Introduction

Traditional whiskey distilleries, pleated plaid skirts and bagpipers are ambassadors of legendary Scotland, but not the only ones. Scapa Flow, a hidden space of 190 square kilometers on the north coast, significantly represents the country in terms of diving a>, thanks to the concentration of sunken ships located there.

The natural harbor of Scapa Flow, surrounded by the Orkney Islands, was the main base of the British Navy during the two World Wars. As well as having the largest collection of shipwrecks in Europe, Orkney has abundant marine life and stands out for the clarity of its waters. Therefore, it is not surprising that these islands are interesting for wreck lovers, marine biology experts and photographers alike.

Marwick Head

During the 1918 armistice at the end of World War I, the German fleet was interned at Scapa while awaiting the signing of a peace treaty. After a year of isolation, Admiral Ludwig von Reuter, believing that the peace negotiations had broken down, and that his ships were going to be seized by the British Navy, gave the order to scuttle them.

After the war, numerous rescue operations were carried out between 1929 and 1939 to recover these ships. Of the original German fleet, only three warships remain: the Kronprinz Wilhelm, the König and the Markgraf, all of them 177 meters in length, and four small cruisers: the Dresden, the Brummer, the Köln and the Karlsruhe. These wrecks are found at depths between 24 and 45 meters, with visibility between 10 and 15 meters.

One of the biggest advantages of diving in Scapa Flow is the depth. The deepest war wreck, the Markgraf, is located at 46 meters. There are also blockade ships that, precisely because of their particular mission, are located at a much more superficial level, a few meters under water. Therefore, on the Orkney Islands the dives have depths between these two extremes. The deepest boat is at 63 metres, it is the so-called John Thornton boat, which has recently been sunk to be used as part of Trimix training.

The Kronprinz Wilhelm, launched in Kiel in 1914, twin brother of the Konig and the Markgraf, is the largest battleship ever seen. Both its size (177 meters in length) and the depth at which it is located (between 34 and 39 meters), force the diver to be cautious. Its structure is similar to that of a aircraft carrier. Of the three warships, it is the one in the best condition, despite having suffered some detonation, especially in the engine room.

The König, launched in Wilhelmshaven in 1914, had three turbines that allowed it to reach a speed of 23 knots. The colossal weight of its superstructure, with its five main towers and its cannons, is responsible for the fact that it ended up sinking to a depth of 39 meters, after being flooded.

The Markgraf is the deepest and most impressive of all the wrecks. Launched in Bremen in 1913, it was equipped with ten guns distributed in five towers, in addition to five submerged torpedoes. Sunk at 46 meters, it is the most memorable dive. The ascent is slow and narcosis poses a potential danger.

Light cruises in Scapa Flow waters

The Dresden, built in Kiel, is completely intact, with many of the original objects still in place. It is between 28 and 38 meters. It presents a great variety of marine life, especially sponges and starfish in the shallowest areas of the wreck.

The Brummer, located between 32 and 36 meters, reached a speed of 28 knots and was created to place mines in the routes of Allied ships. Experts agree that this most photogenic wreck is the best in Scapa Flow. Its control tower is instantly recognizable. Due to its deterioration, divers are advised not to enter the ship. The main superstructure remains intact and the guns are still in position, pointing aft. As for the rudder, it is located at the bottom.

The Koln was built in Hamburg and rests between 30 and 35 meters. It is relatively intact, except for a hole in the stern.

Karlsruhe is only 24 meters away. Due to its shallow location, it has been exposed to the effects of strong storms. In any case, despite its deteriorated condition, it is an interesting dive: its shallow depth guarantees a very rich marine life.

The sinking of blockade ships on Churchill's orders

These ships were sunk during World War I and II in order to block the channels that exist between the four islands that give access to Scapa Flow. It was then thought that the sinking of these ships would be enough to make the channels unnavigable, thus protecting the British fleet from submarines and enemy ships. However, in October 1939 a German ship was able to avoid the blockade ships and torpedoed the impressive Royal Oak. In just five minutes, this battleship sank, killing 833 men. Today, there is no diving at this wreck, which is considered a war cemetery.

In response to this tragedy, Sir Winston Churchill had a series of barriers erected across the four canals to effectively block them. These barriers were built by Italian prisoners of war deported to Orkney and today provide protection by breaking down strong waves.

Among the blockade ships, several sunken ships stand out in the Burra Sound area, in the west of Scapa Flow, which, due to the powerful currents that prevail there, ensure surprising visibility and abundant marine fauna. They are the only wrecks where the avid diver has the possibility of doing the entire dive inside the boat.

The Tabarka, built in Rotterdam, stands out. Two holes in its hull allow access to the boiler and engine rooms. The currents that hit Burra Sound force this dive to be done when the water is calm.

The Tabarka is reminiscent of a cathedral, with light coming through the hatches. The visibility inside is so good that it seems like you are submerged in tropical waters.

The Inverlane is another of the blockade ships, located at the entrance to Burra Sound at a depth of 15 metres. Its deteriorated mast is covered in anemones of three different colors. Starfish also grow on the Inverlane's superstructure. Jellyfish and some seals sometimes make their appearance in the darkness.