Diving in the Netherlands
Diving the Netherlands: freshwater lakes and the Oosterschelde, cold-water training and critters, with real depths, temperatures and site ratings from dives logged on Currents.
Dive sites
A clear freshwater lake popular for training and easy shore dives, with good access and calm, current-free water.
An inland recreation lake used for courses and skills practice, sheltered and easy to enter.
The Netherlands is where a lot of European divers train and stay current between trips. It is cold-water, low-visibility diving for the most part, split between inland freshwater lakes and quarries and the tidal saltwater of the Zeeland delta. The figures on this page are drawn from dives that Currents divers have logged and shared here.
What it is like
Dutch diving is a different world from the tropics: cooler water, a drysuit for much of the year, and visibility that rewards patience over vistas. What it offers is accessibility and life at close range. Inland lakes are calm and easy to reach, which makes them popular for courses and skills; the Zeeland saltwater brings cuttlefish, crabs and the occasional seal.
Conditions
The depths, temperatures and dive times in the panel above come from the logged dives. Water is cold enough that thermal protection matters, and inland sites are generally sheltered and current-free, while tidal saltwater sites are dived around slack water.
Getting there
Most Dutch dive sites are a short drive from the major cities, with parking and entry points at the water. Dive clubs and schools are active year-round; many sites are shore dives that need no boat.