This site offers a good spot for beginner and intermediate divers, and is often a suitable site for new divers to try their skills after certification. The sandy beach also makes entry and exit quite simple, and is perfect for conducting rescue courses.

Getting there:

By car, from Zurich city: If you are driving from Zurich city drive down Seestrasse from the Bellevue side of the lake towards Rapperswil. You'll drive down alongside the lake for about five minutes, then the lake will become visible on your right, and you'll see Bahnhof Tiefenbrunnen on your left. Continue for about two minutes down Seestrasse and a few hundred meters after the border of Küsnacht you'll see the Hotel Ermitage on your right. A short distance after the hotel you will see signs for a parking area on your right. Park here, this is the dive site.

By car, from Rapperswil: Drive up towards Zurich, pass through Küsnacht, and you will see the Hotel Sonne on your left. About 200 meters further on your left you will see signs for a parking area. Park here, this is the dive site. If you pass the Hotel Ermitage you have gone too far. 

By public transport: Take the train to Bahnhof Küsnacht. Leave the station heading towards the lake, walk down to the Seestrasse and turn right. Walk approximately five minutes along the lake and you'll find a parking area with a large grass lawn on your left. This is the dive site.

Parking: There is limited parking at this site and during periods of good weather you may have trouble getting a space. Be careful, these parking spaces are not visible from the street, be sure to lock your vehicle and keep valuables out of sight.

Entry / Exit: This site has a flat sandy beach, making entry and exit very simple. Simply walk into the water - don't forget to position your dive flag in the sand.

Dive Area (Surface): A small beach runs across this site, with a small marina on the right-hand (north) side of the area, and a small jetty on the left-hand side. A large grass area as well as a paved and sheltered area near the car park makes ideal conditions for getting your gear ready. The marina on the right-hand side is privately owned by the Hotel Ermitage; do not walk into this area.

Dive Area (Underwater): Enter the water on the right-hand (north) end of the beach. You should see the end of the marina directly in front of you. Swim a few meters through the water to the post at the southern end of the jetty. Using the post as a visual reference descend to the bottom about 6 meters below. Once on the bottom swim a couple of meters deeper, then keep the sloping bottom on your right shoulder. Continue to swim at this depth and you should find yourself swimming under the jetty with the other posts visible on either side (depending on conditions). When you reach the northern end of the jetty you'll find a yellow telephone box fixed to one of the posts at around nine meters.

At this point continue to swim with the sloping bank on your right shoulder and adjust your depth to 12-14 meters. If you are using a wetsuit and find yourself under the thermocline, you may want to complete this swim at ten meters depending on the temperature and the depth of the thermocline. Continue swimming for approximately seven minutes and you should pass directly over the top of a small crib scene - a baby in a cot, with a few other dolls positioned around it. If you are swimming at ten meters you'll have to look down and to your right to see the crib scene. Adjust your depth to twelve meters and continue swimming in the same direction. After approximately one to two minutes you'll find yourself among some large wooden posts sticking out of the ground at an angle of around 45 degrees. You have reached a submerged diving tower, the type used at swimming pools! If you can't see the diving tower investigate the immediate area and you will soon see a flight of concrete stairs ascending at a strange angle. Rise slowly to the top of the stairs and you will see the diving platform. If you like you could do a simulated dive from the end, down to the bottom a few meters below you.

At this point you need to decide how to continue the dive. Divers with wetsuits, depending on their air supply, may wish to return at this point. In this case they should follow the sloping bank up to eight to ten meters and swim back with the bank on their left shoulder. Or if a short excursion to check out chalk deposits is possible before returning simply swim down the slope to 18 meters, bearing slightly left with the diving tower behind you. Once you reach 18 meters you should see a few mounds of white looking material - this is the chalk. You may need to brush aside the silt from the surface to see it, but once uncovered it will be very noticeable - white. Stick your finger into the chalk and you'll see it is very soft and sticky. Now return up the sloping bank to eight to ten meters and swim back with the bank on your left shoulder.

After a while you will find yourself back under the jetty, and you will see the posts either side of you. Try turning on your back and looking up, the shy Hecht often like to hover in the shelter offered by the marina.

Once you reach the southern end of the marina you can follow the sloping bank up to the surface and you'll find yourself on the beach again.

Divers with drysuits, sufficient air supply, and appropriate training might like to continue from the diving tower to a small cliff-like wall at 28 to 35 meters. Swim exactly at compass heading 240 degrees following the gently sloping bottom. After a couple of minutes the top of the wall will become visible. Once you reach the wall drop down over the edge and swim with the wall on your left shoulder. After a few more minutes you will reach the end of the wall. At this point start to head directly up the gently sloping bottom, gradually returning to the beach. The slope is very gentle, and it could take you some time before you find yourself in shallow depths.

What to look for: Hecht can be seen here occasionally, Egli are less common here in large numbers - though you could potentially see anything under the shelter of the jetty - don't forget to look up! Apart from the diving tower and the crib scene already mentioned, the main feature of this area is the chalk deposits. In fact, these are common all over Lake Zurich, but are easily seen here. If returning from the small wall keep an eye out for the chalk.

Facilities: Toilets and changing rooms are available at this site, directly attached to the car park. As mentioned, a covered area with seating and a table is also located right next to the car park - an ideal spot for getting ready. To find food and drinks the best idea is to leave the car park and turn right, walking along Seestrasse. Here you can find service stations and the occasional restaurant. Küsnacht train station is also very close by. Another alternative is to walk down to the beach, then turn left and continue walking along the beach. After a little while you'll find yourself at Hotel Sonne - they have an outdoor restaurant with self service. Beware; you might have to queue for a while depending on the number of customers and how organised they are!