Lysefjord / Stavanger
Norway · Europe
The Stavanger region offers some of Northern Europe's most dramatic cold-water diving. Lysefjord cuts 42 kilometres inland beneath vertical cliffs rising 600 metres, and its subsurface walls are equally steep — dropping into darkness colonised by dead man's fingers, sea anemones, and kelp forests. Wolf fish patrol rocky overhangs, Atlantic cod school in the shallows, and nudibranchs of every colour cling to encrusted walls. Several accessible wrecks near Stavanger harbour add a wreck-diving dimension. Summer brings extended daylight, lifting water temperatures enough for productive dry-suit dives with long surface intervals in jaw-dropping scenery.
How this reef is doing
ⓘ How we measure thisReef state
Live science signals for this reef are still being gathered.
Coral cover
Fish life
Heat
Fishing
Open to fishing, and the water is busy.
Sources · Global Fishing Watch and reef gravity
What you will see
26 species across the dive sites here
Atlantic Cod
Seen 2 months ago
at Stavanger Harbour Wrecks
Vulnerable
Pollock
Seen 3 months ago
at Lysefjord Wall
Breadcrumb Sponge
Seen 4 months ago
at Stavanger Harbour Wrecks
Plumose Anemone
Seen 9 months ago
at Sandnes Macro Reef
Cup Coral
Seen 10 months ago
at Lysefjord Wall
Dahlia Anemone
Seen 10 months ago
at Lysefjord Wall
Lumpsucker
Seen 10 months ago
at Sandnes Macro Reef
Dead Man's Fingers
Seen Jun 2025
at Lysefjord Wall
Blue Mussel
Seen Apr 2025
at Stavanger Harbour Wrecks
Northern Starfish
Seen Apr 2025
at Sandnes Macro Reef
Burrowing Anemone
Seen Apr 2025
at Lysefjord Wall
Kelp Crab
Seen Mar 2025
at Preikestolen Drop
Atlantic Wolffish
Seen Sep 2024
at Lysefjord Wall
Butterfish
Seen Jul 2024
at Preikestolen Drop
Sea Urchin
Seen May 2024
at Lysefjord Wall
Brittle Star
Seen year round
at Preikestolen Drop
Common Goby
Seen year round
at Stavanger Harbour Wrecks
Least concern
Dorid Nudibranch (various species)
Seen year round
at Sandnes Macro Reef
Juvenile Atlantic Wolffish
Seen year round
at Preikestolen Drop
Northern Feather Star
Seen year round
at Lysefjord Wall
Northern Prawn
Seen year round
at Preikestolen Drop
Sea Scorpion
Seen year round
at Sandnes Macro Reef
Least concern
Sea Urchin (Green)
Seen year round
at Stavanger Harbour Wrecks
Sea Urchin (Purple)
Seen year round
at Sandnes Macro Reef
Ballan Wrasse
Seasonal visitor
at Lysefjord Wall
Nudibranch (various species)
Seasonal visitor
at Stavanger Harbour Wrecks
Dive sites
Lysefjord Wall
dead man's fingers · plumose anemone · atlantic wolffish · cup coral
Preikestolen Drop
plumose anemone · juvenile atlantic wolffish · dead man's fingers · dahlia anemone
Stavanger Harbour Wrecks
atlantic cod · dead man's fingers · plumose anemone · atlantic wolffish
Sandnes Macro Reef
dorid nudibranch (various species) · lumpsucker · dead man's fingers · plumose anemone