Austria
Kessel (Hallstatt)
- Max depth65 m
- CertificationFull cave
- Water temperature≈ 5–6 °Cestimated, no reports yet
- SpecialSidemount
Diving and fills
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Fills nearby
- Fill stationNautilus Tauchcenter (Unterach am Attersee)Air (also 24/7 at the outdoor fill station), nitrox, trimix and argon; O₂ and pressure (200/300 bar): askRoute ↗
- Fill stationATS DiveCenter Seefeld (Steinbach am Attersee)Air, nitrox and trimix (per Upper Austria's tourism website; not on its own website) — askRoute ↗
- Fill stationUnder Pressure Divecenter (Weyregg am Attersee)Air and nitrox (EAN28, 32 and 36) to 220 bar, trimix, oxygen up to 100 % and helium; argon on requestRoute ↗
What it looks like
All 1 videos and posts
Videos and posts
From other divers, via YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. They only load when you click; after that, Google's or Meta's privacy rules apply.
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Other people's footage, not advice: how someone else dives here says nothing about what suits your team. Dive within your training.
The dive
The Kessel is an episodic giant karst spring of the Dachstein and one of the Hirlatzhöhle (>100 km) entrances usable only by divers. There is lots of sediment: poor visibility and a tangle of old lines.
1 earlier accident or incident has been reported at this cave. Read what happened ↓
Profile and sections
The Kessel is an episodic giant karst spring of the Dachstein and one of the Hirlatzhöhle (>100 km) entrances usable only by divers. There is lots of sediment: poor visibility and a tangle of old lines. About twice a year on average it overflows, and the water then pours violently 200 m down to the lake.
The first dive was in 1960. In 2003 S2 was passed into the dry part of the Hirlatzhöhle; in 2016 a team of seven divers attempted a through-trip. The Kessel has been a Naturdenkmal since 1977.
- Depth and profile
- Short S1, then a narrow, high rift · Zauner-Halle: fully flooded chamber to -65 m (1981) · S2 (Kesselsiphon) 460–480 m, max -64 m, into the dry Hirschau labyrinth of the Hirlatzhöhle (2003) · to ~-75 m according to one source
- Configuration
- The narrow, high rift after the short first sump makes sidemount the logical choice. Water 5–6 °C: drysuit and heating. Trimix for the Zauner-Halle and S2.
- DPV: Not DPV-suitable (estimate)
- Narrow rift after S1 and poor visibility in S2: a scooter gains nothing (estimate).
Who can dive where
- At least Full cave
- Configurations: Backmount / twinset / Sidemount / CCR / Small cylinders / no-mount (speleo sumps)
- Goes down to 65 m (trimix or deco may be needed)
- Experienced divers only
This is how the planner decides who in your team may dive this cave. Rules your own trip adds (organizer, a mail, the AI) show with your trip.
How to get there
Small spring pool (~9 × 4 m) at 513 m, 5 m above lake level and ~200 m from the lake, on the road from Hallstatt to Obertraun (~1.5 km from Hallstatt), a few metres from a roadside parking; wooden footbridges and a gravel path. According to the VHO (Nov 2026) it is easy to reach and the first 50 m dive well. Diving only with an exemption permit (see status).
Around Kessel (Hallstatt)
Fills3 fill stations · nearest 31 km
Nautilus Tauchcenter (Unterach am Attersee)
Atterseestraße 86, 4866 Unterach am Attersee
Air (also 24/7 at the outdoor fill station), nitrox, trimix and argon; O₂ and pressure (200/300 bar): ask
May–Sep daily 9:00–18:00; Oct daily 9:00–18:00 (16–31 Oct weekends only); Apr and Nov Fri 14:00–18:00, Sat–Sun 9:00–18:00; Dec–Mar by appointment. Outdoor station (air) 24/7.
Dive centre right on the Attersee with shop, repairs, rentals, technical training and rebreather support. Trimix for visitors: ask in advance.
ATS DiveCenter Seefeld (Steinbach am Attersee)
Seefeld 14, 4853 Steinbach am Attersee
Air, nitrox and trimix (per Upper Austria's tourism website; not on its own website) — ask
By appointment only
Centre for technical and rebreather diving (IANTD Diamond Facility) at Gasthaus Föttinger, on the east shore of the Attersee: rebreather courses (JJ-CCR, iQsub XCCR and FX) from recreational to trimix, crossovers and test days, and servicing of rebreathers, regulators, heating and scooters. Second address: ATS DiveBase, Haslach 4, Steinbach am Attersee.
Under Pressure Divecenter (Weyregg am Attersee)
Landeroith 1, 4852 Weyregg am Attersee
Air and nitrox (EAN28, 32 and 36) to 220 bar, trimix, oxygen up to 100 % and helium; argon on request
Apr–Oct Tue–Sun 9:00–18:00; Nov–Mar Thu–Sun 9:00–17:00; open on public holidays. Closed for the company holiday 7–31 January. Groups also by appointment.
Dive base on the east shore of the Attersee, open all year, with shop, fill station for technical gases and service workshop. Technical courses (TDI) from Intro to Tech to Advanced Trimix, and sidemount up to Tec Sidemount. Rooms at the base.
Drive times from Obertraun: we don't know this site's exact spot.
News
All (1)
Accidents and incidents
What happened at this cave before, with the sources. No names are given; read it as a lesson for your own planning.
- Fatal accident on 16 May 1993: two divers drowned at -65 m.
Access and rules change: check what applies locally right before your trip. Source: GDELT Project and the news feeds of diving magazines. Search for more news ↗ Searched automatically, last on 13 Nov 2026.
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