Scapa Flow

Photo: Charles Hood Photo: Charles Hood Photo: Charles Hood

Wreck Mecca: Scapa Flow This natural harbour in Orkney has long been a Navy stronghold, and it was here that the German High Seas Fleet was scuttled by its own crews when they thought the Armistice talks were approaching meltdown. Many of the wrecks were salvaged, but the immense battleships – Kronprinz Wilhelm, Markgraf and König – turned turtle on their way down and today provide a tantalising challenge for advanced divers.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking that Scapa is all about advanced diving, however. The light cruisers – Brummer, Köln, Dresden and Karlsruhe – all settled on their sides and offer easier options for multi-level diving. If anything, they are becoming more interesting as the outer structures continue to slowly erode and peel back.

Another major attraction at Scapa is the ‘blockships’, sunk during the Second World War to shore up the Flow’s defences (see the section on the Tabarka on page 83). These shallow wrecks sit in fast-flowing water and offer a completely different diving experience to complement the German fleet. And, of course, all of these wrecks are magnets for marine life, to the extent that some divers descend on the coral-coated structures believing them to be reefs. Where’s the wreck? You’re diving on it!