Diving the Oosterschelde
The Oosterschelde is a popular destination for divers, with dozens of dive sites spread along its shores. Underwater you will find cuttlefish, seahorses, lobsters and a great variety of other marine life.
Diving the Oosterschelde also means dealing with the tide. The amount and direction of the current change throughout the day and are not the same at every location. As a result, a dive site can be calm at one moment and have much more current a few hours later.
Duiken Centraal helps you see those conditions in advance. Check per dive site when the expected current is low, and plan your dive around the conditions that suit you and your dive.
When is the best time to dive?
There isn't one fixed time that is best for diving across the whole Oosterschelde. The right moment depends on the location and on how much current you want during your dive.
At some dive sites, several moments during the tide are usable. Other locations depend much more strongly on the slack. That is why a general tide table is not always enough to determine the best time to get in the water.
With the Tide Planner you can check the expected current per dive site and set your own limit for the maximum current speed. That way you immediately see which moments fall within your preference.
Tide, slack and current
The tide causes changes in water level and contributes to the current in the Oosterschelde. Three concepts matter here:
The moment when the current changes direction and the current speed temporarily drops sharply. The timing of slack can differ per location.
The movement of the water during the tide. The speed can change considerably within a few hours and also differs per location.
The periodic rise and fall of the water level. High and low tide do not automatically give the exact moment at which the current at a dive site is at its lowest.
Do you want to know exactly how these factors relate to each other? Read the full explanation of Slack, Current and Tides in the Oosterschelde.
Dive sites in the Oosterschelde
The Oosterschelde has many different dive sites, from sheltered locations to spots where the tide is clearly noticeable. The position of a site partly determines how the current behaves there.
Browse the overview of dive sites and discover the available information and live current forecast for each location.
View all dive sites →Frequently asked questions
Is the Oosterschelde suitable for divers?
Yes. The Oosterschelde is a well-known dive destination in Zeeland with many different dive sites. When planning a dive, however, you do need to take the tide and current into account.
Do you always have to dive around slack?
No. That differs per dive site. At some locations the expected current is also relatively low outside of slack. At other sites, slack is far more important for planning a calm dive.
How do I know when the current is low?
Use the Tide Planner to check the expected current speed for a specific dive site. You can decide for yourself which maximum current speed you find acceptable.
Are high tide and slack the same thing?
No. High and low tide describe the water level, while slack relates to the change in current. The moment the current is at its lowest therefore does not always coincide exactly with high or low tide.
Does the current change per dive site?
Yes. The position of a dive site within the Oosterschelde affects the local current pattern. As a result, two dive sites can have different conditions at the same moment.
Is the current the same every tide?
No. The strength of the tide varies, among other things, over the lunar cycle. Weather conditions can also affect the actual conditions. A forecast therefore remains an expectation, not a guarantee of the situation underwater.
Current and tide per dive site
Do you want to know how the current and tide develop at a specific location? Check the forecast per dive site in the Tide Planner.
Open the Tide Planner