Lake Constance (Global Adventures): The Jura is perhaps the best known wreck in Lake Constance. Built in 1854 by Escher-Wyss in Zurich, the Jura was a steamboat carrying passengers across "Lake Neuchâtel" in Switzerland. In 1861, a German company purchased the ship after the sinking of the passenger boat "DS Ludwig" and moved it to Lake Constance. For three years, the Jura moved tourists and fright from the German to the Swiss side of the lake and back.

On February 12, 1864, the ship was again on its way from Konstanz, Germany, to Romanshorn, Switzerland, and finally Lindau, Germany. She never reached her destination. The Jura collided in heavy fog with the Swiss boat Zurich City, the same ship that did sink the DS Ludwig three years earlier. While most passengers and crew could be rescued, on German mate died in the incident. Within minutes, the Jura did sink.

For 100 years, she was lost. Commercial divers re-discovered the Jura in 1964 while searching for airplane wrecks dating back to the Second World War. The 138 feet (42 meter) long Jura rests upright at a depth of 125 feet (38 meters), 0.62 miles (1 kilometer) offshore from Bottighofen, Switzerland. Over the years, the Jura developed into one of the top-diving destinations in Lake Constance.

Since the water temperature is cold (around 40 degrees at the bottom), a dry suit is needed to enjoy the dive. Visibility is usually diminished, either due to river-run-offs in spring or algae blooms in late summer. Descending towards the bottom, the outline of the shipwreck becomes visible at a depth of 105 feet (32 meters). Since little or no sunlight can penetrate the murky water, strong lights help to discover the Jura. Diver can follow the rail, taking in time-defying structures such as the paddle wheels, the stairways, the boiler and the rather primitive lavatory in the paddle wheel housing.

Unfortunately, dive boats and treasure hunters did damage the wreck over the years, and many details are now lost forever. Some of the lower deck structures have collapsed, as did the once impressive funnel, which is now held in place by an air-filled container. There are some unconfirmed reports that the Swiss government now restricts divers from penetrating the wrack; however, these reports have not been confirmed.

Lake Constance is the third largest freshwater lake in Central Europe. The greatest depth of the 39 miles (63 kilometer) long and up to 6.7 miles (14 kilometer) wide lake is 827 feet (252 meters). It was first mentioned by the Roman geographer Pomponius Mela around AD 43. He noted that the river Rhine flows through two water features that make up Lake Constance, and gave them the Latin names Lacus Venetus and Lacus Acronius.

As a natural ecosystem, Lake Constance is one of the most important wetland habitats for plants and animals in Central Europe. It provides a resting and wintering area for approximately 250,000 water birds annually.

Tourism with approximately 10 million overnight stays and $476 Million (Euro 350 million) gross turnover annually is among the most significant economic factors in the German area of the Lake. About 27 million guests visit the region each year, mainly during the summer holiday season from July to mid-September. The best time to dive the wreck is either early spring during the fall.

A German language video showing divers exploring the wreck can be found here.

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Lake Constance, Germany

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