Krka in Novo mesto (season-opening dive)
In Novo mesto the Krka is already a wide, slow lowland river, and the local KPA club traditionally opens the diving season here in winter. The 2012 PAS sheet describes a dive from the club house or from the Rudolfov splav raft, swimming slowly upstream along the river to the shadow of the Šmihel road and railway bridges and drifting back – about 45 minutes in all. The gravel bed is 4 m deep at most and holds freshwater mussels, snails and all kinds of objects, from historical finds to lost dive gear. A raft cruise with refreshments and live music follows the event.
Facts
- Region: Slovenia – Lakes, Rivers & Caves
- Area: Dolenjska & Bela krajina (Krka, Kolpa, Kočevje)
- Depth: 0–4 m
- Level: beginner
- Current: low
- Type: channel, night
- Coordinates: 45.80237, 15.16615
- Highlights: freshwater mussels and snails, objects of historical value on the gravel bed, upstream swim to the Šmihel road and railway bridges, Rudolf's raft (Rudolfov splav) boat trip after the dive
- Tips: Leave the motorway at Novo mesto zahod, follow Ljubljanska cesta towards the old town and before the Šmihel bridge descend to Župančičevo sprehajališče; park near the stadium by the KPA club house, kit up at the car and use one of the built entries. The current is weak at the usual low winter water level; water is 5–10 °C in January and visibility poor, so bring a compass. The river is part of the Natura 2000 site Krka with tributaries (SI3000338). Diving from the raft is organised by KPA for the season opening – contact the club. Sheet from 2012.