Cold water, steep walls, and strong currents may not be everyone’s ideal diving experience, but for some marine life, these are ideal conditions. Diving the Norwegian fjords is not for the faint-hearted, but the rewards are well worth the effort.

Wild Coastline

Norway’s convoluted coast stretches for around 14,000 miles (22,000 km) in a series of jagged inlets, bays, and fjords, and is dotted with over 50,000 islands. Norway also has, in Sognefjord, the longest (140 miles/225 km) and deepest (4,430 ft/1,350 m) fjord on Earth.

There are many great dive sites along this gloriously wild coastline: one of the finest regions—and one that is gaining an international reputation for the quality of its diving—is Ryfylke, to the southwest. Diving the fjords requires previous experience and competence in cold-water diving, along with the relevant cold-water gear. The topography of the fjords creates steep walls colonized by kelp, dead men’s fingers, sponges, and some rare deep water corals. Piked dogfish, skate, catfish, and numerous crustaceans are particularly abundant in Ryfylke. Seasonal highlights include migratory visits from salmon and their attendant predators, such as orcas.

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