Isfjorden Soviet Wrecks
Dive site
Several Soviet-era ships and barges rest on the floor of Isfjorden, sunk during Cold War mining operations and now colonised by Arctic marine life. The cold water has preserved the steel exceptionally well and the wrecks attract wolffish, greenland halibut along the sandy bottom, and large spider crabs inside the cargo holds. Visibility in the fjord is outstanding in spring before meltwater reduces clarity in July. A technically straightforward wreck dive made remarkable by the total isolation.
Conditions
Depth
12 to 35 m
Advanced depths
Current
Variable
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
10 to 20 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
-1 to 5°C
Drysuit with Arctic undersuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | -1 | -1 | -1 | -1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | -1 | -1 |
| Vis (m) | 10 | 10 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 10 | 6 | 6 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 10 |
| Current | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm |
Your chances of seeing each animal
Atlantic wolffish
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
Greenland halibut
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
Arctic spider crab
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
Polar cod
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
Field journal
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