Scuba Diving In Austria's Underwater Park: Is It Possible?

Austria's Grüner See, or Green Lake in English, is a unique dive spot. Located in Styria, the lake is surrounded by the snow-covered Hochschwab Mountains. In the summer, fall, and winter, the lake is a picturesque 21,500 square feet of green natural park with benches, bridges, and trees. However, from late spring to early summer, the snowmelt from the mountains transforms the area into an underwater park, with the lake's surface area doubling to over 43,000 square feet and depths reaching up to 12 meters. While Grüner See used to be a popular scuba diving site, the local parks department has since made all watersports, including scuba diving, illegal to preserve the green colour of the water and protect the landscape from corrosion.

Scuba diving in Grüner See is now prohibited

Grüner See, or Green Lake in English, is located in Styria, Austria, and is surrounded by the snow-covered Hochschwab Mountains. The lake is known for its emerald-green waters, which result from the grass and foliage submerged underneath. Each spring, snowmelt from the mountains causes the lake to expand and flood the surrounding Green Lake Park. This transformation creates a breathtaking natural spectacle, attracting divers from all over the world.

The park offers a one-of-a-kind diving experience, with crystal-clear waters and a serene underwater environment. Divers can explore the submerged park, taking in the unique underwater landscape. The lake's depth ranges from 1 to 12 meters, providing an opportunity for divers to hone their skills. The clear water also allows for excellent visibility, making it ideal for underwater photography.

Despite the allure of scuba diving at Grüner See, the local parks department has implemented a ban on all watersports, including scuba diving. This decision was made to protect the lake's famous green colour. With increased traffic from divers and other water activities, there was a risk of stirring up sediment and causing corrosion, which could alter the landscape and fade the green hue. While it is disappointing for scuba enthusiasts, the prohibition is necessary to preserve the delicate balance of this natural wonder.

For those eager to explore the underwater world of Grüner See, there is still a wealth of scuba diving videos available online. These videos offer a vicarious experience of diving in the lake and showcase the breathtaking scenery and unique environment that make it so special. While the tides may turn for scuba divers in the future, for now, we can appreciate the beauty of Grüner See from afar and respect the measures taken to protect this natural treasure.

Alpine lakes offer stunning visibility

The alpine lakes in Austria are renowned for their pristine water quality and breathtaking scenery. The lakes are nestled among majestic mountains, lush foliage, and picturesque parks, creating a serene atmosphere for divers and visitors alike. The clarity of the water is remarkable, allowing sunlight to penetrate and illuminate the underwater environment.

During the spring and early summer months, the alpine lakes become even more captivating as the snow melts from the surrounding mountains. This natural phenomenon increases the water levels, submerging nearby parks, benches, and trails. The melting snow also contributes to the exceptional clarity of the water, creating a truly magical experience for divers.

One of the most famous alpine lakes in Austria is the Grüner See (Green Lake) in Styria. This lake is known for its emerald-green waters and the submerged park that lies beneath its surface during spring and early summer. The combination of clear water and submerged greenery makes Grüner See a breathtaking natural spectacle. However, it's important to note that due to concerns about preserving the lake's unique colour and ecosystem, all water sports, including scuba diving, have been prohibited.

Austria's alpine lakes offer a unique diving experience, providing divers with the opportunity to explore freshwater environments and encounter diverse species of fish and aquatic plants. The stunning visibility in these lakes allows divers to fully appreciate the beauty of the underwater world, surrounded by the majestic backdrop of the Austrian Alps.

Freshwater diving provides a different experience to ocean diving

Austria's Grüner See (Green Lake) in Styria offers a unique scuba diving experience. Every spring, snowmelt from the nearby Hochschwab Mountains causes the lake to expand and submerge the surrounding Green Lake Park. This transformation creates a captivating underwater world, attracting divers from mid-May to mid-July. While scuba diving in Green Lake is currently prohibited to preserve the delicate ecosystem, it showcases how freshwater diving sites can offer distinct experiences compared to ocean diving.

Freshwater diving provides a different experience from ocean diving in several ways. Firstly, the lack of salinity in freshwater results in lower buoyancy compared to saltwater. This means that divers in freshwater may find themselves sinking more easily and require more effort to move around. In contrast, saltwater's higher buoyancy can make it easier for divers to swim and manoeuvre.

Secondly, freshwater and ocean diving environments host different ecosystems. Freshwater ecosystems are characterised by plants like water lilies, duckweed, and cattails, which thrive in lower salinity levels. The animal life in freshwater includes species such as catfish, trout, and crayfish, which have adapted to the unique physical properties of freshwater. In contrast, ocean diving offers the opportunity to explore coral reefs, kelp forests, and a diverse range of marine animals, including colourful tropical fish, sharks, rays, dolphins, and sea turtles.

Thirdly, visibility can vary between freshwater and ocean diving sites. While visibility in saltwater environments tends to be better due to higher water density, some freshwater sites, such as mountain lakes, can offer exceptional visibility of 50 metres or more. On the other hand, freshwater environments with muddy bottoms, static particles, and certain underwater topographies may result in reduced visibility.

Lastly, freshwater diving sites generally experience milder or no currents compared to ocean diving locations, which are more prone to strong and unpredictable currents caused by tides, wind, and temperature differences. This difference in current strength can significantly impact the diving experience and the level of difficulty.

In summary, freshwater diving in locations like Austria's Green Lake presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities for divers. With its distinct buoyancy, ecosystems, visibility, and current conditions, freshwater diving offers an experience that differs from the ocean, providing divers with a diverse range of underwater exploration options.

Wreck diving in Lake Wolfgang and Lake Attersee

Austria is known for its stunning alpine landscapes and crystal-clear swimming lakes, which are beloved for their beauty and water quality. The country has more than 300 freshwater lakes, offering plenty of opportunities for divers of all skill levels.

Two of the most notable lakes for wreck diving in Austria are Lake Wolfgang and Lake Attersee. Lake Wolfgang, or Wolfgangsee as the locals call it, is renowned as one of the most famous and best-loved vacation lakes in the region. Covering an area of 13.5 square kilometres, the lake was created by glaciers thousands of years ago. Divers can explore a beautiful wall with overhangs and swim among trees in the shallows. During the summer, the lake's water temperature can reach up to 24°C (75°F), making it one of the warmest dive sites in Salzburg.

Lake Attersee, located in Upper Austria, is one of the country's largest lakes. It boasts more than 24 official dive sites and a maximum depth of 169 metres, offering a wide range of diving experiences. The visibility in the lake can reach up to 40 metres during winter and 10 to 25 metres in summer. While the water temperature at the surface ranges from 4°C in winter to 23°C in summer, it quickly drops below 10°C just a few metres below the surface. Lake Attersee is known for its diverse wildlife, including fish species such as arctic char, carp, trout, perches, and pikes, as well as its rich vegetation.

One of the notable dive sites in Lake Attersee is Schwarze Brücke (Black Bridge), named for the colour of the water under the bridge, which appears deep black even during summer. This site has a reputation for being dangerous, with many divers losing their lives due to the extreme depths and cold temperatures. However, it continues to attract divers interested in exploring the challenging wall and the remains of a 1942 VW Kübelwagen military vehicle.

Both Lake Wolfgang and Lake Attersee offer unique and exciting wreck diving opportunities for divers of all skill levels, showcasing the beauty and diversity of Austria's underwater world.

Ice diving in winter

Hazards and Safety:

Ice diving comes with specific hazards, including the risk of getting lost under the ice, hypothermia, and regulator failure due to freezing. Scuba divers are typically tethered for safety, wearing a harness with a secured line monitored by an attendant on the surface. The surface support team also faces hazards, including freezing temperatures and the risk of falling through thin ice.

Environmental Conditions:

Ice diving is done in water partly or completely covered by ice, which can be fresh or seawater. The salinity of the water affects the possible temperature range, with freshwater having a range of 0°C to 4°C, and seawater reaching temperatures as low as -2°C. Air temperatures above the ice can be significantly lower.

Equipment:

Due to the cold temperatures, it is crucial to wear a drysuit or a thick wetsuit for ice diving. A drysuit keeps the diver dry, with watertight seals on the neck, wrists, and ankles, and allows them to wear warm clothes underneath. A wetsuit, on the other hand, allows a small amount of water to enter and warm up inside the suit. The thickness of the wetsuit depends on the water temperature, ranging from 3mm to 7mm or more in very cold waters.

Dive Locations:

There are several renowned ice diving locations around the world, including the White Sea and Lake Baikal in Russia, Antarctica, the Tromsø region in Norway, Resolute Bay and Baffin Island in Canada, Greenland's fjords and coastal waters, and the Åland archipelago in Finland.

Training and Certification:

Ice diving requires specialized training and certification. Divers should be skilled in using drysuits or wetsuits, buoyancy control, and weighting. They should also be familiar with ice formation, how to recognize unsafe ice conditions, dive site preparation, and safety drills.

Precautions:

To reduce the risk of regulator freezing, it is important to keep the interior of the second stage dry before entering the water and to avoid breathing or purging through the regulator before immersion. Divers should also ensure they have a backup regulator in case of malfunction due to freezing.

Frequently asked questions