Southern Denmark dive sites

The Little Belt is one of the narrowest straits in Denmark and the tidal currents can exceed three knots at peak flow. Diving is only safe during slack tide windows, which last roughly 30 to 45 minutes. Local dive centres publish daily slack tide predictions and most guided dives are timed precisely to these windows. You must carry a surface marker buoy and many divers use a reef hook for the deeper sections. An advanced open water certification and experience with current diving are strongly recommended.

The Little Belt hosts one of the densest populations of harbour porpoises in the world, with an estimated 3,000 animals using the strait. While they are occasionally seen underwater, sightings are more reliable from the surface during intervals. The best porpoise months are June through August when mothers bring calves into the shallow, fish-rich waters. The Middelfart area has a dedicated porpoise research station and several operators offer combined snorkelling and porpoise observation trips.

Water temperatures in the Little Belt range from around 4 degrees Celsius in winter to 18 degrees in summer. Most divers wear a drysuit year-round, though a thick 7-millimetre wetsuit is workable during July and August. A hood, gloves, and boots are essential even in summer as the deeper water below 15 metres stays noticeably colder. Danish dive shops in Middelfart rent drysuits and can arrange guided dives with full equipment for visiting divers.