Where to dive in Bavaria (Germany)?

[Roberto Inzerillo]

Hi

When all this Covid19 stuff will come to an end, I intend to visit Bavaria again and I'd like to dive during the journey. I wonder if you could suggest me some location worth the experience.

I am AOW certified, going for a Deep in the next few weeks, no cave/cavern cert although that's something I would happily train for. 7mm neoprene semi-drysuit. I generally dive in warm and salty water but _very_ open to new environments and conditions.

Do diving-centers in Germany request something specific from their customers to let them dive (I'm thinking special gear, medical reports or anything similar ...)?

 

[-Sven-]

Hi,
if you want to go with a dive center in Germany it is best to ask the specific dive center for their „rules“. Most ask for a medical exam (self report not always sufficient). Some require to use two separate regulators (two first and second stages, octopus configuration not allowed). Some dive center do not allow solo diving. Have in mind, diving in Bavaria is usually cold and dark.

 

[Sbiriguda]

@Roberto Inzerillo If you search on Facebook there must be a group (in German) about diving in Munich and Bavaria
@-Sven-
Thanks for your post, I didn't know about these restrictions

 

[Mod63]

another point: If there is no explicit exception, diving is not allowed in Bavaria

 

[Sbiriguda]

I understand that the German authorities and diving resorts want to be conservative, prudence is never enough, but frankly all these restrictions are surprising to me... In the Austrian and Italian lakes the diving conditions are supposedly similar but as far as I know there are much less restrictions

 

[ginti]

I never dived there, but I assume that lakes conditions are similar to France.

If I am right, with a 7mm semi-dry, you will be able to dive only in summer and only in the shallowest part of the lake/quarry/whatever - except if your resistance to cold is exceptional. Also, you may need a light.

Ask for information about environmental conditions before to go.

As far as I know, in Germany, there are quite active "dir" groups, at least with ISE and GUE (and maybe UTD?). Since you are interested in bp/w configuration, trim and all these skills (are you still interested in these things?), you might be interested in diving with these guys to know their style. The style is pretty standards, so you will not find any difference between them in Germany or Italy - but keep in mind that ISE basically does not exist outside Germany (at least, as far as I know)... All this story to say - if you are interested in that, you may want to look for some instructors on their websites and drop them a message

 

[Mod63]

I understand that the German authorities and diving resorts want to be conservative, prudence is never enough, but frankly all these restrictions are surprising to me... In the Austrian and Italian lakes the diving conditions are supposedly similar but as far as I know there are much less restrictions

Some background:
As Germay is a federal state, there are 16 different laws that regulate where you are allowed to dive on puplic grounds.
If the dive site is privately owend, the "my house, my rules" applies. As they are liable if something happens, they usually require a cert and a medical self statement; there are also some that are more or less "open" and no checks are done. Some of the more advanced sites have even banned certain certification agencies due to a lack in trust that the education is good enough.
On public land, it's either "dive unless forbidden" or "no dive unless allowed"; Bavaria falls into the later. Two of the best lakes in Bavaria (Starnberger See East and Walchensee) are even more complicated, as different dive sites have different rules and access by car is restricted.
If you join a dive center for one of their outings, it again comes down to liability, so they need to check if you are fit do dive. If you go diving on your own, there is even no requirement to have any kind of certification at all .

As for Austria, again there is a difference between privately owned and public land. Blindsee for example charges an etry fee, Fernsteinsee (and the most beautifull Sameranger See) require you to stay 2 nights minimum at their hotel and you have to have proof of a certain amount of dives.
The lakes under control of the ÖBF require a DiveCard to be bought and adhere to certain rules.

"It's complicated" is an understatement

 

[Roberto Inzerillo]

@Roberto Inzerillo If you search on Facebook there must be a group (in German) about diving in Munich and Bavaria
@-Sven-
Thanks for your post, I didn't know about these restrictions

Thank you, I will.
Is it Tauchen in Bayern ( Tauchen in Bayern ) ?
... rather old posts :-(

Btw ... Deutsch kann ich auch sprechen ;-)

 

[Roberto Inzerillo]

Hi,
if you want to go with a dive center in Germany it is best to ask the specific dive center for their „rules“. Most ask for a medical exam (self report not always sufficient). Some require to use two separate regulators (two first and second stages, octopus configuration not allowed). Some dive center do not allow solo diving. Have in mind, diving in Bavaria is usually cold and dark.

That's all reasonable to me.

 

[Roberto Inzerillo]

another point: If there is no explicit exception, diving is not allowed in Bavaria

mmmhhh ..... are you being serious? such strict ruling?!?