 12 m, keeping a close eye on gas and, in the deeper or enclosed sections, on the low surge. Buoyancy control matters here: the rock and sand bottom and submerged structures are easily disturbed, and Clear quarry, Cold water, Variable visibility are real considerations throughout the dive. The training and reef topography offers wall, plateau, and the marine life centres on European Perch, Common Roach, Northern Pike, Common Rudd, Signal Crayfish, European Eel alongside the other species listed for the site. Take a moment to review the site-specific hazards with your guide, because conditions at Schönrainsee can shift with wind and tide and change the feel of the dive. A safe ascent with a surface marker buoy and a clear exit plan completes the dive, with emergency cover routed through Druckkammerzentrum, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover."