Diving in From the rugged west coast, with its dramatic drop-off and unique ecosystems, to majestic wrecks—perfectly preserved over the centu- World-classSweden diving in a challenging environment ries—and crystal clear lakes, Sweden has everything.

Compiled and edited by Millis Keegan and Peter Symes Text by Millis Keegan Photos by Jonas Dahm

From a marine archeology and sci- entific standpoint, the Baltic Sea is a paradise. There could be as many as 100,000 shipwrecks dating back cen- turies in this dark and mysterious sea— Viking ships, trading ships and war- ships to name a few. No other place in the world is comparable to the Baltic Sea. The wrecks, and structures found in the sea are veritable time capsules lying in wait for us to explore and expand our understanding of the past. It is also a comparatively quite shallow sea. The average depth is only 55 meters deep, so with modern technology, it is not too complicated to find many of our lost histories. These histories belong to the countries sur- rounding the Baltic Sea. Granted, diving in the far North is not for the weak-minded, nor for the inexperienced, but it’s not as bad as it sounds. Scandinavian divers are known around the world for being able to cope with rather tough div- ing conditions because this is where we grew up and learned to dive. Anyone who goes through entry level training in murky waters with a visibil- ity of 2-4 m (6-12 ft) at best, a water temperature averaging 8°C to 2°C in the winter to 20°C in the summer, and comes out with a smile, will be ready to face anything else. And yes, we do also dive during the fall and winter months, too, with great pleasure.

The bridge of the steamer Brigge Jona s Dahm 25 X-RAY MAG : 36 : 2010 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED The wreck of Helmerich travel

The Mystery Ship A wooden ship found by the Swedish Navy that, despite a very unusual fig- ure head of a horse, has never been identified or salvaged. The DC-3 A lost plane presumed to spy on Russia and therefore was presumed to be shot down by the same. The discovery of the plane gave answers to a number of questions and peace of mind to surviving family members. ■

My most intense diving experi- ence was a 500-year-old wreck in the Baltic in 1992. She was standing upright, mast still there, but the oak planks were as thin as could be, which left her frag- ile and exposed to careless diving

Erik B j ur st röm and rough weather. What really got me though, was that she went Sweden has to highest enter the museum, you will stay down in 1492. The visibility was proportion of divers for hours—it is that good. www. per capita in the vasamuseet.se incredible, I saw the entire wreck, world. We are spoilt and as I swam over the deck, it for choice. Following The Champagne Wreck hit me. When she went down, are descriptions of just One of my favorites is the a few of the jewels. Swedish schooner Jönköping, Columbus discovered America. which was sunk by a German Columbus discovered America! Vasa submarine in 1916. She carried That was heavy, and even though One of, if not the most, popu- an order of French Champagne lar attractions in Sweden is for the Russian Tsar. The bottles the ship itself was a simple, small the Vasa ship. Vasa was a were salvaged near Finland in merchant ship, stripped by years Swedish warship that sank 1998, and they found that the during her maiden voyage French champagne had been of exposure, she was also a monu- in 1628. All but forgotten for perfectly preserved at a con- ment for the men and woman 300 years, she was salvaged stant 4°C and was ready to drink. that explored the world. practically intact on 24 April Many of the champagne bottles 1961, restored and turned were auctioned off by Christie’s — Millis Keegan into a museum. Once you in London.

26 X-RAY MAG : 36 : 2010 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Swedish islands in the Baltic Sea. The seas have always been rough around this island, and for thousands of years, Points of interest merchant and cargo ships have passed by this area on their way south or north. Almost anywhere there is a puddle of water, there is a possible dive site for diving enthusiasts Maps of Treacherous underwater cliffs have, in in Sweden. Rivers, lakes, deserted water-filled mines, the Baltic, the West Coast. Some true Scandinavia every era, been the downfall for a few with locations of those passing ships. For us divers, they divers and explorers have been bred in these waters. We cannot list all dive sites here, but Norway of Baltic Sea are a godsend. This area is a wreck we have made a selection based on where you can find a dive center to take you diving. Finland diving points bonanza. The best way to get where the of interest best wrecks lie is via liveaboard. We took Sweden a trip around Öland on the M24, an old West Coast of Sweden (1) sulas of Sweden. Kullen stands out from minesweeper converted into a nice livea- There is quite an interesting variety of the surrounding areas with its rocky, Finland board. marine life along the west coast of craggy shore, which continues under Sweden. Hence, it is a very popular des- water. Due to currents that bring nutri- The U-Boat Massacre (7) tination for Swedish divers who get tired ents, the marine life is abundant, par- The two guys who first got the rights to run of the lack of life in the murky waters ticularly during summer and autumn. dive charters in this area, Jan Sangerud of the Baltic. If you have no interest in Expect to find shore crabs, hermit crabs, and Tom Johansson, did the branding of wrecks, this is the place to be. jellyfish, dead mans hand, lot’s of floun- the area. They were sitting down plan- Between the 8000 islands of the ders, and on a good day, sea trout, ning how they would market the area archipelago and the fiords, there is cod, mullets and more. Sweden for divers. At the same time, the movie some interesting diving to be found in 3 Chain Saw Massacre had its premiere. terms of marine ecology. Lysekil offers Åland (3) Estonia One thing led to another, and with the diving in the biologically unique fiord The Åland islands are situated at the help of a couple of beers, The Submarine of Gullmarn. Learn more about what entrance to the Gulf of Botnia and form 4 Massacre got its name. So, there you you can expect to find here by visiting an autonomous, demilitarized, Swedish- have it. One will find a small concentrat- Havets Hus, “The House of the Ocean” speaking region and historical province ed area with a group of First World War (havetshus.lysekil.se). of Finland. Åland consists of some 6,500 cargo ships all sunk by one submarine. Day trips are arranged from a islands and islets. Due to different regu- They are easily accessed by boat. number of coastal cities: Marstrand, lations regarding diving and wrecks, Smögen, Hamburgsund, Tanumstrand, the wrecks of Åland are pristine, almost 5 Latvia Grebbestad and Strömstad. Every place always filled with details and in better 1 has its own charm. The further north you condition than other dive-able wrecks go, the better the diving gets. That’s in the Baltic. 6 because the Gulf Stream makes a little turn here and hits a little bit of Sweden. Stockholm Archipelago (4) Lithuania The mixing of cold and warm water The Stockholm Archipelago spreads 7 provides excellent conditions for diverse its islands from Landsort in the south to marine life. Arholma in the north. It is the biggest 2 Väderöarna, meaning “The Weather archipelago of Sweden and consists of Islands”, are often referred to as the almost 24,000 islands and islets. It is also Baltic Sea best diving the West Coast can offer. the graveyard for more than 20,000 The islands are home to a large seal located shipwrecks. Shallow inlets and Denmark colony that spends time playing peeka- rocky coasts have sunken more of their boo with divers. fair share of vessels. In the Baltic Sea, you Poland A coldwater coral reef was found not find wrecks from the 10th century or older too long ago in the Koster fiord, which to wrecks from several wars, including earned the fjord the status of becom- the two world wars as well as tragedies The Great Lakes (5) thousands of years, but in freshwater ing a Marine National Park. The reef of from modern times. The Baltic is all about Sweden has thousands of lakes, but only lakes, preservation is even better. The Lophelia pertusa is found deep, so don’t wrecks. Sure, there’s some marine life, a couple of them are large enough for visibility in these lakes is almost as clear expect to dive on it. but seldom for us to see. An occasional merchant ships, Vänern and Vättern. as glass. flounder, or a school of small groupers Wrecks have rested here for centu- Kullen (2) resting on a wreck during a night dive ries without deteriorating in these fresh Öland (6) Kullen is one of the most distinct penin- can be seen, but not much more. lakes. The Baltic Sea preserves ships for Öland is made up of the two largest

27 X-RAY MAG : 36 : 2010 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Stockholm’s Sweden The best way to get wet in ment immediately upon coming Stockholm is to get on a dive charter on board. When dive time comes booked through one of Stockholm’s around, pull on the rig, suit up and Archipelago dive centers. A dive charter costs jump in. around 500 SEK per dive, and it is usually worth every penny. Do not Donald Duck Wrecks The inner-city wrecks of Stockholm are easy to get to, but expect two tank dives per half day. Both wrecks are located in open You get one dive in the morning and water, at a depth that allows Nitrox despite the novelty of diving in and around downtown one in the afternoon. The weather 32, or possibly 30, as an alternative Stockholm, which in itself can be alluring, the wrecks them- conditions don’t always allow a dive to air. Swells and waves are a con- selves do not have much to offer. Find your way to the outer on the wreck you wanted to dive, cern. This is advanced diving, and Stockholm archipelago, and it’s an all-together different story. but rest assured that the boat cap- a drysuit is recommended for the tain knows what he/she is doing and major part of the year. Is it worth The wrecks there range from interesting to amazing. In pre-GPS will take you to where diving condi- it? Yes, this is always a great dive, times, the more than 20,000 islands in the archipelago were tion are best that day. Don’t expect despite the fact that the weather is extremely hard to navigate, and quite a few wrecks have gone to see a lot of fish—in fact, consider rarely on your side. The wreck sites yourself lucky if you see a fish. In cer- fall under a category Swedes like to under during the last millenium. The very same islands that tain areas, you may see the occa- call “Donald Duck-wrecks”, which helped cause ships to wreck also protected them from winds sional seal. means that the hull is relatively and waves. There is no possible way to tell you about them all, intact, it sits right side up and dis- but enjoy the following selection of favorite dive sites. Dalarö plays great details. Many dive charters take off from Dalarö, a small picturesque little village with a rich history south of Stockholm. This was the final port before the open seas. It took a sailing ship one to two weeks to sail through the archi- pelago to Dalarö, but it took only half a day by horse and carriage to get there, making Dalarö the place where noble men and owners of the mer- chant ships joined their cargo for the voyage to other worlds. Najade and Melanie The dive boats depart from Dalarö, and it takes a few hours to get to either of the dive sites. Most boats are smaller, so the trip can be a bit tedious, but if you find yourself a little corner of the dive boat and take a little nap, the trip might seem shorter. But first, the best advice as always is, to don your equip- Text by Fredrik Isakson Photos by Jakob Selbing and Stefan Hogeborn

Diver inspects the

wreck of the Eldaren scott johnson 28 X-RAY MAG : 36 : 2010 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Stockholm and it’s archipelago. The square marks the city Sweden travel center on this false Dalarö colour satellite image

Company may show up Seals can be seen playing and hunting for fish in the area and on the wrecks, which sometimes can be an eerie wild life encounter when you turn a corner! Even though the seals can add to the dive experience, the wrecks are located within a Seal Protection Area, which means no diving during most of the sum- mer. Sometimes while diving, I keep very still and just wait. On the surface, one sees the seals all the time, and if you’re lucky and take it easy, they might visit you on the wreck to take a closer look at the intruders. You need to keep your eyes on them if this happens; they are like black torpedoes in the gray-green water. Almagrundet 12 April 1933. She man- 34 meters (112 aged to back off the ground, but the ft) where the Najade collision caused severe damage. She visibility is great. A German ship, built in 1910, which was anchored, but it did not take long There are a lot were transporting a cargo of oranges until she gave up and sank. Fortunately of fun details and tobacco when she ran aground on for divers, she settled on hard bottom at to explore, and she is sim- ply one of the best wrecks in Stockholm. The only disadvantage would sentative be the distance to the wreck of the and the exposure to the steamers weather. At the same time, that used that is the reason she is such to sail a great lady to dive. around the turn of Melanie last cen- The Melanie is an old steamer tury. She laying on her side. The hull carried is designed differently from 3,000 tons modern motor ships. Her of coal in design caused her to land the hold, on her side after going down. loaded She was also designed to be sailed and it gets rapidly deeper, so keep an eye on from France when she went under. Her had masts. She is longer and wider than your dive computer. Take a peek into the destination was Scotland via Stockholm. the Najade at 77m (250 ft ) long and 10m galley, and if you have the proper train- It was winter, late in January 1907. Ice (32 ft) wide. ing, there is much to penetrate here from laid in drifts on the surface and made it There is a safety concern—since stem to stern. The visibility is fair, but the difficult to see any shoal or reef in these Melanie rests in such an angle, it confus- water is eeriely milky around the Melanie. hard to navigate waters, so she ran es the mind. When you reach the deck, Still, she is a great ship, a good repre- aground and sank, resting at 35m (115ft)

The wreck of the Melanie 29 X-RAY MAG : 36 : 2010 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Sappemeere is such a fun wreck, and you might find yourself eye to eye with a seal Sweden travel The Swedish archipelago is a picturesque place to live, inside the wreck and one can have good diving virtually at one’s doorstep they have fun doing it. For visiting divers not so used to the cold water environment, this is a great wreck to start with. Diving still has to be done cautiously and with knowledge. For example, visibility gets really bad, really quickly in the engine room. Divers have died in this wreck, and even seals make their way in without finding their way out again, and believe me, that can be a scary unexpected sight. Ghostlike. Last fall, south of Innerbådan, Biskopsön. comparison. She was a Coaster, traffick- you could still see at This is probably one of Stockholm’s ing the coastal areas. We are still outside least one carcass if you most popular dive sites. It doesn’t get Biskopsön, but closer to the islands and peeked through any of much better than this, weather permit- more sheltered, therefore not so weather the portholes on port ting. On a good day, you can get two sensitive as the Melanie and the Najade. side. great dives in—Melanie, with her old Sappemeer lies on her side, outside the The wheelhouse and charm, and the slightly newer Najade. seal protection area, resting relatively a part of the superstruc- shallow at 25m/82 ft, but you make con- ture up front have col- How to get there: By boat tact already at 16m/52 ft. The wreck lapsed and are a jumble of scrap. Smack was loaded with is spilling out of the hold. Ingrid Horn Best time: Late summer and autumn offers easy penetration, which makes this in the middle of this heep lies the radio, Sappemeer is simple fun, and it makes The Ingrid Horn is a very temperamental Depth: Approximately 35 m/115 ft a perfect training wreck for wreck diving and wires criss-cross in all directions. But her a good wreck. Because of her size, old lady, and she decides whether you Conditions: Visibility here is often very and wreck penetration. There are not you still have the feeling of the wheel- 51m/167 ft long and 8.5m/27 ft wide, she have a good dive or not. The number of good. There can be a current, but it is many Stockholm divers advanced and house where parts of a wall and some is easy to grasp, and one gets a good swear words used here... Well, when she not very common. But there is a con- up that have not dived this wreck, and rafters remain. The limestone the vessel feel for the wreck really quickly. lets you enjoy your dive, she is absolutely stant swell here, so manage wonderful. The Ingrid Horn lays pretty your seasickness. You have How to get there: By boat much smack in the middle of a high to be able to handle yourself Best time: The entire season, even traffic channel, so this is one dive you on a moving boat. If you are off season if weather permits. really need to know what you are doing. inexperienced, ask the staff Depth: 16 m/52 ft - 25 m/82 ft, You do not want to come up under a about the best way to get up Conditions: Visibility here range 20-tonnare on its way to Stockholm; you that ladder, that’s where most from 5-20 m/16-60 ft. Rare to make your way back to your entry point accidents happens. encounter current, surface cur- and that’s that. The way to get to the rent can appear some times. wreck is via a marker that leads to an Sappemeer Photography: Quite suitable for underwater rock. From that rock, you fol- She went aground and sank wreck photography, due to her low a line leading into nothingness that 7 November 1969, and is thus laying relatively shallow, light will land you on the aft. The first thing you a relatively young wreck in reaches down to the wreck and see is the spare steering wheel. At that the limestone cargo reflects the point, you are at 24m/79 ft depth. Aprés plongée—Scandina- light from the surface, which It is not far, but for many divers, this is vian berries ripen late in the helps. the turnaround point. Sure they see the season at high latitudes but end up saturated with flavor

30 X-RAY MAG : 36 : 2010 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Sweden travel The Ingrid Horn is a very tempera- mental Grand Old Lady, some days wheel, if they are less than four you will be lucky to even reach the feet away, but that’s it. The vis- aft without having to turn back for ibility can be miserable due to the various reasons. Illustration of the Ingrid Horn (below) by heavy traffic. Another reason for Jakob Selbing aborting the dive is that divers run low on air at this point. No shame in that... well, ah, —whom are we kidding—there is shame in that, but it happens. gives you an idea of the size of waters and on huge A sliver of light is still with you at the Ingrid Horn. If you follow the iron ore filled wrecks, this point, and you can explore profile of the stern to the bottom, so having full control the area with some day light. you will also find the base of the over your bearings is a The aft creates an overhang and under water rock. Look up and must. that causes some confusion if you you’ll see leaning over is the stern The visibility quickly haven’t familiarized yourself with covered with rust. A mighty sight. deteriorates, but once the layout of the wreck, since you The wreck is cracked in sev- in a while, the wreck all of a sudden can find yourself eral places, which is the reason shows a nicer side, with a roof above your head, not I choose to follow the port rail and thus begins a fan- knowing how that happened. downward. The starboard railing tastic little wreck trip. Ingrid Horn Here, you find the spare pro- is more difficult to follow. A com- After you have passed peller, a powerful piece that pass cannot be trusted in these the fallen mast, there is your tanks, you will not circle the whole, though, Ingrid is a jerk in the gunwale, but it is still whole ship, and that’s just the not that deep, so using relatively easy to maintain orien- way it is. a thinner Nitrox, per- Ana Maria—The tation on this side. The Ingrid Horn is 89m/292 ft haps a 28%, or maybe Perfect Wreck Shortly thereafter, you will long and nearly 13 m/ 43 ft wide a 25/25, the so-called A brutal winter storm forced begin to discern the superstruc- and was loaded with iron ore “Stockholm mix”, will Ana Maria to seek shelter ture, which holds lots of room when she sank after a collision 31 allow you to see the in Dalarö around the end and spaces to check out. It gets July 1917. The entire crew except part of the wreck that of the 17th century, and deeper after you pass the super for one person went down with is bored down into the a skeleton crew was left structure at 35m/115 ft. the ship, please respect the fact mud. behind to care for the ship. Soon, the front of the wreck that this is also a grave site. Apparently bored by wait- partly disappears into the hard Harburg ing out the long winter, muddy bottom. After a num- How to get there: By boat Harburg, a German the crew fancied visiting ber of dives, I still have a lot to Best time: Spring and autumn steam freighter from with Ahmans Widow, who explore, and I don’t have a full weather permitting, but you never 1919—54m/177ft long a gravesite. Harburg is located lived around a muscet shot picture of her. On the best of really know with Ingrid… and 9.5m/30ft wide—sank after near Stockholm City, just outside away. Rumour had it that dives, you realize you want more Depth: 24 m/79 ft to 38 m/125 ft. a collision with the tanker ship Lidingö. she knew how to serve a and more, and I guess that is Conditions: Visibility varies from Tinny in 1957. She carried iron ore The wreck rests in a steep good beer, and then some. part of the charm with this wreck, bad to worse, with very few and had a crew of 14 men. The angle with the aft ship being The lowest rank, the that one has to explore her piece exceptions. This is one of few dive boiler exploded in the crash, and the first point you reach and the Galley Boy, was left behind by piece, and one never knows sites where you might have to the machinist was shot through bow deep in the mud. As you to tend the ship and the whether dive conditions will allow deal with bad current – or not at one of the ventilation shafts by descend, the stern suddenly stove. Of course, a fire broke a dive at all. all depending on Ingrid’s mood. the pressure from the explosion. appears, just hanging there in the out, and the ship sank, cre- The superstructure needs more Gas mixes: For air in the tank we He was later picked up out of the water. It’s really a strange feel- ating a perfect dive site to attention, and at some point recommend the aft part, and a water by rescuers and survived ing. This wreck is a resting place visit hundreds of years later. I hope to reach the bow! The pony bottle. A standard mix for the ordeal. Ten men died, eight for deceased sailors. There are a Alas, diving her is presently Ingrid Horn is a large ship. Unless many is probably 32% Nitrox and where never found. This is one of lot of details to explore and in an prohibited, thanks to care- you are on mixed gas and just if that’s your choice, do not go those places where you are very old, I think it’s a cabinet for storing less divers damaging the happen to have the right mix in passed the superstructure. In the aware that you are diving on hoses, there are some bones, and wreck. ■

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The Dalarö wreck my imagination tells me that it 1979. You will find the torpedo Other interesting points of About 30m below may one of the crew members. hole on the starboard side. interests are the superstructure in the surface at When and if you penetrate the This wreck, being kind of new, the aft part, the rudder, the tor- Edesön outside narrow corridors of the ship, be is really suited for penetration, pedo hole on star board side at Dalarö in the aware that the steep angle but as always, be sure to have 28m/92ft. Stockholm archi- makes it harder and more proper training. She is hard to pelago is a very well-preserved advanced, so be sure that you get to. The travel time for most How to get there: wreck from the have the proper training. of the dive boats are a bit on This is a boat dive, many of 1600s. The site is the long side, and the wreck Stockholm’s dive boats do trips scattered with How to get there: By boat lies in a spot that makes wind go there, but its really weather objects: ceramics, Best time: Spring and autumn and weather conditions one of sensitive. bottles, tools of var- Depth: Around 30m/99ft its weak points. But if Lady Luck Best time: This is a good dive site ious kinds as well as Conditions: The visibility can be is on your side, you might get all year round. baskets and boxes. really good for being almost in excellent visibility in the 20-30m Depth: 35 meters A cannon is still sit- the city, but don’t expect more range. That’s because of the Conditions: Visibility is often very ting in its mount on than a few meters. There are no bottom conditions. Eldaren rests good, sometimes 20-30 meters. the half deck currents at this dive site that I’m in a shallower spot. All around it, There can be a strong current, I llustration : N iklas E riksson aware of. the bottom falls off to a much so be prepared. greater depth. Gas choice: I recommend a Nordic Blue Parks—sustainable accessibility Eldaren Take your time to explore its Nitrox 32 as a good choice of Eldaren was used as a training length of 51.5 meters. It has a gas for diving Eldaren. ■ Text by Pernilla Flyg, Curator, these factors interact to create target for the Swedish Navy. beam of 7.9 meters and was in Archaeology Unit, Swedish unique conditions for the preserva- They torpedoed and sunk it in its prime, a tank coaster. National Maritime Museums tion of wooden shipwrecks. They loom in the dark on the seabed The Baltic Sea was formed by the through centuries, masts reaching Ice Age. Submerged Stone Age up towards the surface. settlements remind us of a time These factors also interact to when the coastlines of the region make the Baltic Sea a habitat for looked very different from today. special flora and fauna. But, the natural and cultural resources of the sea are under con- stant threat from pollution, looting, cial reef, a habitat for plants and deterioration and animals. Through the Blue Parks, insufficient legal visitors will also be able to visit the protection. most fragile shipwrecks. With guid- ed dives, ROV-tours, or computer We want to dimin- animation, the Blue Parks will wel- ish this threat by come all visitors, not only divers. developing sus- tainable marine Museums and cultural and natu- tourism combining ral heritage authorities in Sweden, outreach with pro- Finland, Denmark and Norway are tection. The Nordic partners in the Nordic Blue Parks Blue Parks projects project. In Sweden, Blue Parks are This sea is dark, cold and relatively aims to open underwater parks being developed in Dalarö near shallow. The water exchange is combining culture and nature the capital city of Stockholm, and slow, salinity levels are low, and experiences. Once on the bottom, in Axmar historical iron works along shipworms are mostly absent. All a shipwreck can turn into an artifi- the coast of northern Sweden. ■ Picnic on the Swedish archepelago 32 X-RAY MAG : 36 : 2010 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED The Danish Shipworm alert! straits consti- Relief produced by tute a T. Seifert, F. Tauber and vertical B. Kayser with the Leib- threshold niz Institute for Baltic (it gets Sea Research in shallower) Warnemünde, as well as a Germany narrow con- striction, which limits the free exchange of water between the inner basins and the North Sea and Atlantic ocean.

“Shipworm has spread to the Baltic Sea The salt water from for the first time. If it continues to spread, the open ocean is it threatens to destroy still well-preserved denser, and therefore, and irreplaceable shipwrecks and other creeps in a southbound marine archeological remains along the direction along the sea- coast of Sweden. bed below the outflowing “Traditionally, shipworms have avoided brackish water, carrying 400m with it oxygenated waters the Baltic Sea due to its lower salt con- 300m into the Baltic basins —that tent. The Baltic therefore holds a number 200m is if the salty water can 100m of archaeological finds featuring wrecks creep up over the threshold Baltic Sea of wooden ships and structures that would topography 0 m in the Danish Straits (marked -20m not likely have survived were it not for the Vertical relief by a red line on map). -40m mild salinity levels of Baltic waters. exaggeration 100:1 -60m “This is one of the reasons why it was pos- When on occassion this intrusion -80m sible to find the royal warship Vasa, and fails—i.e. due to certain patterns -100m other large wooden vessels, in such excel- in weather and currents—oxygen -120m lent condition after centuries at the bot- depletion leading to widespread -140m tom of the sea,” explained Carl Olof Ced- bottom death due to anoxia in the -160m deeper parts of the Baltics may be erlund, professor of marine archeology at -180m immiment. Södertörn University College in Stockholm. Erik B j ur st röm

The topograpy of the Baltic salinity which is maintained as a result of Sea is key to understanding abundant freshwater runoff from the sur- A matter of rounding land, is a result of glacial melt- the unique features of this shal- water from the last ice age that ended low body of water, which was, about 10,000 years ago combining with Topography & Salinity as recently as the stone age, a an intrusion of saltwater from the North fresh water lake. Sea when the straits between Sweden Rivers, which exit Lake Vänern to the Lake. The lake was filled by glacial runoff, Ancylus and Denmark opened. Kattegat. Salt water did not enter the but as worldwide sea level continued Lake Text by Peter Symes Before the end of what is known as lake, however, which became entirely rising, saltwater again breached the around 8700 years the Weichsel glaciation, the Baltic was a fresh as the lake rose above sea level. sill about 10,000 years ago, forming a BP. Note The Baltic Sea, which occupies a basin fresh water lake name the Ancylus lake, The date at which the flow was certainly marine Littorina Sea, which was followed that the formed by glacial erosion during the which had no connection to the open blocked is about 8000 BP, when nearby by another freshwater phase before Danish last few ice ages, is the largest body sea. Some egress continued from the Lake Vättern (part of the waterway sys- the present brackish marine system was straits do of brackish water in the world. The low lake through the Göta and Steinselva tem) became dissevered from Ancylus established. ■ not yet exist W ikipedia / C reative C ommons

33 X-RAY MAG : 36 : 2010 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Painting portraying the sinking of the Kronan

Kronan (The Crown) became the flagship of the Swedish fleet in 1675. At noon of 1 June 1676, the warship—which was one of the largest ships at the time and Sweden’s first three-decker warship—capsized, explod- ed and sank during a battle between the Swedish and a Danish-Dutch joint fleet in what became known as the Battle of Öland. All but 42 of her 850 crew perished. Text and dive photos by Erik Bjurström The hull is broken apart, but a large section of the port shipside is intact and laying with the outside facing the bot- tom clay. The better- preserved parts of the wreck scott johnson have yielded scott johnson large quantities of artifacts. After two-thirds of the site had been ex- cavated, 20,000 objects had been catalogued. In 2005, a chest was salvaged from Kronan that contained 6,246 silver four-öre coins and 168 Kronan mark and thaler During the maneuvres, Kronan turned one of the greatest maritime disas- coins, all minted sharply against the enemy without ters in Swedish history. She rests at a in 1675. This is the largest closing her gunports or reefing her depth of 26m about six kilometers off homogeneous Swedish sails, and as she heeled over in the the coast of Öland. treasure found to date. strong southwest wind, water started During 2007’s excava- pouring into the gunports, capsiz- Excavation tions, lots of skeletal re- ing her. As she was sinking, a lamp The wreck of the Kronan was locat- mains were excavated in the gunpowder store allegedly fell ed in 1980 by marine archeologist, from the site. off its hook and ignited the gunpow- Anders Franzén, who had found Check out the exhibit der, causing a violent explosion. The the wreck of the Vasa in 1956. The regalskeppetkronan.se ■ ship sank quickly, taking all but 42 of ongoing excavation of the Kronan LEFT TO RIGHT: Diver inspects her 850 crew to a watery grave. The has become the largest underwater grave site; human skull on doom of the Kronan is considered archeological project in Sweden. Kronan; Wooden sculpture scott johnson on wreck; Detail of canon scott johnson 34 X-RAY MAG : 36 : 2010 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED The Baltic Sea showed itself at its best for a day Sweden travel in May. It was flat and glittering blue. Under water, it also looked good. We came down in very clear water, with at least 20m visibility. But there was no mistaking it for the Red Sea—it was cold, so cold that my heated underwear in my drysuit was a blessing.

Led by the charismatic Captain Francis Cromie, the British submarine flotilla became a vital element in the struggle taking place in Russia in 1917. In contrast to the headlines made by British submarines in the Gallipoli campaign, few people are aware that during the First Wolrd War, British submarines operated in the Baltic for three years under the most extreme conditions

Under the command of Lieutenant Commander Francis Cromie, the British Submarine E-19 was able to sink several German ships, most notably on the 11 October 1915, when she sank four German transport ships just south of Öland within a few hours and, remarkably, without any casualties.

Text and dive photos by Erik Bjurström

The shotline missed our target and we scene. Approaching along the bottom, reason, algae was growing only on the ended up on the flat bottom at 40m the bow looked enormous, as it rose caulking in between the teak ribs, creat- Erick cruz - scuba dogs (130ft). My compass and intuition took above us. The two big anchors were still ing a beautiful pattern. Two huge anchor me in a certain direction, and then I saw in place, draped in trawl-nets. We swam winches were standing on the deck. the bow of a big ship. The sun penetrat- over the rail onto the foredeck. It was A scene like this could probably only ed all the way down, and we could see very clean and in amazingly good condi- be witnessed in the Baltic. The proximity the whole vessel. It was a magnificent tion. The teak deck was intact. For some to the main trading route between east- ‘The U-boat Massacre’ — an almost unbelievable tale from the First World War

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CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT: Blue-striped grunt; Porkfish and grunts school together; Diver sheds torch light on giant sponges on a reef wall; Spotted moray eel (inset); Diver with green sea turtle cruising the reef off Cozumel

SS Nicomedia

ern and western Europe; the relatively A Gentleman’s shallow depth in open sea; the fact that Touch because of darkness, cold, low oxygen The English sub- levels and lack of woodworm, wrecks marine HMS E-19, are extremely well preserved—all this under the com- makes the island of Öland at the south- mand of Lt-Cdr east corner of Sweden one of the most Francis Cromie, interesting marine archaeological sites in was the last of five the world. subs to slip through With the excavation of the Kronan, the small strait of a 17th century man-of-war, came the Oresund and enter realisation that the conditions for diving the Baltic Sea in SS Valter Leonard in deep water in the open sea outside September 1915. Öland were excellent. Visibility deeper Its task was to disturb the iron ore traffic through October 1915 down is often like that of tropical waters, the Baltic that was vital to the German war effort. Cromie had a bad time in the south Baltic on 10 though the light can be poor because The command did something rather unheard of in October 1915. He attacked the German steamer of plankton at the surface. a war. He managed to destroy and sink five ves- Luleå, but not one of his four torpedoes had In shallow, coastal waters, the wrecks sels without using any torpedos, and without any- worked, and one had changed course and made get eroded by currents and storms. one getting hurt in the process! A myth was born, a turn aiming for his own vessel. The torpeo missed Soon, only a heap of timber, or a clean which the divers named, The U-Boat Massacre. E-19 by only 15m. He had had to write off the steel hull, remains. But deeper down, the action. But the next day, he would make up for it. wrecks are intact. And I mean intact, up to the funnel. In many, you can swim into the captain’s cabin and sit down at Because of darkness, his desk. The first spectacular find was made in cold, low oxygen 1982. These were vessels that were the levels and lack of victims in the E-19 or U-boat massacre. woodworm, wrecks A group of divers got a tip from a fish- erman about a big object on the sea- are extremely well floor ten nautical miles south of Öland. It preserved was the wreck of the German steamer, SS Nicomedia. Research into its history revealed a fascinating forgotten story from the First World War. E rik B j ü ström

The most beautiful and romantic of the wrecks Is the Gutrune, 97m long scott johnson 36 X-RAY MAG : 36 : 2010 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Diver inspects the wreck of the SS Gutrune in the travel Baltic Sea Sweden SS Walter Leonard Another ship, After identifying her as cedure of evacuating the Lying south of Öland at 8:30 am on 11 the SS Germania, crew before opening the October 1915, Cromie sighted the SS spotted the Walter German, Cromie politely valves was repeated. Time: Walter Leonard, a 1261-ton freighter Leonard going asked the crew to man the 3:00 pm. carrying iron ore and pulp to Germany. down and tried lifeboats, requested a passing After identifying her as German, Cromie to flee, but ran SS Nicomedia politely asked the crew to man the life- aground on the Swedish ship to pick them Just before dark, cromie boats, requested a passing Swedish ship coast. The crew up and at 11.15 sank Walter sighted his final victim, the to pick them up, and at 11:15 am, sank abandoned her SS Nicomedia, a steamer of the Walter Leonard with explosives. and E-19 went up Leonard with explosives. 4391 tons. The same procedure was alongside. repeated, but only after the boarding For an hour they crew had been invited to share a glass looted Germania of beer, and a barrel of beer had been and, after placing sent to the rest of E-19’s crew! All to no their explosives, went avail. Nicomedia suffered the same fate out to sea again. as the other four vessels. The crew man- Time: 1:00 pm. aged to reach shore in their lifeboats.

SS Gutrune Still drinkable E-19 had man- Immediately Cromie The beer story was still drinkable! The idea arose to sighted a new target, doesn’t end there. aged to destroy extract the yeast organisms and brew the SS Gutrune, an When diver Stefan five German ships in the same beer again. It was a success, impressive combined Fransson found one day, without using and the special “wreck beer” went on cargo and passen- cases of the beer sale in Sweden. ger steamer of 3039 on Nicomedia, torpedoes and without tons, heading for he found that it anyone getting hurt! Made the Front Pages Germany with iron The english submarine E-19 had man- ore. E-19 intercepted aged to destroy five German ships her, and once again, in one day, without using torpedoes the crew were asked and without anyone getting hurt. to leave their vessel, The sinkings made the front pages in to be picked up by a the local papers. But because they passing Swedish ship. were all foreign vessels in interna- Gutrune was sunk by tional waters, they were never put opening the bottom in any registers in Sweden and not valves. Only an hour noticed by wreck-searchers. had passed. Wreck Beer In 1999, some beer bottles Forgotten until 1982 SS Director from Nicomedia were re- The wrecks were for- Reppen­hagen covered. Perhaps this was gotten until 1982, While checking the the same beer that was when divers, nationality of another offered to E-19. The yeast Torleif Nilsson ship that turned out in the bottles was still alive and Sten to be Swedish, E-19 after all these years. It was Lindgren, sighted a fourth re-cultivated by Slottskäl- were tipped German ship, the lans bryggeri, a Swed- off by a fish- 1683-ton SS Director ish brewery, in 2000 and erman about Reppenhagen, laden sold as the “Wreck Beer”. a big object with iron ore. The Alas, this beer is no longer on the sea- by-now familiar pro- brewed. ■ floor south of Getting ready to dive the E-19 (above and bottom right) 37 X-RAY MAG : 36 : 2010 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Scan af SS Nicomedia. Leaving Oland, you can reach Nicomedia in an hour Captain Francis Cromie, a submarine commander at the age of 24, forged a was even a nice intact porcelain successful career attack- stove, though this has, sadly, now ing German shipping in the collapsed. Baltic Sea in 1915, despite The Walter Leonard is more the hazardous nature of eroded than the other wrecks, the climate and the feroc- but the stern is beautifully intact, ity of the German navy. with the big spare steering wheel During his three years in the nicely draped in algae. It is the Baltic, he became fluent in only wheel remaining on the four Russian and was decorated wrecks. three times by the czar of Russia. He also received the Oland. They found a wreck and hour. Built in 1901, 4391 tons and taken, it is heaven for the wreck End of E-19 and Cromie Distinguished Service Order. a bell with the name Nicomedia. 117m long, its deck is at 25m, photographer. It all depends The bloodless massacre off His murder in the British That name gave up the story. making it the shallowest of the on the time and the extent of Oland marked the end of embassy in 1918 came as Their research also gave the wrecks. The hull is completely the plankton bloom, which in Cromie’s luck in the Baltic. E-19 a shock and has retained approximate positions of the intact, and a visit to the engine turn depends on light and water and the other British subma- a tragic mystery until now. other wrecks. With more help room is a must. It has a complete temperature. The midships build- rines continued to operate from The author’s extensive from fishermen, they were able workshop with lots of tools and ing is only a shell, though stand- Russian bases in the Baltic, but research has revealed the to locate all four, with Director a nice engine telegraph on the ing upright. The sunrays passing without any more big victories. circumstances surround- Reppenhagen and Walter wall. May it continue to rest in through it create a beautiful light The E-19 was scuttled outside ing Cromie’s murder and Leonard found on the same day. peace. show. Helsinki in April 1918 to avoid it exposed facts about his The most beautiful and roman- On the Director Reppenhagen, falling into German hands. complex character and First class wreck dives tic of the wrecks is the Gutrune, 80m long and lying in 35m, the Francis Cromie ended his The Life of Captain Francis Cromie CB DSO his relationships with the The wrecks are first-class dive 97m long. When visibility is 20m, most remarkable sight is Captain days as a marine attaché in RN, 1882-1918 is available from Amazon Russians and the British sites and attract divers from all as it often is in May and June Spiegel’s cabin. All the wood is in Petrograd. He was shot on 31 Establishment. ■ over Sweden. Leaving Oland, and sometimes even in July, good shape, with intact panels August 1918 when Bolsheviks you can reach Nicomedia in an when the pictures here were and furniture. Until last year, there attacked the English embassy. ■

Gotland and Öland, the Located south of Gotland, Öland visitor who wants to experience World Heritage Site two large islands outside is a long, narrow island with end- the rare atmosphere and beauti- In the south of the island is the Gotland less flat plains and long white ful light and landscapes typical of peerless Alvaret, or limestone pla- Sweden’s east coast, are beaches. It is reached by the the island is recommended to visit teau, included on Unesco’s World both exclusive destina- town of Kalmar via the long Öland in spring or autumn, when nature Heritage List for its unique nature & Öland tions of unique scenic bridge. In the summer time, Öland is at its most beautiful, and peace, values, with a large number of beauty and rare atmos- is busy with holiday-makers, so a quiet and poetry rules. rare orchids, plants and spe- cies. The Långe Erik lighthouse phere, popular among and the Ottenby bird station on Swedish holiday-makers the southern cape is a favourite but less known by interna- destination for ornothologists from tional tourists. Both islands all around Sweden and Europe. In the cozy and picturesque town are among Sweden’s old- of Borgholm, and also in other est settlements, with some places around the island, there of the country’s oldest and are several attractive hotels and restaurants that are also open in most fascinating historical the off-season. ■ ilsson / sights. Source: www.visitsweden.com Gettlinge Gravefield, Stora Alveret, Öland C. M ichael ogan H - W ikipedia C ommons

U lf H uett -N J ohn é r - V isit S weden One of many beaches of Öland

38 X-RAY MAG : 36 : 2010 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Liveaboard Dive a selection of the best wrecks in Sweden, in style and comfort aboard the former minesweeper, M24. Text by Fredrik Isakson Photos by Stefan Hogeborn

I am about to embark the “Big M”, Lilly which is moored in the small port of First, we dive the Lilly, a wreck sitting Sandhamn—a small settlement in upright at 30m, which went down in the peripheral part of the Stockholm 1925. She is 48 meters long, and the Archipelago. I find only a few boats most prominent sight as you reach her left in the small port but once bustling is the large open cargo hold. Close to harbour. Fishing is a dying industry, it are the remains of a bilge pump that and there is little the small local dive worked so hard to prevent the sinking. tourism industry can do to remedy Visibility is good, and there is practical- that despite the fantastic diving in ly no current, so it’s just about having this region, which is exactly what I am fun. Lilly is a pleasant acquaintance. here for. Ahead of us lies some of the She has a beautiful skylight, many best wreck diving Sweden can offer. exciting holes and openings well-suit- ed for simple penetration, if you have No crowds the proper training. The Big M allows no more than nine guests, so there is never a crowd. As On a windy day always on a liveaboard you get close Half way through the trip, the wind to your fellow traveler-divers within no increases to a point were we have time. You quickly fall into a routine. to seek shelter. We leave Öland and Two dives a day. A proper lunch with head for Oskarshamn on the main- recipes taken directly from the mili- land and end up in the middle of a tary’s own cook book, which basically Harbour Festival. Loud music, dancing means a good old-fashioned Swedish on the streets and happy, drunk peo- Slow days on M24—you dive, you rest home-cooked meal that’ll fill you right ple all around. During the night, the up. wind increases further, so we decide to stay in port and join the party, as the sea is too rough for safe diving. Malmöhus Since we are on the inside of Öland, we intend to make an attempt to dive a paddle steamer, the The majestic bow of the Nicomedia Malmöhus. The visibility can be pretty mediocre between the able. The front salon was still in the okay, but from there on it deterio- mainland and Öland, process of being decorated, and ates with the water turning milky. As but the wreck is sup- to let the paint dry, the painters left we land amidships, the viz is down to posedly worth the two transverse bulkheads open. They half a meter at best. The light from our attempt. She went locked the door to the salon to pre- lamps disappears into the fog, and down on her maiden vent guests from wandering in by mis- we have to resort to finding our way trip, on 12 January take. It was windy, and water made around by touch. Needless to say, we 1882, for a pretty it into the salon, which kept on taking still get lost, so we decide to abort the dumb reason, which on water. And the rest is history... dive. We shoot off our safety sausage was easily prevent- Down to 20 meters the visibility is and commence our ascent.

39 X-RAY MAG : 36 : 2010 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel Sweden

Diver Christopher Zell having a beatiful day on the M24; The stern of the Nicomedia Skriner Humber Klockvraket We had better luck on the Another wreck, Humber, is one Another memorable dive is following wrecks. On the of the most beautiful wrecks Klockvraket, a wreck full of Skriner, my main lamp failed, I have visited. The visibility is bottles and porcelain. Some and I continued diving with crystal clear, and I could see of the bottles are still sealed. my back-up light as the main the entire ship before me This is an old ship and in a bit source. But light reaches when I reached 25m. I found of a mess. What’s so interest- down from the surface and the compass, it was covered ing about this wreck is how into the darkness of the deep, with silt, and when I brushed it one can see the entire dive so I actually get a really cool off, I could still see the details. site due to the incredible vis- overview of the wreck even The cargo is still intact, the ibility. though we are 28 meters hold contains scrap metal. below. As I looked up, I saw the Accept the weather The bowsprit sticks out chimneys majestic profile Diving around Öland is fan- from the wooden wreck, it stretch toward the surface. I tastic but also somewhat has some gorgeous wooden didn’t want to leave. On the temperamental with weather details carved on the stem. ascend line, I catch myself conditions that may put a halt Divers heading down towards the machine room, into the bowels of the Nicomedia On deck, I spot a prism, used smiling. That evening, as I lay to diving for a day or three. to spread light in the ship. A in bed, I think about the dive. But for what you might see, it On board, dive stories about previous As I looked up, I saw the chimneys majestic profile stretch toward the sur- unique sight, that’s usually one This is how diving should be, is worth the trip. For more infor- adventures are told, you’re logging your face. I didn’t want to leave. On the ascend line, I catch myself smiling. That of the first things taken from always—just perfect condi- mation, visit: www.m24.nu ■ dives and chilling between dives. There is an old wooden ship. tions, and an incredibly beau- lots of laughter. Stress is relieved, and your evening, as I lay in bed, I think about the dive. This is how diving should tiful wreck. day-to-day problems melt away. You are be, always—just perfect conditions, and an incredibly beautiful wreck. among your peers and all is good

40 X-RAY MAG : 36 : 2010 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED The Åland archipelago as seen from a ferry (below); At a depth of 50 meters, one will find the steering wheel of the Hindenburg (left) travelÅlandWrecks of Sail Ship Mecca

Åland consists of some 300 habitable islands and some When other nations began replacing their The islanders are proud of their heritage, 12,000 smaller islands, cliffs and sailing ships and investing in steamships, the so there are still many beautiful tall ships sail- rocks. The landscape is pristine, islanders of Åland went in the opposite direc- ing the waters around Åland. On any given practically untouched and tion. They bought old sailing ships cheap and day, you will find unique sailing ships above has a raw beauty to it. This is kept them sailing, transporting cargo from and below the surface. A good starting point a small self-governed commu- port to port. In many ways, they were inferior for a journey back in maritime history is the nity with only 27,000 Swedish to the steamships, but the windjammers car- Åland Maritime Museum and the museum’s speaking citizen in a region ried lots of sails and were still fast in windy sail ship, Pommern. of Finland. Due to its strategic conditions and had no expenses for fuel. location, many of the Baltic Some of them didn’t even have engines. Diving trade routes pass the islands Needless to say, they were fighting a battle Going with the locals does not only make both in the past and today. they were ultimately deemed to lose, but for for an obvious choice in a good guide, in Navigation in these waters has a little while longer, the majestic sailing ships Åland, it is also a requirement, according to always been difficult. In the kept sailing. the strict regulations for diving. near vicinity of Åland, there scott johnson are at least 500 known wrecks.

Text by Fredrik Isakson Underwater photos by Stefan Hogeborn

scott johnson 41 X-RAY MAG : 36 : 2010 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Another fantastic detail on scott johnson the Belliver, which was found Aerial photo during the discovery of S2 by of Åland by project leader Björn Rosenlöf travel Hannu Vallas Sweden Lundqvist recommends two spe- cific wreck dives: “Start with Plus, a really large sailing ship, a magnificent Diver Jonas Pavletic looks at the three-masted windjammer that went ship’s bell of the Hindenburg down in 1933. It is 75 meters long and standing at a slope with the stern at 17 meters and the stem at 32 meters with a 30-degree angle. The masts reach for the surface and all but a few details are intact. A few items from the wreck can be found at the museum, but everything else is still there. The steamer Belliver is also a great wreck.” The No-Touch Law One of many The fine condition of the details on wrecks is down to Åland’s the pristine unique law regarding Belliver shipwrecks which dic- tates that nothing is to be touched. Thanks to Ville Lundqvist is the strict enforcement of the owner of dive this no-touch law, most You may look but not touch center, Oceanic wrecks around Åland are Tech Åland, which is licensed to take divers to the wrecks. When asked why divers should come to Åland to dive, Lundqvist said: “It is one of the very few places on Earth where you can find wrecks with all wooden details intact and where all its artifacts remain onboard. It’s a time capsule of a past that you will have the opportunity to visit. Around Åland, there are more than 600 known shipwrecks, not all of which have been located yet. “We organize dive trips, and we visit about 30 different wrecks today. Most of the wrecks are from between the 19th and 20th centuries. We’ve got sailing ships, steamers and modern ships, but you won’t find many warships. Several Russian submarines have sunk in the area, but unfortunately, it’s prohibited to visit them, because they are declared war graves.” Many beautiful tall ships are still sailing the waters around Åland

42 X-RAY MAG : 36 : 2010 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED A reserve compass on the travel Belliver Sweden far more interesting than wrecks guard controls elsewhere. all the waters by The legistation, which dates radar, and they back to 1974, states it is unlaw- check the div- ful to collect any artefacts or ing boats. This tamper with the wrecks. To ensure law has been that the divers abide by the law, respected during divers can’t dive on their own but the last 35 years. It must go with dive operators who means that, more are required to obtain a license or less, everything to dive in waters that belong to is still down on the Åland. No penetrations of wrecks wrecks.” are allowed either. There are only a few certified dive centers Plus allowed to arrange diving on the Plus, a three- wrecks. masted windjam- Some wrecks are limited in mer, was on its terms of how many visits a year way from London the centers can do. For example, to its home har- only 12 visits per year are allowed bor on Åland, at the icebreaker, Hindenburg. All Mariehamn, when it ran into Beliver like she is still sailing. All the details these rules might seem annoying, bad weather and poor visibil- Lundqvist described the wreck of such as ship bells, compasses, tel- but it gives Åland some unique ity. The captain signaled for a the Belliver as “a fairly new steamer egraphs are still there, on deck.” wreck diving features. In addition, pilot but received no assistance found in 2009”. Lundqvist added, the absence of trawling in the and decided to continue to “She is 60m long, and she is unbe- Hindenburg area means no fishing nets have Mariehamn nonetheless. He could lievable! She stands on the bottom The Hindenburg served as an ice- destroyed the wrecks. hardly see ahead through the 30 meters down, and she looks breaker for the German Navy, and dense fog, and just 100 meters Radar enforced from shore, the vessel rammed a “The license is given to local dive shoal, which ripped out the bot- centers, like mine, so they may tom. She went down in a matter bring divers out to the dive sites”, of seconds taking 12 men with Lundqvist explained. “The coast her. Only four survived. There are so many interest- ing details on the Plus, but Diver Tor do check out Jörgensborg the stem with documents the its violin-like fig- findings on one urehead. The of the first dives on the Belliver masts still have all the rigging details, and the skylights gives Even sailors you a chance have to take to peek inside. a dump Dive depth is 17-32 meters.

The Pommern Mariehamn. Photo by Annica Jensson Skinny-dipping off the coast of Åland, a favorite local past-time. Photo by Daniel Eriksson 43 X-RAY MAG : 36 : 2010 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel Sweden was changed to Frock, and as any Other wrecks naval history buff knows, chang- The wrecks lie in the depth range ing a ship’s name means bad luck, of 10 -120m. All the wrecks have all indeed. In this case, it came in the their wooden details intact and are shape of a close encounter with a in very good condition, so it is like German submarine. diving in a maritime museum. Since Åland was a part In only Lundqvist said, “We have of the Russian Grand two hours, a team of enthusiasts who Duchy at that time, search for wrecks. In August and the German cap- we picked 2009, we made our last tain found the Helge/ up three new search before the winter, Frock carrying cargo for following a tip from a local the Russian military, he wrecks on fisher. In only two hours, we decided to sink it with our sidescan picked up three new wrecks explosives and without on our sidescan sonar! This futher ado, she was sent sonar! was amazing and out of to the seabed 51 meters the ordinary, as we sometimes below. The wreck is 61 meters long spend whole days without finding and has a beam of 8.5 meter. anything. some cruisers used her to shield “This is a really good wreck, and “The wrecks are lying on depths them from mines. The arrange- an excellent technical dive. She between 85-120 meter. We have ment worked out good for the is in very good shape.” Lundqvist identified one of the wrecks as the cruisers but Hindenburg hit a explained. “You can really feel how lost steamer, Centric. She was built mine, which blew a big hole in time has stood still. On the wreck, in Glasgow in 1903 and struck a the bow, and she went under, you’ll artifacts still in place, as if the mine in 1915. Now, she is standing taking three of the crew with her. ship sank yesterday, such as ship with the bow on the bottom at 106 Now she is a beautiful wreck, bells, wheels, telegraphs and many meters and the stern at 85 meters. 51m long with a beam of 13m. more items,” he said. She is in very good condition. We The wreck is full of details, brass are planning to do some more all over, porcelain, engine tele- documentation this graphs and a huge prop. The bot- season, as well as try tom is at 47m and average diving to identify the other depth is around 40m. It is a bit on two wrecks,” said the deep side for sport divers but Lundqvist. is a commendable dive. If you There are so many are a tech diver, use helium, so reasons to dive in you remember what you see. It the waters around is also cold and dark, and while Åland, and the rest Åland generally has excellent vis- of the Baltic, not ibility, it is not always the case. So one of them hav- be prepared, plan accordingly, ing anything to do and dive within your limits. The with fish. But expect Baltic is not like the tropics. one thing: after a trip here, any other Helge wreck you visit might Another beautiful wreck is the just feel like a pile of Helge, an old wooden sailing junk. steamer from the 1869. She had The editors wish to three masts; the early steamers thank Ville Lundqvist, were constructed so they could Oceanic Tech Åland also make use of the wind. Just a and Divealand.com ■ month before she sank, her name A ship’s watch on the Helge 44 X-RAY MAG : 36 : 2010 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Freshwater crayfish, A 90-year-old which is regarded as sewing machine a local delicacy, may from Husqvarna be fished during five — goods from Sweden weekends in August the wreck of the The Lakes and September steamer, Per Brahe

the lack of shipworm and the low levels of oxygen at depth, which makes for a near perfect environment for those old wooden wrecks. The wreck sites include the steamer, Per Brahe, which sank in 1918 taking with it the famous Swedish painter and illustrator John Bauer and his family who all perished. The boat was salvaged, but to this day wreckage is still lying scattered on the seabed at 35m. Some dive sites are a given to visit, such as the wrecks of Ulrika, Måsen (The Seagull), Hajen (The Shark) and Kung Ring (The Ring King). They are located at reasonable depths and in areas which make them suitable for most divers. Life Vättern is Sweden’s second largest lake. With merchant and pas- The lake provides a pris- senger ships crossing it, there’s bound to be a wreck or more tine and stunning under- water environment. throughout the years. The fresh water has kept them well pre- There is not an awful served. The underwater landscape is dramatic, with steep walls, lot of fish life, but there and divers ranging from beginner level to advanced can find are a lot of crayfish in something interesting here. Visibility is always good, but the very the fall as well as pike, perch, salmon, char cold water preserving the wrecks in the lake also makes great and trout. demands on the divers and their equipment. scott johnson Text by Fredrik Isakson and Peter Andersson Ready to rock and roll Photos by Peter Andersson

The diving is mostly done on the East side and at the municipalities of Ödeshög and Motala. At Ödeshög, we find wall diving with big boulders lying on a number of ledges. These ledges are like a gigantic stairway down to 70m. Most of the many well-preserved wooden wrecks that have been found in the lake are located in the vicinity of Motala—a little town on the eastern shore of Lake Vättern, which is regarded as the main centre of both the Göta Canal and the surrounding lake region. The fine state of preservation is due to

Ebatus et; C. Mae occhica edicient per 45 X-RAY MAG : 36 : 2010 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel Circumstances his regulator rig without a prob- Visibility in the lake is around 10m. lem. It was a decision that would Temperature is on the cool side, come back to haunt him later. and at depth, is usually outright We decided to start with Hajen frigid. The lake is deep, and after (The Shark), a wreck not too far two months of persistent icecover outside the port of Hjo. In the har- during the winter, it takes many bor, there was this hole-in-the-wall weeks before the lake warms up joint that sold smoked and fresh again. fish. Peter picked up some treats A deep freshwater lake is a little for us, and off we went. bit more demanding on regula- Outside the protection of the tors than the open sea, as the salt harbor, the waves were high. The in seawater counteracts freezing lake is known for it rapid changes to some extent. And with no salt in weather. One moment the present in the lakes, equipment surface may completely still and failure might come sooner than smooth, and an hour later, the later, which should be taken into lake is brimming with large, pow- consideration. Using a twin set of erful waves. The lake is a long regulators is recommended. one. The waves build up along the length of it, with nothing to Going diving stop them from growing. Good Accompanying me on my seamanship is surely a require- Burbot (Lota lota) from the old french, barbot, is the only freshwater gadiform (cod-like) fish. It is most upcoming dive was my buddy, ment in these parts. common in streams and lakes of North America and Europe above 40°N latitude. They are edible Alex Dawson, and our hosts, Peter We reached our destination Peltonen and Eva Lindahl, from and made our way down the of the hull reached up above Bronze Age site I saw submerged the local dive store, Oxygene, line to the wreck. The water was the mud. The masts stuck up like That evening, we opted for a stumps of trees that located in the city of Hjo. They clear, blueish-green and icy cold. toothpicks stretching for the sur- more protected site an archeo- grew on land 2,500 urged us to use an extra second Hajen was carrying a cargo of face. It was actually really pretty. logical site from the Bronze Age, years ago, and I stage. Alex declined the offer. He bricks and sunk deep into the silty Then Alex’s regulator started free- starting at four meters below tried to picture life has done numerous ice dives with bottom; only about one meter flowing. Time to abort the dive and located outside the city of back then and how and admit that the locals Huskvarna. Part of it was still not they made offerings were right. Always heed the excavated. Over the millenia, to the gods right advice given by the locals. Vättern sort of “tipped”, due to here. Crayfishes in assymmetric land rise with water abundance kept us now covering what was once company during the Then Alex’s regu- areas of dry land areas. dives. Spring was on We dived on a stone struc- its way. Stump of a tree that grew on land 2,500 years ago lator started free- ture surrounded by a bog. It was The weather had flowing. Time to assumed that this was a gravesite, cleared up, and the since human bones were discov- late evening sun brightened The author wishes to thank Ulf abort the dive and ered here. A number of weapons my mood, and I remembered Långström, Ulf Kajhammar, Peter admit that the and other valuables were also why I loved diving. Vättern has Peltonen, Eva Lindahl, Johanna found in the bog—several of so much to offer. Tomorrow Johansson, Håkan Petterson and all locals were right. them by divers. was another day, and we other helpful people he met. There should be more finds had many dives ahead of us. from the Viking Age, as well I had hardly seen anything Oxygene, Jönköping, where contrib- The Greve Rosén is a as the Bronze Age, on this site. yet. Maybe there was a wreck uting photographer Peter Andersson type of vessel that was Just remember: anything found out there with my name on it, is based, organizes trips several times typical for Lake Vättern in belongs to Sweden and is pro- somewhere, some place. ■ a week and offers training from entry the late 1800’s - earlying tected by law. level to instructor as well as the full DSAT 1900’s. Standing at 42m, program from Tec 40 to Tec Trimix. it is relatively undived

46 X-RAY MAG : 36 : 2010 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED A talk with Carl Douglas Deep Sea Productions

Text by Millis Keegan. Photos by Jonas Dahm. The Baltic Sea may not boast great visibility, but it is famous for its many pristine wrecks, some of which are centuries old. Only a few will ever have the opportunity to experience these astounding time capsules, but through the book, Shipwrecks of the Baltic, you get a glimpse of one of the most well-kept secrets in the diving world: that in the Baltic Sea, you’ll find the most spectacular wreck dive sites in the world.

The book, Shipwrecks of the Baltic, is the Björn researched and wrote the text. Carl result of a project that has been in the and Jonas led a group of experienced works for five years. The main goals of the divers who explored the wrecks, and project were to find, dive and document Jonas took all of the underwater images. ships lost in the Baltic Sea and to tell their The book was produced by Deep Sea stories. Productions, a Swedish company that pro- It was quite an undertaking performed duces documentary films and now also by Björn Hagberg, Jonas Dahm and Carl books. As it happens, Carl is also a friend Douglas. Jonas and Carl worked to find of mine, so naturally it falls upon me to talk wrecks—with the help of marine survey to him about this book. company MMT AB. Marine archaeologist

The artifacts found bear such strong evidence of long lost stories from the past. It is impossible not to be affected but what you see

MK: Now Carl, I think that this me saying it, I also think the book CD: Yes. Of course, all of those book is a true testament to the is a true testament to you guys, wrecks are not as interesting fact that sunken ships are time and to your dedication. And as the ones you will see in the capsules with great stories to tell. speaking of dedication, is it true book, but we have found a lot That is, if you have the patience that you managed to find over a of wrecks—and keep on find- and the skills to find both the hundred wrecks over the course ing them. The Baltic is such a wrecks and the stories, of course. of five years? treasure-trove of shipwrecks— With that said, if you don’t mind many tens of thousands of them,

47 X-RAY MAG : 36 : 2010 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel Sweden according to the more careful another aspect emerges—that credit me for that. There are a lot CD: I really think that his images estimates, and most of them are is, to tell the stories so that those of interesting post- and pre- war are some of the best wreck pho- incredibly well-preserved. The lost will not be forgotten. This has facts in the book tied in with the tography ever. However, Jonas is thing that strikes most visitors is the become very important to us— most amazing underwater images a very private guy who prefers his preserved wood. In the Baltic, we that these forgotten stories be taken by Jonas Dahm. The pic- images to speak for themselves. do not have shipworm, so basi- told. tures speak volumes about the cally all wood is preserved. tragic cost of that era, and I can MK: Right. Okay, we will leave But once one starts to look into MK: Forgotten stories—there’s your honestly say that his images are it at that then. But I agree with the stories behind the wrecks, title for the next book! Be sure to spectacular! Who is this guy? you. Those are some world-class

Carl Douglas images. The clarity is astonish- found his calling ing. How do you manage that as an historian in such a sensitive environment? and cold water- I mean, one wrong move inside diver, but he one of those wrecks, and the vis- also has a soft ibility will be gone for a decade, side for warm right? What is the most difficult water-diving part of photography under these conditions? Seriously, what is the secret? The team acknowledge that not all CD: Obviously, the quality is the wrecks are as result of many factors. First, we photogenic as need to find wrecks that are the ones in the “photogenic” in an area of the book, but that sea where there is good visibility. doesn’t mean Then, I have to say that Jonas’ that they don’t sheer ability as a diver is also bring something very important. He goes every- significant to his- where inside wrecks. There is a tory and should be explored fur- reason you don’t see very many ther good images of engine-rooms! But Jonas does it. On many of the images, another factor is also important, and that is team- work—both for modelling and setting light. Since we have dived together now for about a dec- ade, we know what we want to do. We talk a lot about what kind of images we like and how to create them. It’s a very creative environment in the group. I also think the environment we

48 X-RAY MAG : 36 : 2010 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Sweden

The book is available in five languages

we have researched them for many years and really know the stories, such as the Route of Death wrecks (the Steuben, Goya and Wilhelm Gustloff), the WWI cruiser, Prinz Adalbert, and the Soviet WWII submarines. Others are more anonymous in the greater scheme of things, but are nonetheless fascinating to explore and to try to figure out their story. Some are

Team member Jonas dive in helps. and I have chosen the chapter based on Dahm rigging up The dark- that for our readers. Which chapter and ness in the what pictures are you most proud of and surroundings why? helps create the mysterious feeling CD: Difficult question. For me, there are in the images. Furthermore, the lack so many feelings associated with the text of colour helps to focus attention to and with every image. All the joy and all the overall shapes rather than the the hard work over the years. The images, details. All this brings forward the in particular, bring it all back. The images wreck itself. This is an effect that we from the Aachen are some of my favour- very much appreciate. ites as well. It is a fantastic wreck to dive as well—and that’s really my focus: the diving. MK: And so you should. Every dive on these wrecks is like crossing Enough buttering... I have a into another time. favourite wreck, Aachen, Some wrecks have meaning because It is like time stood still. You almost expect someone to walk into the room any minute 49 X-RAY MAG : 36 : 2010 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel Sweden

beautiful ships, some have wooden carv- passengers. However, nothing could guess we just wanted to take our div- visiting the wrecks; we try to figure them ings, some have nice interiors, some have have prepared us for the sight that we MK: To do something of this magnitude ing to another level—to see whether we out and try to get “inside” their stories. interesting engine-rooms, some have encountered on the seabed 75m/260 ft requires a lot of resources and commit- could. But it was also a gradual thing: we MK: Thank you so much for your time, details that somehow capture our inter- below. We had maybe 40m/130 ft vis- ment. I am assuming everyone works on started diving, then we started looking for and I hope our readers will enjoy this est and others are just attractive for rea- ibility, so when we came down in front their own time, juggling a day job and wrecks together, dove some more. Then, glimpse into the depth and the his- sons we don’t fully understand ourselves. of the bridge, we saw the whole bow- maybe a family? The logistics alone must we brought in the guys from MMT and tory of the Baltic Sea as much as we Still, some of these wrecks manage to area of this beautiful old liner resting on be a nightmare! What prompted you really started looking, dove some more, do. The book is available in Russian, surprise us. One of my favourite dives was her port side. Very Titanic-like. There is a guys to do this project? then we said, “Hmmm, this could be a Finnish, Swedish, German and English. our first dive on the Steuben, the sum- particular stillness about shipwrecks that book.” For the other language versions, contact mer after we found her. We were really often belies the violence behind their CD: Yes, this is a project that is all about This creative process, while doing DeepSea.se. ■ charged up about diving this wreck, loss. Very true in this case. For me this was passion. Certainly not logic. We had something difficult and working together and to tell the story of the plight of her a magic moment. been diving together for a few years. I in a group, is really the key. We’re not just TOP: No matter how prepared the divers are before the dive, the sights still amaze them 50 X-RAY MAG : 36 : 2010 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED The sinking of the Prinz Adalbert made the headlines, telling the story of how only three of 675 travel crewmembers survived Sweden Lithuania. When the torpedo struck, chant marine suffered losses. To begin the reverberations of the resulting with, it was ships in the North Sea that explosion made it sound as though were blown up in the dense minefields, the entire sea had split apart. but soon her ships in the Baltic would The torpedo had struck the ship’s suffer losses as well. News reached magazine, and the vessel was Sweden in December 1914 that three torn in two. Parts large and small Swedish ships, the Everilda, the Luna and rained down from the sky, and an the Norra Sverige, had been blown up enormous pillar of smoke hundreds by mines north of Åbo. The ships had of metres high was the last of the tripped German mines, and 42 Swedish vessel to be seen. Of 675 crew- sailors were killed. members, only three survived. The The continued laying of minefields sinking of the Prinz Adalbert was was putting shipping increasingly at risk. the largest loss ever suffered by the Six months later the Swedish steamship German Baltic fleet at that point. Hermodia disappeared in the Sea of The freedom of movement of the Åland, followed in rapid succession by neutral countries at sea had been the Dutch ship Ceres and the Danish respected at the beginning of the vessel Ely. The conflict in the Baltic was

the alarm of the submarine commander, no attempt was made to ram her. The crews of the German ships were convinced that their col- league had sunk as a result of an EXCERPT FROM CHAPTER 3 OF: transport cargo while also serving as exploding mine and never THE FIRST WORLD WAR minesweepers. The submarine attacked detected the presence of —NEW WEAPONS FOR A NEW AGE the leading vessel and hit it with a tor- the E1. These events were pedo. The cargo hold immediately filled reported a few days later Text by Björn Hagberg with water, while the engine-room and in the Swedish newspaper Photos by Jonas Dahm the boiler also started to flood. Fifteen Gotlands Allehanda. Some minutes later the ship had sunk. of the wreckage had drifted GERMAN SETBACKS Immediately after the attack, the sub- ashore: doors and parts of Both the German navy and its mer- marine turned up toward the second the telegraph cabin, bed- chant marine lost many vessels early on. vessel but was forced to dive too deep clothes, a mattress and a Some went down as a result of mines, at the decisive moment for launching lifebuoy bearing the legend while others were subject to submarine an attack, as the third boat was head- “Aachen-Bremen” – which attacks. ing straight at the submarine in what made it possible to identify On 30 July 1915, the captain of the seemed to be an obvious attempt to the ship. British submarine E1 sighted a convoy ram her. Regardless of the heavy seas, A much greater catastrophe in human war, but – as the war escalated – the largely over the trade in Sweden’s near the Latvian port of Libau. It con- the two vessels remaining in the con- terms would occur when the British sub- rules were tightened and the threat-level iron ore. Just as would be the case in sisted of three vessels that had been voy managed to save all but five of the marine E8 sank the German armoured increased. Only a few months after the the Second World War, Germany was specially equipped by the Germans to crew of the torpedoed vessel. Despite cruiser Prinz Adalbert off the coast of outbreak of the war, the Swedish mer- dependent on deliveries of iron from

51 X-RAY MAG : 36 : 2010 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Submarine warfare in the Baltic was very successful and DC3 on a spy mission shot made a significant Sweden dent in the ship- down during the cold war ping of materials to the war-faring countries

Sweden. Protecting these vital imports became the main task of the German Baltic fleet. War in the Baltic escalated with an expansion of On June 13, 1952, a Swedish military DC-3 submarine warfare and the ongoing lay- German warships that had been carrying out signals intelligence gather- ing of minefields. The Allies attempted to laying mines in the Gulf of Finland ing operations over the Baltic Sea for the block all marine transports to and from had relayed its planned return Swedish National Defense Radio Estab- Germany, which responded by increas- route to its home base in Danzig. lishment, disappeared over international ing submarine attacks. The escalation of The telegram was intercepted by waters east of the island of Gotland. hostilities between the opposing blocs units of the Russian navy and the The USSR denied shooting down the DC-3, would pose an ever-greater threat to the hunt was soon in full cry. but a few days later, a life raft with Soviet shipping of the neutral countries. On the morning of 2 July, thick shell shrapnel was found in the area. In banks of fog were drifting across 1956, while meeting with the Swedish Prime THE ALBATROSS AFFAIR the Baltic. Onboard the German Minister Tage Erlander, Soviet leader Nikita The neutrality Gustav V, the Swedish king, mine-cruiser Albatross all was Khrushchev admitted that the Soviet Union had so solemnly guaranteed proved peace and quiet. On the bridge had shot down the the plane although that information was not released difficult to sustain. Violations became Karl Bühler, the ship’s second to the public at the time. both more frequent and more difficult to officer, had the watch and kept overlook. The war would even be carried in constant touch with the other In 1991, the out on Swedish territory in the summer of vessels in the German squadron. Soviet Air 1915. This event has come to be known All of a sudden, he spotted a Force publi- as the Albatross affair. A squadron of foreign vessel among the swirling cally ac- mists and the knowledged it next moment all had shot hell broke loose. down the DC- A couple of hun- 3. The dred metres from remains the Albatross, of the two shells struck downed the water, and DC-3 Bühler rapidly were realised that found they were sur- by a rounded by four Swedish hostile craft. company in the summer of 2003. Inspection revealed The Albatross bullet holes that proved the plane was shot made for the island of attackers into following them, away from barded the Albatross, one shot after down by a MiG-15 fighter. The exact time Gotland at top speed in their poorly armed and slower comrade. the other lacerating the German vessel. was also determined, as one of the clocks an attempt to seek the But their Russian attackers decided to fol- Some three thousand shells were fired, in the cockpit had stopped at 11:28:40 CET. safety of Swedish waters. low the Albatross in­stead. Four fast and and no one believed that the boat could The other German ships heavy Russian armoured cruisers against remain afloat. Water poured in through Link to official Swedish report chose a different tack one mine-laying cruiser – the outcome two huge holes, one in the stern and in the hope of luring the could not be in doubt. The Russians bom- one on the port side. Listing ever more

52 X-RAY MAG : 36 : 2010 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel Sweden

The symbolism found in Jonas Dahm’s compositions is stunning

Swedish waters. both of violently, the Albatross could overturn at ed on the beaches of Gotland, The war would not in fact come which any moment. the local population flocked any closer than this, but vessels were vital Early that morning the ship managed to see it. They were confronted continued to be lost and the dif- to the nevertheless to reach the Eastern coast by dreadful scenes. Dead and ficulties faced by the ships of the continu- of Gotland and sought shelter behind the wounded men lay everywhere, neutral countries would only get ation of little island of Östergarnsholm. Her Russian although the worst sight was of worse. The war at sea became hostilities. persecutors, however, refused to give shocked and bloodstained sail- more brutal, with the hostile coun- At the up and continued to bombard her. The ors wandering around the ship tries only occasionally respect- same lighthouse staff on the little outcrop was that had been shot to pieces. ing ships designated as neutral time, this forced to flee in haste as the shells flew That same evening, 26 crewmen while the minefields continued to trade was over their building. The Albatross could were buried in the cemetery on expand. a source no longer manoeuvre, and she was tak- Östergarn. The Swedish govern- Sweden managed to remain out- of income for Sweden where many peo- ing in a great deal of water. The com- ment made a forceful protest to side the war and her neutrality was ple earned huge sums from the war. mander finally gave the order to use the its Russian counterpart. An apol- preserved, despite further violations. Despite the vessels that had been sunk, last dregs of power in the steam engine ogy came by return of post and But this was neutrality understood the iron ore transports had to be pre- to drive the boat up on to the beach. an explanation that has become in the most generous sense of the served at all costs, since they were far The shooting stopped for good then, and legion in Swedish-Russian rela- term. Sweden continued to deliver too profitable to stop. Those who had to the Russian vessels quickly left the area. tions – errors in navigation were iron ore to the Germans and timber pay the price would end up at the bot- With a German mine-boat now strand- the cause of the violation of to the British during the entire war, tom of the Baltic Sea.” ■ Stuck in time 53 X-RAY MAG : 36 : 2010 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED the trip, in summer time in particular, or try an adventure or two, like a Seal Safari, kayaking or island hoping in the archipelago, or along the bridges down by the docks, maybe some lobster eating tasty crab, shrimp and lobsters, The West Coast is a very popular fishing. drinking lots of beer, eating more great Summer time sea food and singing silly songs. Swedes destination among those divers who means hanging love to sing silly songs when they’ve had have no regard for the wrecks and out and partying a few. sparse marine life of the Baltic Sea. with the Swedes The further north you go, the more And the contrast stands out—the in eclectic hole-in- diverse diving you get. There are lots the-wall restaurants of small picturesque coastal villages West Coast is teeming with life.

Text by Millis Keegan Photos by Stein Johnsen

What can one expect to find among the 8,000-island archi- pelago and the fiords is a rocky underwater landscape with seaweed swaying in crevices, lobster, variety of crabs, variety of sea anemones, star- fishes, cod, coalfish, mackerel, flatfish and eel. One can also find jellyfish, Dead Man’s Hand, some sharks—if you are lucky and in the right place at the right time. The same goes for octopus. The variety is there. There is more to the West Coast than diving. The landscape alone is worth

The West Coast CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Mouth of anemone; Arms of anemone; Detail of soft corals; Wolf eel; Delicate fronds of soft coral with tunicates; Grouper (inset); Serene Västkusten scene on the West Coast of Sweden 54 X-RAY MAG : 36 : 2010 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Traditional little red huts dot the coastline of the West travel Coast of Sweden Sweden

ecologically unique fiord of Gullmarn. days. Walk along the bridge, shop, eat, Diving tourism as well as a High School drink and chill. That’s what you do here. teaching special programs in marine biology has developed in this area of Väderöarna very beautiful red granite cliffs. Learn Direct translation of its name is “The more about what you can expect to Weather Islands”, which is an appropri- find in the fiord by visiting Havets Hus, ate name. The islands are located in “the House of the Ocean”. the outer band of the archipelago and www.havetshus.lysekil.se quite exposed to the weather. They are a very popular must-dive site. The Kungshamn/Smögen islands are home to a large seal colony. For after-dive activity in Smögen, the The seals sometimes spend time playing one and only place to hang out in is on pecka-boo with divers. the Smögen Bridge. One end starts at the fish hall and runs a kilometer long on The Koster Fjord/Kosterhavet the south side of the old fishing dock, Marine National Park but don’t expect any early fish auctions A coldwater coral reef was found not any more. That is done by Internet these too long ago in the Koster Fjord. The

and towns where you can dive and enjoy life. Marstrand, Lysekil, Kungshamn/Smögen, Tanumstrand, Grebbestad and Strömstad are all great places to find a dive center. Pick your location or three. Every place has it’s own charm. The rea- son is because the Gulf Stream makes a little turn here and hit a lit- tle bit of Sweden. The mixing of cold and warm water creates excellent conditions for any marine life. Don’t miss Väderöarna; It is often said to as having the best diving the West Coast can offer. Lysekil Is a very small, but interesting, com- munity that has grown around the

Diver inspects large anemone on rocky landscape under the waves (above); mathias corvallo Sea pens sway in the current (left) 55 X-RAY MAG : 36 : 2010 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED Electric blue flashes from the patterned scales of Sweden travel a cuckoo wrasse (Labrus bimaculatus); Close-ups of anemones (right and below center)

We found this fantastic video of Kosterhavet Marine National Park by Knut Bergsten, includ- ing Väderöarna. Scroll down to “Missing Summer”at: www. explorewestsweden.com Kullen, South Sweden The best dive site for marine life in the south is Kullen. Kullen is a very distinct peninsula with a rocky, craggy shore that continues under water. Currents bring nutri- ents to the marine life that thrives here, particularly during summer and autumn. Expect to find shore

deepwater coral Lophelia per- found only in this area, such tusa was a remarkable find, as the firework anemone which earned the fjord the sta- Pachycerianthus multi- tus of becoming Sweden’s first plicatuss, the pink shrimp Marine National Park. Well, that, Pandalus borealis, the sea plus there are 200 unique species cucumber Parastichopus

tremulus, the northern stone crab crabs, hermit crabs, jellyfish, Lithodes maja, and a couple of dead mans hand, lots of rare sharks (Velvet Belly Shark flounders, and on a good and Greenland Shark). More day, sea trout, cod, mullets information on Kosterhavet.se. and more. ■

Kayaking can be enjoyed Close-up of a scallop on the West Coast after a with its many eyes good day of diving 56 X-RAY MAG : 36 : 2010 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED LEFT: Hallristningar symbols are pre- runic symbols Kiruna found in rock Norwegian carvings in Sea Arctic Circle fact file Sweden. Sweden RIGHT: Location of Sweden on global map FAR RIGHT: NORWAY Umeå Map of source: cia.gov world factbook Sweden Scuba-doc.com

Sundsvall History During the 17th century, mountains in the west. Lowest Environmental Protocol, Antarctic- Exchange rates: Gulf of Sweden was a military power. point: reclaimed bay of Lake Marine Living Resources, Antarctic 1EUR=9.62SEK; Bathnia However, for two centuries, the Hammarsjon, near Kristianstad Treaty, Biodiversity, Climate 1USD=7.21SEK; from FINLAND Gävle Åland nation has not been involved in -2.4m. Highest point: Kebnekaise Change, Climate Change- 1GBP=11.05SEK; agri- Islands any wars. Sweden managed to 2,111m. Coastline: 3,218 km. Note: Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, 1AUD=6.65SEK; culture. Uppsala preserve armed neutrality during Sweden has a strategic location Endangered Species, Environ- 1SGD=5.26SEK Sweden sus- Karlstad both World Wars. In the 1990s, along Danish Straits linking Baltic mental Modification, Hazardous tained economic STOCKHOLM Sweden’s long-successful eco- and North Seas. Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Economy Under a mixed sys- growth, encouraged by strong Örebro nomic formula of a capitalist sys- Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, tem of high-tech capitalism and exports and increased domes- Linköping Oxelösund tem interlarded with substantial Climate is temperate in the Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber comprehensive welfare benefits, tic demand, until 2008. A reform Göteborg welfare elements was challenged south with cold, cloudy winters 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands, Sweden has achieved an envi- program aimed at increasing Borås Gotland by high unemployment and eco- and cool, partly cloudy summers. Whaling. able standard of living, aided by employment, reducing welfare Kalmar LAT. nomic downturns in 2000-02 and Sweden has subarctic climate in peace and neutrality for all of the dependence, and streamlining Öland 2009. Over the past several years, the north. Natural hazards: ice Population 9,059,651 (July 20th century. The nation benefits the state’s role in the economy Helsingborg fiscal discipline has allowed the floes in the surrounding waters, 2009 est.) Ethnic groups: indig- from a modern distribution system was implimented by the govern- Kristianstad Baltic LITH. country to get through economic particularly in the Gulf of Bothnia, enous population: Swedes; Finnish and excellent external and inter- ment. Even with robust finances DEN. Malmö Sea Bornholm fluctuations. In 1995, Sweden which can interfere with maritime and Sami minorities; foreign- nal communications as well as a and underlying fundamentals, RUS. joined the EU, but its people traffic. born or first-generation immi- skilled labor force. In September the Swedish economy fell into rejected the introduction of grants including Finns, Yugoslavs, 2003, Swedish citizens rejected recession in late 2008 with growth Hyperbaric Chamber the euro in a 2003 referendum. Environmental issues Acid Danes, Norwegians, Greeks, Turks. entry into the euro system due continuing to slow with the global Karolinska sjukhuset (Stockholm) Government: constitutional mon- rain damages soils and lakes and Religions: Lutheran 87%, other reli- to concern about the impact of economic downturn. Industry: 08-517 700 00 archy. Capital: Stockholm. pollution is a problem in the North gions including Roman Catholic, the move on sovereignty and the iron, steel, precision equipment, Karlskrona lasarett 0455-731000 Sea and the Baltic Sea. Sweden Orthodox, Baptist, Muslim, Jewish, economy, which leans heavily on wood pulp, paper products, pro- Geography Sweden is located is party to agreements includ- and Buddhist 13%. Internet users: foreign trade in primarily timber, cessed foods, motor vehicles. Websites in Northern Europe and borders ing: Air Pollution, Air Pollution- 8.1 million (2008) hydropower, and iron ore. Ninety Agriculture: barley, wheat, sugar Sweden Tourism the Baltic Sea, the Gulf of Bothnia, Nitrogen Oxides, Air Pollution- percent of industrial output is pro- beets, meat, milk. Natural resourc- www.visitsweden.com/sweden ■ Kattegat and Skagerrak, and lays Persistent Organic Pollutants, Air Language Swedish, small num- duced by privately owned firms es: iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, between Finland and Norway. Pollution-Sulfur 85, Air Pollution- bers speak Sami- and Finnish half of which are from the engi- gold, silver, tungsten, uranium, Panaramic view from Terrain is composed mostly of Sulfur 94, Air Pollution-Volatile neering sector. Only one percent arsenic, feldspar, timber, hydro- the peak of the highest flat or gently rolling lowlands with Organic Compounds, Antarctic- Currency Swedish kronor (SEK) of GDP and employment comes power. mountain in Sweden, Kebnekaise

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