TRAVEL Dive into Europe: Summer in Scandinavia: A Diving Paradise – by Peter Symes, Publisher, X-Ray Magazine
It is now summer in the Northern Hemisphere, and this is when my native Scandinavia truly shines. The long, warm summer days around midsummer, when we enjoy endless evenings and the white
there is a direct flight from New York to Bergen, or it’s a one- stop flight with the same airline. What sets Gulen Dive Resort apart, aside from the stunning scenery, is its house reef, where divers can find a variety of nudibranch species. Each year, the resort hosts a Nudibranch Week, where marine ecologists give presentations and teach about these fascinating creatures. Many photo workshops are also held there, and for a good reason. The location also ensures that one never blows out as there is always a lee side around. In addition to the house reef, the area is home to spectacular wrecks, such as the legendary Frankenwald . During WW2, the German Navy and merchant
nights along the coastline, are something I never want to miss. We savour fresh produce, such as the most succulent straw- berries, and the temperatures are pleasant - typically around 25°C (77°F). The water, while not tropically warm, sits at a comfortable 20-24°C (68-70°F) on the surface, which is per- fect for diving in a wetsuit. Denmark, Norway, and Sweden are quite different in to-
pography, but each is beautiful in its own right. They all boast extensive archipelagos offering countless opportunities for great diving. Denmark is relatively flat, mostly farmland, with no point of the country more than 50 km (~30 miles) from the coastline. The Danish straits, connecting the Baltic Sea to the North Sea and Atlantic, are busy shipping routes, and the seas are lit- tered with wrecks from many centuries, most of them within recreational diving range. Sweden’s ragged eastern coastline, with its many coves, islets, and inlets, offers great shore diving, easily accessible. Nor- way’s deep fjords, facing the Atlantic, feature underwater scenery with lush kelp forests,
fleet navigated the inner archipelago to avoid attacks from the British Royal Air Force (RAF), but in many cases, they were unsuccessful. Among the most notable wrecks are the twin wrecks of SS Fernedale and SS Parat . The Fernedale , a steamer, ran aground in December 1944 in a narrow passage between two islands, and the Parat , a tugboat, was sent to rescue it. Both vessels were spotted by the RAF and sunk. Now, the two wrecks lie just four feet apart, pro- viding an incredible dive site, with depths ranging from 7 to 60 metres, suitable for most divers.
Periphylla: Aliens of the Deep, Off the West Coast of Norway, just south of Gulen Dive Resort
Norway is known for its fresh seafood, but one downside is the
Gulen Resort
resembling British Columbia, albeit with different species. One location I highly recommend is Gulen Dive Resort, located just an hour's drive north of Bergen, Norway, in a picturesque cove in an arm of the Sognefjord, the longest and deepest fjord in Norway. During the summer months,
high cost of alcohol. However, stunning starry nights and the frequent northern lights (aurora borealis) are completely free of charge. For more information, visit Gulen Dive Resort.
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