2007 : Scapa Flow !

 

Voyage ŕ Scapa Flow

 

INFORMATIONS PRATIQUES

 

 

Vous pouvez obtenir des renseignements concernant les plongées sur

www.scapaflow.com/

www.scapa-flow.co.uk/

www.orknet.co.uk/scapa/triton.htm

www.sunrisecharters.co.uk/

www.divescapaflow.co.uk/

 

des renseignements concernant les épaves sur

http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/jralston/rk/scapa/

www.sunrisecharters.co.uk/wrecklist.htm

 

des renseignements pratiques et touristiques sur  www.visitorkney.com

www.ferryinn.com/

www.orkneyjar.com/

 

Informations recueillies en Aout 2066

par Alain Proyart et les plongeurs du PHOC (club de St Herblain , 44)

 

Quelque épaves de Scapa Flow

 

 


 

SMS Brummer

 

Croiseur lanceur de mines de la classe Brummer

5.856 tonnes, longueur 140,4m, profondeur maxi. 32m

lancé le11.12.1915, coulé le 21.6.1919

En mission.

Vue actuelle en 3D

Croquis de situation

Du coté de la partie endommagée

Attention les doigts !

Un canon de l’arričre

Une des tourelles

Pont

Treuil d’ancre

 

 

 

 


 

Cöln II

 

 

Croiseur léger de la classe Cöln II

5.620 tonnes, longueur 155,5m, profondeur maxi. 34m

lancé le 5.10.1916, coulé le 21.6.1919

 

 

A l’appareillage.

Situation actuelle en 3D

Croquis de situation

 

 

SMS DRESDEN II

 

 

Croiseur léger de la classe Cöln II

5.620 tonnes, longueur 156m, profondeur max. 40m

lancé le 25.4.1917, coulé le 21.6.1919

 

 

Ainsi était-il autrefois.

Vue  de l’épave en 3D 

Croquis de situation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

F2:

Escorteur type F2, profondeur max. 17m, coulé en 1946;

Escorteur type F2 de la Kriegsmarine.

Situation actuelle en 3D

La bouche du canon

Un des canons du F2 retrouvé sur la barge située ŕ 50m

 

 

 

SMS Karlsruhe II

 

 

Croiseur léger de la classe Königsberg II

5.440 tonnes, longueur 153m, profondeur maxi. 24m

lancé le 31.1.1916, coulé le 21.6.1919

 

 

 

 

Durant sa courte activité.

Situation actuelle en 3D

 

 

Croquis de situation

 

 

 

SMS König

 

 

Cuirassé de la classe König

29.669 tonnes, longueur 177,7m, profondeur maxi. 37m

lancé le 1.3.1913, coulé le 21.6.1919

 

 

 

 

Durant la Grande Guerre.

Vue des épaves en 3D

 

 

Croquis de situation

!

 

 

 

 

SMS Kronprinz Wilhelm

 

 

Cuirassé de la classe König

28.500 tonnes, longueur 175,4m, profondeur maxi. 39m

lancé le 21.2.1914, coulé le 21.6.1919

 

 

 

 

A l’appareillage.

Vue des épaves en 3D

 

 

Croquis de situation

!

 

 SMS Markgraf

 

 

Cuirassé de la classe König

28.600 tonnes, longueur 175,4m, profondeur maxi. 45m

lancé le 4.6.1913, coulé le 21.6.1919

 

 

A la manoeuvre.

Vue des épaves en 3D

Croquis de situation

 

 

 

 

 

Tarbaka

 

 

Cargo coulé en 1944 pour bloquer un accčs ŕ Scapa

Profondeur maxi. 15m

 

 

Le courant fini par avoir raison de la coque

 

Accčs ŕ la salle des machines.

 

La cargaison

Vilebrequins

Chaudičre

 

 

 

TwoTanksTim - Scapa Flow

I have visited Scapa a few times now and it has rapidly become a favourite haunt of mine. The 13hr journey from the Midlands to the Orkneys is a chore borne lightly with the promise of a weeks diving, drinking, general merry making and more diving.

The diving can be varied, with wrecks, seals, scallop beds and clear water. But what makes the trips to Scapa more enjoyable are the clear skies, calm waters, good friends and the friendly locals.

Many a long, light evening has been spent in the local hostelries and whether it is a sing-song with Oakey Doakey Karaoke or a game of pool in the Ferry Inn with the local pool sharks, the experience is one that I look forward to every year.

Staying on a live-a-board, but being moored up every night provides the opportunity for familiar surroundings and a base from which to explore the different harbours within which we may find ourselves.

 

 

 

Dived Wrecks : Brummer; Dresden; F2; Gobernador Borrie; James Barrie; Karlsruhr; Koln; Kronprinz Willhelm; Markgraf; Tabarka; UB116; V83

 

Brummer

 

The Brummer can be one of the best dives of the fleet, but if conditions are poor, it can also be one of the least impressive. I have dived this in excellent conditions and it is breathtaking, but when the sun is not obliging, this one can be very dark.
The ship was launched in 1915, had a displacement of 4,308 tons, a crew of 309, 4 x 5.9inch guns and 2 x 3.4inch AA guns. Around the main belt the armour was 1.6inch thick with a maximum of 3.9inch around the tower. She sank on 21st June 1919 at 14:30.
Sitting in 36m of water on her starboard side, she rises 16m from the sea bed and is an awesome dive, although it can be a little dark, when the sun is in the right direction this is possibly one of the best dives!
If you are dropped in the middle of the wreck, swim with the deck to your left and drop to about 30m. You will come across the conning tower (where there are plenty of holes and swim throughs) and just beyond this one of the big guns sits pointing to the floor. At the bow it is very broken up. If you are a little nervous about penetrating a wreck, then this is the best place in the forward section to enter. Simply swim along at the first deck level and look up. There are loads of good sized exit points. There is access to lower decks for the more adventurous.
If you chose to head for the stern from the drop off point(deck to your right) you will eventually find a big hole. Well worth exploring for the more adventurous.

 

Dresden

 

The Dresden was another impressive dive, larger and more heavily armed than the Brummer. It is an excellent wreck to go exploring into with a large hole to the stern and the deck splitting away from the super structure in many places. Again, if the sun is out, there is little need of a torch outside of the wreck, but do carry one if you are going in!
The ship was launched in 1917, had a displacement of 5531 tons, a crew of 559, 8 x 5.9inch guns and 3 x 3.4inch AA guns 4 deck mounted torpedo tubes and on duty carried 200 mines. Around the main belt the armour was 2.4inch thick with a maximum of 3.9inch around the tower. She sank on 21st June 1919 at 13:30.
Sitting in 34m of water on her port side, she rises 18m from the sea bed. She is pretty much penetrable along most of the stern, but if you head toward the mid ships, behind the tower, you will come across a huge hole. The stern is fairly intact, and, if you start your ascent along the body of the ship, you will quickly come to appreciate the size of these wrecks.
The front guns are missing, but one of the big guns sits on the starboard side of the wreck(up), resting on the bridge. Both stern guns remain. Anchor chains can be found at the bow and stern of the wreck.

 

F2

The F2 is an excellent second dive and ideal for the novice sea diver to gain some experience. Being were it is, the current can be flowing and runs along the length of the ship, this being said, there is plenty of cover. Usually the skipper can drop you off when the current is still. The wreck is permanently buoyed and the rope drops you directly to the fore gun. The front of this boat reminds you of a modern destroyer. The stern is very much broken up.
The added bonus to this dive is that there is a rope from the keel, near the start of the broken up section, running at 90 deg to the ship, about a foot off the sea bed. At the other end of the rope (30m) is a wooden barge which was being used for salvage. Inside the barge swim through to the main hold and find a very impressive looking set of 20mm AA guns (salvaged from the F2). As the wrecks are relatively shallow, they are swarming with life and it is quite possible to hand feed urchins to the fat wrasse. don't try this with the congors!!!
The F2 was launched in 1936, had a displacement of 800 tons and was armed with 2 x 4inch guns as well as 20mm AA guns. She was an experimental ship, later converted to torpedo recovery. Given to Great Britain after the end of WW2 and moored in Gutter Sound, she sank in December 1946. The barge sank in a storm in November 1968, moored to the F2 while undertaking salvage.
The F2 lies on its port side in 20m of water. The barge is pretty much upright in 16m of water. The vis can be 15m or more making the dive a comfortable dive for midweek.

 

Gobernador Bories

                                                                                                                                                                             There are detailed pictures and a dive tour to this within Divernets wreck tours. The tour is no. 22 and can be accessed by clicking here.
I have dived this wreck once, on my first visit to Scapa. The ship was sunk in Burra Sound in 1915 to restrict submarine penetration to the anchorage.
On your first dive nothing prepares you for the current nor the potential to have a very enjoyable, much laughed and talked about experience. I was with a lady called Jo and on descending the shot the visibility was so clear, the whole wreck could be seen. I was approx 20m away and decided to drop off the shot, (like a few others in the group). What you then saw, if you were Jo, was 5 or six blokes crawling along the sea bed to reach the wreck and get out of the current. But having got there, plenty to see and do and a good time was had. Toward the end of our dive, Jo and I decided to swim to the bow to come round to the starting side of our dive and re-ascend the shot line.
The seaweed almost lying to the floor and flowing in the opposite direction to when we landed on the wreck should have been our clue. Having got out into the open water, it took all our strength to maintain position and get back into the safe confines of the wreck. So the plan was changed (as so often is the case) and we swam to mid ships to go over the wreck to the shot line. This we managed.
Jo went first and I followed, both with our back to the buoy and watching the wreck. after a while and noticing that we had only lifted a couple of metres from the floor, there was a tap on my shoulder. I almost drowned laughing as there was Jo holding the buoy in her hand while we were still 15m down. A crawl back to the wreck and shelter! Deployed our sausage and held on until the current subsided. Safely back on the boat we kept quiet, hoping that no-one had seen us........how wrong can two people be!

 

James Barrie

 

 

There is a very detailed description, with pictures of the sinking of the James Barrie, on the Scapa charters web site.This is well worth reading for its historical content.
I'm not sure if the naming of this vessel has anything to do with Peter Pan, authored by Sir James Barrie.
The 666 tons trawler now lies on its starboard side in 45m of water. From the shot line, before you reach the wreck, it is possible to see the whole of the trawler. as you near the wreck, it is possible to make out the colours. Despite its depth torches were not always needed and this is a very clear site, being swept by strong currents. In fact it is only possible to dive this site during slack.
We were able to swim in and out of the hold and wheelhouse. I have dived this wreck once, next time I shall make sure that I have had less of a wild night before I dive, so as to appreciate this ship all the more!

 

Karlsruhe

 

 

The Karlsruhe lies on her starboard side in 24m of water standing 12m proud of the sea bed. The mid ships are extensively damaged from salvage, however the bow and stern are intact.
Toward the bows, (deck on your left) you will find two big guns, barrels pointing into the deck. Around the sea floor you can usually find scallops, always good for a bit of light entertainment as they "fly" through the water. Best left there for the locals, who know how to prepare and serve properly!
The Karlsruhe was launched in January 1916, had a displacement of 5354 tons and a crew of 475. The armour belt is 2.4inch thick, with 3.9inch around the control tower. She was armed with 8 x 5.9inch guns, 2 x 3.4inch AA guns and 2 deck mounted torpedo tubes. When on duty she carried 200 mines. she sank on 21st June 1919 at 15:50.

 


 

Koln

 

There are detailed pictures and a dive tour to this within Divernets wreck tours. The tour is no. 14 and can be accessed by clicking here.
This is a big boat and its hard not to be impressed when all you can see, when you first land on it, is all of the trappings that you associate with wrecks. Boat divets, railings etc....as far as the eye can see. not my favourite, perhaps because she is so big and relatively intact amongst the wrecks of the fleet. The ship seems to have a variety of names, all based around the older and modern spelling of Koln, Koeln or Coln as it is now spelt.
The Koln was launched in October 1916, had a displacement of 5531 tons and a crew of 559. The armour belt is 2.4inch thick, with 3.9inch around the control tower. she was armed with 8 x 5.9inch guns, 2 x 3.4inch AA guns and 4 deck mounted torpedo tubes. When on duty she carried 200 mines. She sank on 21st June 1919 at 13:50.
She lies in 35m of water, on her starboard side and stands 15m proud of the sea bed. With the deck on your left, the stern is in front of you and this is deemed to be the best part of the boat.

 

Kronprinz Willhelm

 

At first glance there is nothing to see, but this is a massive boat and to see anything you need to get down to the sea bed as she lies almost upside down. There are large holes in the hull, allowing penetration into some decks. the outer decks are accessed from the port side were there is a gap between the deck and sea bed. From the keel or hull, the port side is relatively higher than the starboard. Swimming along the port rail will give access to some of the side guns.
The Kronprinz Willhelm was launched in February 1914, had a displacement of 25390 tons and a crew of 1136. The armour belt is 13.8inch thick, with 11.8inch around the control tower. she was armed with 10 x 12inch guns, 14 x 5.9inch guns and 3.4inch AA guns and 5 submerged torpedo tubes. She sank on 21st June 1919 at 13:00.
She lies in 35m of water, on her starboard edge, almost upside down and stands 22m proud of the sea bed. With the deck on your left, the bow is in front of you. This will require many dives to see it all!

 


 

 

Margraf

 

 

Like the Kronprinz, the Markgraf is lying almost upside down. It is the deepest of the German fleet and very gloomy when you reach it. In comparison deeper wrecks in the sounds can be much clearer as they are swept by currents.
The shot line takes you down to 38m, with a secondary rope taking you down to the sea floor near to the start of the "cave". For this is what it appears, the size and bulk are imposing, but to get the detail of the ship it is necessary to get between the deck and the sea bed.
If you stay at 38m it is possible to traverse the railings and locate the smaller guns. Amid ships these point out from the hull, toward the bows these point toward the front of the ship.
During one dive I saw a couple of anchors on the sea bed. These couldn't have come from the Markgraf as they looked like model scale in comparison to the bulk of the wreck.
Because of the depth and position, much of this ship is there to see, complete with port holes. There is blast damage to the hull at the bows and toward the stern.
The Markgraf was launched in June 1913, had a displacement of 28380 tons and a crew of 1140. The armour belt is 13.8inch thick, with 15.8inch around the control tower. She was armed with 10 x 12inch guns, 14 x 5.9inch guns 6 x 3.4inch AA guns and 5 submerged torpedo tubes. She sank on 21st June 1919 at 16:30, her captain was shot and killed during the scuttling, by British marines trying to prevent the loss of the ship.
Lying in 45m of water, on her port edge, almost upside down and standing 21m proud of the sea bed. With the deck on your left, the bow is in front of you. This will require many dives to see it all!

 

Tabarka

This is truly a magnificent second dive and contains a lot of thrills despite its shallow depth and clear visibility. It is necessary when entering the water to drop straight down, any current flowing will carry you past the wreck and it can be quite a job to crawl back. Penetrating the Tabarka is easy once you know how, there are large holes in the hull, which, as it is upside down, is on the top, while along the side there are big plates missing and it is a case of working your way along the sides until you find the gaps in the skeleton big enough to get through. It is possible to swim the length of the ship on the inside, this is more preferable to the outside were the current flow changes quickly and it can become hard work. The inside offers tight squeezes as well as large cavernous holds and a skeletal structure to admire. The views of the outside offer near horizontal kelp!
The boilers are intact and is usually home to crabs and flat fish. Getting out provides the thrills! Find a big hole above you, inflate your DSMB and release, count to five, lock off and hold on! It's possible to be dragged out of the wreck and swept along with the current On one trip, I and my buddy traveled about a quarter mile, clipping the Doyle before coming to a rest and being able to ascend to the surface. Your skipper will advise on currents and expectations.
The Tabarka weighs in at a mere 2624 tons. She was sunk as a block ship to protect the entrance to the Flow from Burra Sound.
Lying in 16m of water max, upside down and standing 3m proud of the sea bed.

 

UB116

Don't be fooled by this, any resemblance to the submarines of the German fleet is purely coincidental! This is however an exceedingly good dive and carries the alternate name of the Battenburg.
Much of the wreck is scrap metal, suffering from the original explosion that sank the sub and the subsequent explosions of live munitions in the 1970's. It is reported that there are still live munitions on the wreck, but the soft sand is covering up much of the site. To find anything would require perseverance and luck.
The UB116 weighs in at 516 tons. Sunk in 1918 by a remote detonation of an under water mine in Hoxa Sound, part of a network designed to protect the anchored fleet. She was moved by the Royal Navy to her current position.
Lying in 26m of water it is difficult to give orientation as the structure is more scrap than sub. Usually the visibility is good, but the wreckage does lie in soft sand.

 

V83

Not every ones favourite, due to the proximity to the shore and lack of depth. The front of the wreck is at 8m, while the stern is at 16m being separated from the main wreck. The area is very over grown, but this in itself attracts a lot of sea life, small eels, loads of starfish, crabs urchins and slugs. For the photographer of sea life, this does offer some interesting pictures. On one dive I saw a baby congor, obviously dead, being devoured by a gang of starfish.
The historic value of the wreck is also worth noting. The ship was sunk with the rest of the German fleet. Raised by Ernest Cox, she was used to help savage some of the larger ships. Once he had raised the Hindenburg, a large battleship, the V83 was "dumped".
Lying in 8m to 16m of water the wreck is in 2 parts. The over grown bow section and the deeper clearer stern.

 

Scapa Flow wrecks

Battleships - Koenig class

Cruisers - Dresden class

Cruisers - Konigsberg class

Cruisers - Bremse class

Other diveable wrecks

Non diveable wrecks

Present wrecks
Current positions

1919 positions
Original positions

References.

MacDonald, Rod "Dive Scapa Flow" Mainstream Publishing (1998)  ISBN 1 85158 983 X

This useful book includes new material on deeper wrecks such as HMS Hampshire and HMS Strathgarry.

Smith, Peter "The Naval Wrecks of Scapa Flow" Orkney Press (1989) ISBN 0 907618 20 0

This book contains a detailed history of all the German wrecks plus extensive diving details

Battleship - Koenig class

These were the first German battleships with all centre line turrets. Under steam they could travel at over 20 knots and had an effective range of over 4000 miles. Firepower was awesome for the time. The 12 inch guns had a range of 18500 yards (850 lb shell).

Battleship outline

Dimensions:

  • Length          575  ft

  • Breadth          97  ft

  • Draught          30+ ft

  • Displacement  25500  tons

 

Armament:

  • 10   12" guns on 5 centre line turrets. 2.5 rounds / min.

  • 14    5.75" side guns. 16 rounds / min

  • 4    3.4" anti aircraft guns

  • 2    Machine guns

  • 5   19.7" torpedo tubes (20 torpedoes carried). 1 in the bow, 4 in the beam

  • Normally, no mines were carried.

 

Decks: Above the basic armoured deck there are:

  • Middle deck

  • Main or battery deck - contains the 5.75" side guns & the most aft pair of 12" guns

  • Upper deck - gives access to 4 of the 5 12" gun turrets

Armour plating was extensive. The main armour was 14" thick with 4" over the main deck. The main armament had 12" protective plating.

 

Engine:

Turbines of 46000 Hp drove 3 propellors. Designed speed was 21 knots which gave a maximum radius of action of over 4000 miles with a daily coal consumption of 500 tons. Normal use would be considerably less. Battleships would coal from lighters at usually 900 tons / week. Oil fuel was also used - probably under 20% of the coal.

4 anchors were carried - 3 in the bows with steam capstans, and 1 in the stern with an electric capstan.

Around 1150 men with about 70 men per turret 

 

 

Koenig

Type: Battleship - Koenig class

 

Commission: Ordered in August 1911 the Koenig was built at Wilhelmshaven. She was launched on 1st March 1913 and completed on 10th Aug 1914.

 

History: The Koenig was in the 3rd Battleship Squadron. She fought at Jutland, and was hit by the British battleships. The Koenig fought in the conquest of the Baltic islands during 1917. She sank around 2.00pm on 21st June 1919.

 

Diving: The Koenig is virtually upside down in 40 metres of water at 58.53.13 : 3.09.07. Her starboard side is only a few feet above the silty bottom whereas the port side is well embedded. Her keel is at 20 metres. Life has not been so good to the Koenig. She has been extensively salvaged, not least for the radiation free steel some of which has found its way to the moon in the 1969 expeditions. A lot of the hull has been blasted apart which at least gives the diver some appreciation of the inner bulk of these battleships. Amidships her starboard casemate guns are clearly visible. Underneath her deck the centre turret of her 12 inch guns can be seen half buried in the mud. Unfortunately, the guns cannot be seen.

The Koenig is now a pile of wreckage, but an excellent dive for wreck ferrets. She is big and quite intimidating.

Kronprinz Wilhelm

Type: Battleship - Koenig class

 

Commission: First ordered in April 1912 she was launched on 21st Feb 1914 at the Germania Yard in Kiel. Originally named Kronprinz, she was rechristened in honour of the German Crown Prince in January 1918.

 

History: The Kronprinz only saw two actions.

She took part in the Battle of Jutland. She was in the 3rd battleship squadron and fired many shots on the British battleships.

In November 1916 she took part in a rescue operation off Denmark. The aim was to tow the aground U boat U-20 which had torpedoed the Lusitania. The exercise failed, but on the way home the Kronprinz was hit and damaged by a British torpedo. She limped home and remained in port. In 1917 she took part in fleet manouevres off Heligoland Bight. Both the Kronprinz and the Grosser Kurfurst were involved  in a collision which called for extensive repairs.

Towards the end of the war she got mixed up in the German Fleet's mutiny and got sent to Kiel when the Fleet got dispersed. It is thought that experience of the British fleet's firefight at Jutland directed at the feisty Koenig ships made the crew realise their possible mortality and insecurity even in boats as powerful as these. During November 1918 the Armistice was signed and the ship was subsequently sent to Scapa Flow. She sank just after 1.00pm on 21st June 1919.

 

Diving: The Kronprinz is at 58.53.39 : 03.09.46. The sea bed is about 38 metres down in cool, green Scapa water. She lies on her starboad maindeck with most of her superstructure embedded in the silty bottom. She is virtually upside down and the only access to her decks is from the port side at a depth of 30m plus. The highest point of her upturned keel is about 12 metres from the surface.

The first impression when you dive her is size and confusion. This wreck is enormous and the profusion of steel, wreckage and general debris is overpowering. Her hull, however, is relatively smooth and uncluttered. Rather like a steel platform that has been well colonised by encrusties and brittle stars. There are four bilge keels that stand out quite nicely and give the diver some navigation marks. In places, the hull has been shattered by salvage work. The bow and stern both have salvage holes as does a large area some two thirds away towards the stern.

To get the most from this wreck you must get to the sea bed and work on alongside or in. This means that you have to descend off the port side of the hull. This is a thrilling experience as you drop off into the gloom and pass by the tangled wreckage on the way down. At about 30m you arrive at the gunwales and you can then peer in as the deck runs at an angle to the seabed. It's dark, exciting and tantalising. So many shapes, but what are they? Much of the superstructure is buried, but towards the stern the turrets of the most aft guns can be found. To do this means entering a cave, with the deck the roof and the seabed the floor. If you are the first dive team there, then the guns can be clearly seen - a superb sight. They are upside down, the most aft barrels sticking in the deck. To see them closer means entering the cave and that's when you need to be careful. The silt stirs up quickly and without an attached reel it's easy to lose your bearings.

Along the gunwales are the secondary gun turrets - 7 per side. Although many are badly broken some can be easily distinguished amongst the general wreckage. The two masts of the vessel can still be seen as they stretch out away from the wreck. The seabed all around is littered with wreckage as is the area towards the bows.

At the stern section it is easy to locate the twin rudders with the propellor shafts above. Although not quite as impressive as the Markgraf's they provide a convenient reference point with which to navigate the wreck. Along the starboard side, part of the hull has been removed to expose the inner parts. Divers can appreciate how part of the boat was built by finning along this section and peering inside. It is straightforward to traverse the length of the boat by travelling up this side.

The Kronprinz is not the deepest of the Scapa wrecks. With the keel at 12m she is more like a reef. It is easy to do a pleasant and leisurely decompression as you ascend up the sides of the boat. But good dive planning is essential to get the most from this wreck. The biggest problems are orientation, where to go and what to see. It's also easy to get carried away and extend your diving time. The Kronprinz is a big wreck and it takes many dives to get to know her.

 

 

 

Markgraf 

Type: Battleship - Koenig class

 

Commission: Ordered in August 1911 the Markgraf was built in the Weser Yard in Bremen. She was launched on 4th June 1913 and completed on 1st Oct 1914. Markgraf means Marquis.

 

History: The Markgraf was part of the 3rd Battleship Squadron. She saw action at Jutland, being hit many times in her vanguard position by the British Queen Elizabeth battleships. Her captain was shot by British marines during the great scuttle and his grave can be seen in the Lyness naval cemetery. She sank around 4.30pm on 21st June 1919.

 

Diving: The Markgraf lies on her port side at 58.53.31 : 3.09.55. The seabed is around 45 metres, with a least depth of around 24 metres. This is the deepest German battleship. Like all the battleships she is virtually upside down so to get underneath her means getting to the gunwales at around 38 metres. Depending on the shot position, the diver lands on the upturned hull and looks over the side into 20 metres of gloom and darkness. It is important to ensure that you are on the right side! Off you go, skydiving down the side of the hull. If the shot is amidships then you should see the 6 inch guns pointing out as you approach the gunwales at 38 metres. This gives a useful reference point as the direction that the guns are pointing will show you where you are on the wreck. Amidships, the gun barrels point out 90 degrees to the hull, whereas towards the bows the guns point towards the bows. So you can hang in the water above the gun barrels and navigate yourself accordingly. Below you it is dark as the decks run sharply under the hull.

As you descend towards the unseen sea bed at around 45 metres the underneath of the wreck reveals itself as a dark, imposing cave. Your torch beam just seems to go nowhere. To venture into this cave takes previous dive planning and some courage. But once inside it's not so bad. You can see the green of the outside as the bulk of the 25000 ton ship lies above you. It is possible to swim underneath most of the wreck. Just follow the coal brick road. In the middle you will come across part of the midships crane. One diver goes above and the other underneath. Somewhere in the darkness of the cave lies one of the 12 inch gun turrets, but it takes adventurous diving to find it.

There are 2 enormous rudders on the stern that are worth visiting. The hull is largely intact and well fitted with thick slabs of armour plating, some of which have peeled away. Some blasting damage can be seen near the bows. The bows themselves tip over sharply into the darkness.

The Markgraf is an exciting and challenging dive. Its depth and position are such that good dive planning is essential. The sea bed is dark and silty and so on a dull day this wreck can be gloomy and quite intimidating. It is a cleaner wreck than the other battleships with less obvious damage done by salvage work.

 

 

Light Cruiser - Dresden II class

Dimensions: Length 500 ft Breadth 45 ft Draught 18+ ft Displacement 5500 tons

Armament: 8 5.9 inch guns, 3 3.4 inch anti aircraft guns 2 Machine guns 4 19.7 inch torpedo tubes. 2 above water, 2 submerged. Normally, 200 mines were carried

Engine: 2 coal/oil turbines of 46000 Hp drove 2 propellors. Designed speed was 28 knots.

Complement: Around 500 men.

 

 

 

Dresden

Type: Light Cruiser - Dresden II class

 

Commission: Built at Kiel and launched April 1917.

 

History: The Dresden laid a few mines off Embden and was attacked by a British submarine in August 1917. Owing to a turbine failure she was one of the last ships to arrive for internment at Scapa Flow. Sank at 13.30 on 21st June 1919,

Diving: The Dresden lies in 35 metres with her nearest surface point at 18 metres. In some ways she resembles the Koln, but her stern is more intact and gives the diver a better appreciation of that area. She lists at a slighter angle than the Koln and part of her deck has rotted and dropped away to reveal some of the innards. The bridge is intact and the whole superstructure together with the mainmast makes for excellent diving. The bow anchor chains are present, but like the Koln, the gun platforms are empty. Towards the stern the officers' accommodation section is obvious with its windows and open doorways. Both stern guns still remain as does the stern anchor.

The winter storms of 1996/97 have affected this wreck. The deck has moved away from the hull, so opening it up and making some swim throughs easier. 

 

 

Koeln

Koeln

Type: Light Cruiser - Dresden II class

 

Commission: The Koeln was built in Hamburg over 1915 - 1916. Launched October 1916.

 

History: The Koeln was built to replace its predecessor which was sunk at the Battle of Heligoland Bight in August 1914. She joined the German navy in early 1918, but apart from a little scouting saw no action. By the time of the Scapa internment, the Koeln was in bad repair and her slow speed held up the Fleet. The boat was scuttled at about 14.00 on 21st June 1919.

 

Diving: The Koeln is in good condition, and makes for an excellent dive. The boat is in 35 metres of water and lies on its starboard side with a very slight list. Because of the orientation of the wreck, the Koeln is quite light when the sun is out and it is easy to make out many of the structures on her. There are many ways of diving the Koeln. You can descend straight to the sea bed at 35 metres and then work your way up the vertical deck. Or else land midships on the port rail and either go to the bows or stern making sure to buoyant on mid deck level (about 25 - 30 meters). Or stand from one end and go straight to the other. The Koeln is large enough and interesting enough to make a few dives necessary before you get the picture.

The highest point is 20 metres which is the midpoint port rail. It makes a convenient place to start a dive from particularly if the shot is near here (which it often is). Although it is possible to stay around this depth and inspect a port side midmast 6 inch gun whose barrel points upwards, you need to go deeper to see the best of the wreck. You could continue to the stern and pass over a salvage hole towards the sternmost pair of 6 inch guns. They are both in good condition. By swimming over the stern you can then land on the long rudder (there is no propellor!). An impressive sight.

Or else move along towards the bows and pass the lifeboat davits that dangle over the side of the boat. You can look over and see the deck of the boat plunging down to the dark seabed some 15 metres below. As you approach the bows the depth increases down to around 28 metres. Near the sleek almost knife edge bows are two capstans with the remainder of the anchor chains. Behind the capstans working back toward the mainmast are the platforms of two 6 inch guns which have now disappeared. The mainmast still has a basically intact structure.

When diving this wreck it is easy to imagine being on a fast and lean cruiser. Her remaining guns are well preserved and even unpromising items like lifeboat davits and the holes left by her absent funnels are all memorable and add to the unique atmosphere that this wreck creates.

Light Cruiser - Konigsberg II class

Dimensions : Length 450 ft Breadth 45 ft Draught 16 ft Displacement 5300 tons

Armament : 8 5.9 inch guns, 3 3.4 inch anti aircraft guns 2 Machine guns 2 19.7 inch torpedo tubes above water

Engine : 2 coal/oil turbines of 46000 Hp drove 2 propellors. Designed speed was 28 knots.

Complement : Around 500 men.

Karlsruhe

Type: Light Cruiser - Konigsberg II class

 

Commission: The Karlsruhe was completed in January 1916 at Wilhelmshaven.

 

History: The Karlsruhe saw a little action around the Baltic islands in 1917 and did some minelaying and guard duty in 1918. Sank at 15.50 on 21st June 1919.

 

Diving: The Karlsruhe is the shallowest of the High Seas Fleet. She lies in 26 metres with a minimum depth of 12 metres. The boat is quite badly broken in places, but is nonetheless a rattling good dive. She lies on her starboard side with her stern section relatively intact with capstans and mooring bollards still attached to a sloping quarterdeck. Her mid section has been extensively salvaged, but this means that parts of her structure are the more easily seen. Towards her bows there are two 6 inch guns that straddle the sea bed having collapsed from the main deck housing. Her bows are intact and quite imposing. Anchor chains from the capstans lead out over the deck through hawse pipes set in the damaged deck. An anchor chain runs out along the sea bed. She has an excellent control tower.

This is an excellent dive not least because the salvage damage has made some parts of the cruiser more obvious than in the more extant ones. The stern is quite impressive

 

Light Cruiser - Bremse class

Dimensions: Length 450 ft Breadth 44 ft Draught 20 ft Displacement 4400 tons

Armament: 4 5.9 inch guns, 2 3.4 inch anti aircraft guns 2 Machine guns 2 19.7 inch torpedo tubes. 2 above water Space for 360 mines was allocated

Engine : 2 coal/oil turbines of 46000 Hp drove 2 propellors. Designed speed was 34 knots.

Complement : Around 480 men.

Bremse

Type: Light Cruiser - Bremse class

 

Commission: Launched in April 1916 at Stettin.

 

History: The Brummer and Bremse took part in a raiding operation against a convoy bound from Bergen to the Shetlands in October 1917. They massacred the convoy and as a result Germany considered using them as lone commerce raiders. However, the combined total of American and British naval opposition made this unworkable. The Bremse was scuttled on 21st June 1919 but was beached by the Royal Navy just to the west of Swanbister Bay. She was salvaged by Cox in 1929.

 

Diving: The Bremse's site is a scrapyard. Much of the boat was carried off to Lyness where it was broken up for salvage. The Bremse's remains lie off the foreshore at Toy Ness. There are some plates and shafts in 10m of water, while a 6 inch gun lies in slightly deeper water. All around there are isolated patches of debris such as a mast, a toilet and a mangled piece of superstructure.

 

Brummer

Type: Light Cruiser - Bremse class

 

Commission: Launched in Dec 1915 at Stettin.

 

History: The Brummer and Bremse took part in a raiding operation against a convoy bound from Bergen to the Shetlands in October 1917. They massacred the convoy and as a result Germany considered using them as lone commerce raiders. However, the combined total of American and British naval opposition made this unworkable. The Brummer sank at 14.30pm on 21st June 1919.

 

Diving: The Brummer can be a darkish dive that is different from the Dresden cruisers. Partly this is because of her orientation and partly because this is a more open wreck that divers can partially enter. She lies in 36 metres with 20 metres being her shallowest depth. She lies on her starboard side with her bows slighly shallower than her stern. At the bows you can see the anchor capstans with the chains still hanging off them. Behind them lies the 6 inch bow deck gun with its armoured shield. Aft of this is the control tower with its narrow viewing slits and open access door and directly behind is the bridge. The bridge and mainmast strucure is largely intact, and presents the diver with a mass of wires and cross rigging. Just aft of the bridge is the mid 6 inch gun with its barrel facing astern. Midships is a mess of salvage damage. It is possible to enter the ship here and explore her interior. Further back at the stern can be found another 6 inch gun. The rudder can be seen lying on the seabed.

Since the winter storms of 1996/97 the deck has moved away from the hull, which has opened the wreck somewhat. Some swim throughs are easier.

F2 Escort vessel

Type: The F2 is a good second dive. She is submerged in Gutter Sound (near Lyness) at 18m. Although (despite) her stern is badly damaged, she is a thoroughly good rummage wreck. A lot of life around her.

Commission: Built at Kiel in 1936.

 

History: The F2 was used as an experimental boat by the German Navy. In some ways similar to a destroyer, she was converted to a torpedo recovery vessel. She was 250 ft long with a beam of 30 ft and displaced nearly 800 tons. She had two 4 inch guns on pedestal mountings - one on the forecastle deck and the other on her aft deck. After the end of WW2 she was given to Britain as war reparations and was moored in Gutter Sound. She sank shortly after in December 1946.

 

Diving: The boat lies on its port side in 18m of quite cold water. The visibility is usually quite good. The bottom is shaly and pebbly. There is an awful lot to see and discover. Not only the extensive wreckage but also a lot of interested sea life. The wrasse are particularly friendly - probably hoping for a sea urchin meal from a diver. There are enormous horse mussels, energetic scallops, many sea urchins and a couple of lurking conger.The wreck has been extensively salavaged around the stern. Unrecognisable wreckage lies strewn all over the sea bed. Wreck ferrets will be in their element. Towards the bows a more recognisable shape emerges. The bridge structure is quite intact and the mainmast still lies across the seabed. On the foredeck there is a well preserved 4 inch gun turret with its breech mechanism exposed for inspection by the interested diver. Anchor chains are clearly visible as are the paraphenalia of cleats and capstans.

Near to the F2 (about 40m off the starboard midsection) is a barge that was used in salvage work. The barge sank in 1968 during a storm. Inside its hold can be seen one of the anti aircraft guns that was being salvaged from the F2 plus a lot of other bits and pieces. If you are the first pair of divers then it is pleasant to swim into the hold of the barge and explore. At one end you will see a worktable with a vice on it plus tool cabinets. There are a couple of passageways. Underneath the barge there are quite a few ling and conger.

The water seems particularly cold around the F2. There is a lot to see, and there are many surprises. A good second dive.

Gobernador Bories

Type: The Gobernador Bories is another of the blockships lying in Burra Sound. Although she is near the Inverlane (300m S - SE) she is entirely submerged. It is quite common to start a dive on the Inverlane, swim over to the Gobernador and ascend from her. However, the GB deserves a dive all to herself. She makes a superb dive.

 

Commission: The GB was built in West Hartlepool in 1882.

 

History: She was sunk as a blockship in 1915. She is a 2500 ton steamer.

 

Diving: The Gobernador is unforgettable. She is one of those surprise dives that you don't really expect in Scapa. This is because of the exceptional visibility and the profusion of life around her. The boat lies in 16m of clean, well swept water. The bottom is sandy gravel with no silt which gives it a very light background. She lies uprightish and is still quite a recognisable boat despite the fast current that runs around her and keeps her clean.

However, it is important to dive this wreck on the slack. With currents of up to 12 knots it is so easy to get swept off despite the shot line. Slack is around 30 - 45 mins and the current picks up within minutes, so good dive planning and an aware skipper is essential.

It is possible to get into the holds of the GB, and what a sight! With the clear limpid water, good light and prolific fish life, being inside rather resembles a small church with a greeny light pouring in through stained glass windows. The fish are quite unperturbed by divers - indeed they almost expect to be fed with the abundant sea urchins that abound around. Amidships there are boilers with a below deck section that may be safely penetrated. The bows are quite intact and there is a 'little room' out of which the diver can see a surreal pattern of kelp dancing outside maybe to the accompaniment of bubbles from divers underneath.

Divers can swim around the keel of the boat on the NE side. The propellor is still there (1988). The whole wreck is buzzing with life - fish (wrasse especially), sea urchins, all manner of starfish and the most plenteous carpeting of kelp. The wreck is a riot of colour and life, and has a somewhat bizarre Mediterranean feel about it.

Unforgettable and unmisseable.

HMS Hampshire

Type: The Hampshire is best known for being the vessel that was carrying Lord Kitchener when it sank off Marwick Head, Orkney. Kitchener was on his way to discuss strategy with the Russians. The Hampshire was a tough battle cruiser that was well suited for the long journey from Orkney to Archangel. They left Orkney on June 5th 1916 and straightaway headed into a gale. The support ships could not keep up so the Hampshire carried on alone. Not for long though. It hit a mine and soon sank. There were few survivors.

 

Commission: The boat was built and launched at Chatham Dockyard, Kent over 1902 - 1904. She was commissioned in 1905.

 

History: The Hampshire had an eventful 11 years. She travelled to the Mediterranean and far East. She was involved in the hunt for the SMS Embden that was attacking Allied shipping at the start of the war. She took part in the battle of Jutland in 1916 just before her final encounter.

 

Diving: The Hampshire is a war grave. Unlike the war graves within the Sound, it is possible to dive her.

She lies nearly upside down in 68 metres and is nearly 500 feet long. She was surveyed in 1983 and one of her propellers was removed illegally. This caused a big outcry, until it was removed to Lyness, Hoy where visitors to the museum can see it on display.

Until recently, her depth meant that she was outside the remit of most divers. Technical diving has brought attention to her. In his book Rod McDonald gives an excellent description of diving the Hampshire.

"Diving HMS Hampshire is a profoundly moving experience... At 65 plus metres to the sea bed this wreck is well and truly in the realm of the technical diver using trimix. The area is renowned for its strong currents and the wreck must be dived at slack water, preferably during the weaker neap tides of the month. Jumping from the gunnels of the dive-boat into the water your mind races over the forthcoming dive plan.....

As the descent commences the feel of the dive is completely different from inside the Flow. The water clarity of the Atlantic Ocean produces visibility of 15 to 20 metres on average and a deep blue/black look to the water reminiscent of deep diving in the Pacific. The upturned wreck looms into sight from some distance and the scale of the vessel reveals itself.....

The wreck rests on a clean shale sea bed starboard side down and so the more interesting side of the wreck to explore is the slightly elevated port side. Very soon the divers' eyes adjust to the gloom and even at this great depth of 65 metres it soon becomes unnecessary to use torches and large sections of the wreck can be easily recognised in the glorious 20m visibility..."

HMS Hampshire is a very moving dive, the depth itself casts its own spell, the underwater visibility means that large sections of this vessel can be made out in any direction so it is possible to grasp the awesome scale of the vessel.." 

Roedean

HMS Roedean was built at Barrow and completed in 1897. She displaced over 1000 tons and was 280 feet long.

 

History : At the start of WW1 the Royal Navy took her over and converted her into a minesweeper. Ironically, it was a mine in the entrance to Scapa Flow - the Sound of Hoxa - that finished her off in 1915.

 

Diving : The Roedean is unfortunately quite badly damaged owing to clearance blasting. Furthermore she lies in a sheltered and somewhat muddy spot so it is all too easy for divers to stir the silt up. Nonetheless, she is a good second dive as she lies in 15 meters and there is a lot of wreckage on the sea bed to greet the diver. With care, there is still a lot to see and piece together.

V 83 Destroyer

Type: Torpedo-boat destroyer, V 67-84 class

Built by A.G. Vulcan at Hamburg during 1916

 

History: She joined the German Fleet days after Jutland. She took part in patrols off Heligoland Bight and probably attacked ships in the English Channel. Sank on 21st June 1919. Used by Ernest Cox when he salvaged the Hindenburg. Then dumped in her present place.

 

Diving: The V83 is a shallow Scapa wreck. She lies in two parts - bows in 8 metres and stern in 16 metres. Broken amidships, she makes a good second dive.

Although the shallow bow section is well covered with kelp there are hatches available for examination. The middle section has been extensively salvaged and so is well broken up. Nonetheless there are many bits of wreckage to be found. There is a 4 inch gun pointing upwards as well as the remnants of one of her torpedo tubes. The stern section is comparatively well preserved. It lies upright with an extant rudder, an anchor and attendant prop shafts. It is possible to enter the stern via one of the propellor guards.


The Köln

 

The Koln

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


This warship's fighting history might have been unimpressive, says John Liddiard, but as a wreck it is the most intact of all the German Fleet at Scapa Flow
Illustration by Max Ellis


The wrecks of the scuttled German High Seas Fleet in Scapa Flow include two Dresden II class cruisers, the Köln and the Dresden. Although basically identical ships, the Dresden is one of the more broken German Fleet wrecks, in stark contrast with the Köln, which is regarded as the most intact of all.
Local skippers maintain buoys on all the main Scapa Flow wrecks. On the Köln, the line is usually attached to a boat davit just forward of the break in the hull
(1).
Immediately below the line is one of the 3.4in secondary anti-aircraft guns mounted high on a pillar above deck
(2). Originally the gunners would have stood on an open platform attached to the pillar from which they could work the gun, but this platform has long gone.
Forward from this gun are the flues from the funnels
(3). The funnels have broken off, but some parts are still recognisable among debris on the seabed beneath. As usual with warships, the flues are blocked by armoured grilles, to protect the boilers below from falling shells.
Next comes the bridge and main mast. The mast is spectacularly intact, with supporting cables home to dangling arrays of plumose anemones
(4). Two spotting platforms are located a short way up the mast (5).
Beneath the mast, the main bridge area retains its overall structure, but the sides have rotted away to leave a cross-hatched array of supporting beams
(6).
Forward of the bridge is the armoured conning tower - a solid-looking cylin-drical structure with slit windows. On the roof is a T-shaped device that, on a modern ship, could be a radar scanner, but is in fact the rangefinder for the ship's guns
(7).
An arrangement of lenses and prisms would be used to calculate range from the parallax between images viewed through opposite ends of the range-finder. The optics from the rangefinder were removed in Germany before the Köln was surrendered to the British. Apparently the Germans regarded the secrets of their rangefinder optics as something worth keeping to themselves when the fleet was interred.
The Köln originally mounted two bow turrets side by side on the forward deck
(9), but all that remains are two debris-filled holes in the decking where the turrets used to be, and an armoured locker just behind them, perhaps used to store ready ammunition (8).
The bowsThe last feature before the bow is a pair of capstans with anchor chain dangling between them (10). Beneath the starboard bow, a length of chain runs out across the seabed, but I have never swum to the end of it to look for an anchor (11).
Back towards the conning tower on the port side of the hull, several missing plates and a gouge in the deck provide easy access to the spaces below deck, with turret mechanisms and drives for the capstans easily accessible
(12).
Following the shallower port side of the deck back past the bridge, you come to the remains of one of the main 5.9in gun turrets
(13). This turret is unusual in that half of the armour plating has fallen away, leaving the gun mechanism more accessible than on the more intact turrets at the stern. The corresponding starboard turret is presumably buried among debris on the seabed.
Other features along this side of the hull are davits for the ship's boats
(14), the last of which hosts the buoy line (1).
With a maximum depth between 33 and 36m, the route so far gives a relatively brisk no-stop dive or a more leisurely dive with a moderate amount of decompression stops.
Unless you are breathing an optimum nitrox mix, are carrying lots of it, and are prepared for lengthy deco stops, you will probably want to save the second part of the route for a later dive.
Behind the davits and gun pillar, the hull has been broken open for salvage
(15). Over a number of years, the weakened structure has collapsed further, leaving a tangled mess of debris, including the aft mast and superstructure.
Crossing the debris, the wreck soon regains its structure, with a raised deck supporting one of the rear turrets. This turret is intact, showing the full armoured shield covering the front, top and sides of the turret, but leaving the rear open
(16). The 5.9in gun barrel points about 20ˇ to port of aft.
Further back and on the main deck, the other rear turret is also intact
(17). It must be something about the balance of the turrets, because the rearmost turret points upward at a similar angle to the previous one, as do similar intact turrets on the other scuttled cruisers Dresden and Brummer.
A few plates have broken free of the deck, leaving holes too small to enter. At the stern, a single capstan and chain hold the kedge anchor in place against the rear of the hull
(18). A diversion along the keel reveals the remains of the rudder and propshafts (19). The main life on the hull plates consists of tunicates and brittlestars.
Returning to amidships along the shallower port side of the deck, the break in the hull is soon reached. With decom-pression stops now mounting rapidly, it is probably easier to release a delayed SMB from the start of the break
(20) than work across it back to the buoy line.
As mentioned earlier, the Köln is of the same class of cruiser as another wreck in Scapa Flow, the Dresden. The Dresden is similar in layout to the Köln, but lies on its port side, with considerably more damage to the amidships and stern areas. Its bow used to be reasonably intact but, over the past couple of years, the plates have started to fall away from the ribs of the hull.

TIDES: The Köln can be dived at any state of the tide.

GETTING THERE: Ferries to the Orkney Islands run from Scrabster, Invergordon and Aberdeen. The longer ferry routes cost more, but they have the advantage of shorter road journeys. The Scrabster-to-Stromness ferry is accustomed to divers and has a system for carrying dive gear for foot passengers, so you can easily leave your car on the mainland. Coaches from Inverness to Scrabster are scheduled to fit in with the ferry sailings. It is also possible to fly into Kirkwall.

DIVING AND AIR: Most diving in Scapa Flow is from large hardboats, many offering liveaboard "floating bunk room" accommodation. Boats are generally based in Stromness, but may tie up overnight at other harbours. Air is provided by on-board compressors. Nitrox can be mixed on-board most boats for an extra charge. Air, weights and cylinders are usually included in the price, so travelling light to the Orkney Islands and using the boat's equipment is always an option. Try Jean Elaine, the skipper of which, Andy Cuthbertson, lent a hand with this Wreck Tour (01856 850879) or check out the Classified Ads section of this issue for the many other options available.

LAUNCHING: If you want to ferry your own boat across, there are a number of small slips in Scapa Flow. The nearest to the Köln is at Houton. Scapa Flow is a working harbour and you will need to arrange permission to dive in advance with the Harbourmaster.

ACCOMMODATION: Sleep on board the boat, or stay ashore in a local hotel or B&B. There is a camp site in Stromness, but camping in the Orkney climate is not recommended. Contact Orkney Islands Tourist Board on 01856 872856, website: www.orknet.co.uk

QUALIFICATIONS: Scapa Flow is best suited to experienced sport divers and above who are capable of doing some decompression . Nitrox can be an advantage to get the most out of this wreck.

FURTHER INFORMATION: Admiralty Chart 35, Scapa Flow and Approaches. Ordnance Survey Map 6, Orkney - Mainland, Ordnance Survey Map 7, Orkney - Southern Isles. Dive Scapa Flow, Rod Macdonald. The Wrecks of Scapa Flow, David M Ferguson. The Naval Wrecks of Scapa Flow, Peter L Smith. Shipwreck Index of the British Isles Vol 4, Scotland, by Richard and Bridget Larn.

PROS: A reasonably intact warship that can be dived at any state of the tide.

CONS: Scapa Flow is a long way to travel for most UK divers.
Thanks to Matt Wood, Andy Cuthbertson and many members of Tunbridge Wells BSAC.

 

DANGEROUS ONLY IN DEATH
The light cruiser Köln

The light cruiser Köln was the last of the 74 ships of the surrendered German High Seas Fleet to reach Scapa Flow, but among the first to obey the order to scuttle. All 5531 tons of her went down, sternfirst with a starboard heel, and all 510ft went out of sight at 1.50pm on 21 June, 1919, writes Kendall McDonald.

The Köln, named after the city of Cologne, did not have much of a war record. She was built at the Blohm and Voss Hamburg shipyard to replace the sunken Cöln (German spellings changed around this time) and launched in October, 1916, but was not completed and taken into service until January, 1918.

She was a high-speed mover with a heavy punch. Her two sets of turbines and twin propellers could drive her along at nearly 30 knots, even when fully loaded with ammunition for her eight 5.9in and two 3.4in AA guns, torpedoes for her four deck tubes, and 200 mines. That is not to mention the weight of a large amount of 2.4in and 3.9in armour. Her crew numbered 559.

The Köln became part of the Second Scout Group, escorting U-boats through the swept channels of German minefields in Heligoland Bight. Sometimes she laid some of her own mines. Her chances of action against the British Fleet diminished as German naval mutinies spread, but she and the Second Scout Group remained loyal and stayed at sea, awaiting orders.

Those orders, when they finally came, were to join not battle but the Internment Fleet. Leaky condensers meant that she finally limped into Scapa Flow behind the rest of the German Fleet.

However, she nearly did sink one British warship. A destroyer went alongside to try to stop her sinking and just missed being taken down by the Köln as she rolled over for her final plunge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


After 33 years of freighting and Antarctic whaling and 85 years in Scapa Flow, this blockship is a relative marvel of preservation, as John Liddiard reports
Illustration by Max Ellis


Although Scapa Flow is famous for the remains of the scuttled German Grand Fleet, of World War One, there are many other wrecks in the nearby waters.
To restrict access to Scapa Flow in both wars, old and damaged ships were scuttled in some of the entrances as deliberate obstructions to navigation. One of these blockships is the 2332 ton Gobernador Bories, built in 1882 and scuttled in Burra Sound in 1915.
Slack water in the sound is short. To get a good dive on the wreck you have to arrive early and jump in as soon as the current is slack enough to stay on the wreck. With a maximum depth of 15 or 16m, a no-stop dive of more than an hour is possible, so by the time you surface the current will be ripping along in the opposite direction.
When I dived the Gobernador Bories, a buoy line was attached just forward of the boilers (
1), but this could change as lines break and are replaced.
In front of the boilers is a small donkey boiler (
2). On the starboard side of the wreck, collapsed deck plates rest across the starboard boiler to make a tunnel inside the starboard side of the hull (3).
Various pieces of pipework and valves project into the tunnel from the end of the donkey boiler and plenty of light enters the tunnel through breaks in the plates and triangular ends forward and aft.
With the wreck being regularly swept by strong currents, there is no silt inside and good visibility makes navigation easy. Lines are not needed for this sort of wreck penetration, but I would recommend a fully redundant air supply.
Turning aft along the side of the boiler, the tunnel breaks into the open among the exposed remains of the engine room (
4). The huge block of the steam engine (5) dominates the scene. The crankshaft and connecting rods are visible through the sides of the engine block.
From the rear of the engine, the partially buried arch of the propshaft tunnel projects from the square housing of the thrust bearing and marks the way to the stern (
6). Largely intact, it is obscured in places by fallen sections of deck plate and hull.
A few metres back, the remains of the engine-room bulkhead is still upright, with some large sections of pipe attached to the inside of it (
7).
The starboard side of the hull is generally higher than the port side, with ribs projecting above the line of the hull plates. Sticking up into a strong current, such ribs are a perfect home for soft corals and anemones. From the top, streamers of kelp waft in the current (
8).
With typically good visibility you will be able to see the shadow of the largely intact stern from about halfway along the hold. The floor of the hold is a tangle of debris from the deck and sides. Among the debris here you will find the solid remains of the surround for one of the hold hatches (
9) and, a little further back, a large winch (10).
The stern itself lists heavily to starboard and is surprisingly intact compared to the rest of the ship (
11), demonstrating graphically how the ends of a ship are built to withstand much higher stresses than those parts in-between.
With decks gone, the inside of the stern is a grid of ribs and pillars, with shafts of sunlight streaming in from above. Right at the top, the steering mechanism is still attached to the rudder shaft (
12).
Even at slack water there will still be some current running, so a cautious move is to drop close to the seabed before coming round the stern to view the propeller and rudder, both intact and in place (
13). Two blades of the propeller are buried in the shingle seabed, with the hub just clear.
Following the line of the keel brings you back past the intact stern to the broken port side of the hold (
14), where you can retrace your route back to the boilers.
Back at the boilers, the tunnel formed between collapsed decking and the starboard side of the hull (3) can also be followed forwards for 10m or more, almost halfway to the bows (
15), coming out beneath a pair of solid deck bollards.
I was mobbed by fish in this tunnel. Divers must have fed the wrasse on this wreck, because they are almost tame. They readily approach, seeking a free meal, and follow you throughout the dive.
Crossing the wreck to the port side, another swimthrough (
16) takes you right up to the inside of the bows. Like the stern, the bows are intact, but this time twisted to port.
There are no chains or anchors. Such useful fittings would have been cleared out before the ship was scuttled. Having said that, on the seabed to the port side of the bows lies a large iron pendant, perhaps the remains of an anchor with broken flukes (
17).
To end the dive, there is little point returning to the buoy line. The current will be building up and the line would soon drag under with divers ascending it. My recommendation is to ascend to 8m while staying in the shelter of the bows (
18), make a slightly deeper than normal safety stop while hanging on to the kelp, then blob to the surface before you drift too far from the wreck.

 


Connecting rods in the engine room


a small donkey boiler lies across the ship in front of the main boilers

inside the chain locker at the bows

the propeller is still in place, half-buried in the sand

exploring inside the stern section

 

 

PASSIVE ROLE IN TWO WARS

The Admiralty worried for years about the security of its anchorage for the Grand Fleet in Scapa Flow, writes Kendall McDonald. Long before the start of World War One, it began to fear that submarines might slip into the Flow and that its battleships would be sitting ducks.

A German submarine would not in fact do that until U-47 torpedoed the battleship Royal Oak with the loss of more than 800 men in Scapa Flow in 1939. But in August 1914 the Admiralty's concerns crystallised into the idea of sinking blockships to keep out U-boats.

Its plans were rushed forward after the periscope of U-18 was spotted that November. The U-boat left Scapa Flow without difficulty after her captain found that the Navy was so scared of U-boat attack that it had dispersed most of the fleet.

There was little choice about the type of ships to use as blockships. The Admiralty bought what it could, used war prizes and added war-damaged ships, anything that would float long enough to be towed into position. Twenty-two vessels, 50,000 tons of shipping, were sunk within a year to close the four minor entrances to the North Sea. The main entrances were closed by booms, nets, minefields controlled from the shore and guns of all kinds.

Five ships were used to block Burra Sound (two more were added in WWII). One of the earliest to hit the bottom in 1915 was the Gobernador Bories, a 2332-ton whaling ship based at Puntas Arenas, near Cape Horn. She had been used for some years for hunting whales in Antarctic waters near the Falkland Islands.

The Gobernador Bories was almost a hulk when she was bought by the Admiralty - the Falkland waters are not kind to any ship, particularly one as old as this. The iron single-screw steamer had been built at West Hartlepool in 1882 as the Wordsworth, and had a long career as a cargo steamer before being bought by the Chileans for whaling.

The fact that she is still ship-like after all that the fierce currents in Burra Sound could do over the past 85 years is a tribute to the men of West Hartlepool who built her, a mere 118 years ago!

 

GETTING THERE: Ferries to the Orkney Islands run from Scrabster, Invergorden and Aberdeen. The longer ferry routes cost more, but have the advantage of shorter road journeys. The Scrabster to Stromness ferry is regularly used by divers and has a system for carrying dive gear for foot passengers, so you can easily leave your car on the mainland. Coaches from Inverness to Scrabster are scheduled to fit in with the ferry sailings. It is also possible to fly into Kirkwall.

TIDES: The time of slack water in Burra Sound is a bit unpredictable, so skippers like to get there early and wait for the current to drop. Slack water is approximately 15 minutes before high water and 30 minutes after low water at Widewall Bay. Slack usually lasts for less than 30 minutes.
HOW TO FIND IT: Co-ordinates 58 55 25N, 3 18 33W (degrees, minutes and seconds). The Gobernador Bories used to be easy enough to find by searching into Scapa Flow from the bows of the Inverlane. However, it might be more difficult now that the Inverlane has collapsed further and no longer breaks the surface. With the tide running, the Gobernador Bories causes quite a stir on the surface, and with an echo-sounder and GPS, finding it should not prove too difficult. A small buoy should be attached and pop up as the current slackens.
DIVING AND AIR: Most diving in Scapa Flow is from large hardboats, many offering liveaboard Ňfloating bunk roomÓ accommodation. These are generally based in Stromness, but may tie up overnight at other harbours. Air supplied by on-board compressors, weights and cylinders are usually included in the price, so travelling light and using the boat's equipment is always an option. Try Jean Elaine, 01856 850879 or Sharon Rose, 01856 851218, www.scapascuba.co.uk
LAUNCHING: If you want to ferry your own boat across, there are a number of small slips in Scapa Flow. You will need to arrange permission to dive in advance with the harbourmaster.
ACCOMMODATION: Sleep on board the boat, or stay ashore in a local hotel or B&B. There is a camp site in Stromness, but I would not recommend camping in the Orkney climate. Orkney Islands Tourist Board, 01856 872856, www.orknet.co.uk.
QUALIFICATIONS: Experienced sport divers who are happy diving in currents. This wreck is sufficiently shallow for nitrox to offer little advantage.
FURTHER INFORMATION: Admiralty Chart 35, Scapa Flow and Approaches. Ordnance Survey Map 6, Orkney - Mainland, and Map 7, Orkney - Southern Isles. Dive Scapa Flow by Rod Macdonald.
PROS: Superb visibility, massive amounts of life and fairly shallow.

CONS: Scapa Flow is a long way to travel for most UK divers. You have to take time out from diving the capital ships.

 


One of Scapa Flow's legendary giant battleships, it's too big to hurry, but John Liddiard explains how to get a good overview.
Illustration by Max Ellis

THE KRONPRINZ WILHELM IS AN ENORMOUS WRECK. On the cruiser wrecks of Scapa Flow it's possible to find your way round fairly easily, but on a battleship this large and complicated it can easily take a few dives before you get the feel for it.
     The route I have chosen to describe is quite a long dive, involving a bit of a fast swim along the wreck to get the overall layout with diversions to see the main features. Even so, if you don't want to spend that much time under water and decompressing, it can easily be split into a series of dives.
     Local dive boats usually maintain a couple of buoys on the Kronprinz Wilhelm, one at the stern and one amidships. I recommend the stern line, because if you start amidships and go down the wrong side of the wreck, you will lose several minutes of valuable bottom time working your way to the open side. Like many other divers, I've done exactly that.
     The buoy line is attached among a jumble of debris where the hull has been blasted open just above the rudders
(1). Salvage has removed the propellers and presumably the shafts to get at the bearings. Following the slope downwards, the debris ends and a more intact area of the hull continues to the seabed (2).
     Go on down to the seabed and start swimming with the hull on your left-hand side. That way, wherever you hit the seabed you will end up on the open port side of the wreck, rather than the starboard side that rests in the silt.
     Just forward of the rudders, a number of hull plates have come loose, providing easy access to the huge gear wheels which drove the stern anchor capstans, now buried in the silt below
(3). Cabins in this area were the officers' accommodation, nice and comfortable away from the main machinery.
     Back outside, a gap soon appears, growing between the deck and the silt. You could start exploring under the deck at any time, but an easy way to see the main gun turrets is to wait until the gap between the deck and the seabed is a few metres high before turning in beneath the wreck
(4).
     It's easy to miss the main gun turrets because they are so huge. I have found myself swimming alongside a turret and thinking it was just a wall of steel plate until I followed it up to the circular base.
     Gun barrels for the 12in main guns could be mistaken for sections of propshaft or mast, until you suddenly realise just what it is you're looking at.
     Find one that's clear of the seabed and try hugging it to touch your hands on the opposite side, and you'll see what I mean. The inside bore might be 12in, but the barrels are well over a metre in diameter at the base.
     At the back of the number 5 turret is a gap between it and the deck. The turret base is still firmly attached to the deck, but in the lip at the back of the turret is an open hatch, originally leading upwards into the turret.
     Now you can poke your head and dive down for a look inside at the breech mechanisms of the guns.
     The number 4 turret was superimposed on number 5, being raised above it and just forward of it on the original ship. Turn this image upside-down and it's easy to find the guns for number 4 turret resting on the seabed below number 5, with the turret itself resting in the silt. The hatches at the back of this turret are firmly closed.
     Following the deck above the turret back out to daylight, the first two of the secondary 5.9in guns are accessible (5), with the armoured casemate broken open to give a view of the breech mechanisms.
     If you had not already seen the main turrets, these would be impressive in their own right, as big as the guns on the nearby cruiser wrecks. Here they are merely features of minor interest.
     The main gun turrets have supported the hull in this area, keeping it clear of the seabed, but further forward the hull has twisted to bring the secondary armament level with the seabed.
     Moving forward again along the port side of the deck, debris from the hull obscures much of interest, but poking in and out of the wreck where the gaps are large enough should reveal more of the secondary armament
(6).
     The number 3 main gun turret, situated amidships, is well buried beneath the wreck; obscured by the tangle of debris left from salvage work on the boilers and condensers
(7).
     About two-thirds of the way forward, lying perpendicular to the hull, lies a mast with observation platform
(8).
     Just forward of this, the foremost two secondary gun turrets are accessible beneath a pair of fallen hull plates
(9). Now well forward of the engine- and boiler-rooms, debris from the salvage work is less of an obstruction, but the deck is closer to the seabed.
     The number 2 turret is buried, but with a 1-2m gap between the deck and the silt there is just enough room to venture underneath again to see the number 1 main gun turret. The guns stretch forward half-buried in the silt
(10).
     Resting on top of one of the gun barrels is a length of anchor chain. Built on obviously battleship-sized proportions, each link is as big as a truck tyre and too heavy to shift even slightly.
     Towards the edge of the deck are a pair of mooring bollards and a fairlead
(11). The bows have collapsed almost flat to starboard, leaving two port anchor hawse pipes close together on the upper surface of the wreckage (12). The single starboard hawse pipe is hidden beneath the collapsed bows.
     By now anyone diving on air will be well into decompression, and anyone diving on nitrox will be at their no-stop time. Rather than end the dive and ascend from here, a convenient way to move slowly shallower and get the most from a dive computer is to follow the hull back to the midships area, slowly making your way up the hull.
     On the way in, there is access into internal corridors through gaps in the side of the hull
(13), but be extremely careful because these are heavily silted.
     This will eventually bring you up to a depth as shallow as 12-15m, depending on the tide. Ribs left poking into the gentle current are home to long and delicate anemones
(14).
     Forests of tunicates decorate intact plates, with carpets of intertwined brittlestars writhing on the deeper plates.
     Although there is another buoy line here, you might not find it, so a delayed SMB could be necessary for decompression.
     Further aft, the hole where the machinery was salvaged
(15) provides a separate destination for a subsequent rummage dive.
     The wreck of the Kronprinz Wilhelm is so immense and complex that you will need several dives before you even begin to feel you know it.
     A wreck this size could merit a week's diving by itself, and whether you can spare that with all the other Grand Fleet wrecks and the blockships to explore, only you can decide.


Thanks to Matt Wood, Andy Cuthbertson and many of the members of Tunbridge Wells BSAC.

 

FINAL DAYS OF THE BIG SISTERS

She was one of the biggest warships in the world. After her launch at Kiel in 1914, the Kiel Canal had to be widened to get the huge Kronprinz Wilhelm through to fight Britain's equally massive Dreadnoughts, writes Kendall McDonald.

The Kronprinz Wilhelm weighed 25,388 tons, with her main armour plate over a foot thick around her turrets and fire control tower and another 4in of armour covering her decks. She was 575ft long with a beam of 97ft and a draught of more than 30ft. Into this was packed huge firepower from ten 12in guns, fourteen 5.9in guns and eight 3.4in guns, including anti-aircraft guns.

The Kronprinz Wilhelm even had five 20in torpedo tubes (one in the bow and four in the beam). And despite all this weight, her 46,000hp turbines could give a top speed of more than 21 knots.

The battleship came through the Battle of Jutland undamaged, having kept up fast and accurate fire on the British Grand Fleet from her position in the van with the Third Squadron of the German High Seas Fleet. Later she was torpedoed by the British submarine J1 while providing heavy back-up for the rescue of Kapitanleutnant Walther Schwieger, the man who sank the Lusitania, and his crew of U20, which had been stranded on the Danish coast.

The torpedo from J1 left a huge hole in the side of the Kronprinz Wilhelm. Only her watertight compartments and cork packing made it possible for her to limp back to port.

Repairs in dry dock took months and the ship was to fight no more. At the end of 1918 when she was ordered to sea her crew mutinied, joining the rest of the German Fleet in refusing to obey orders. After the Armistice, she was one of the battleships surrendered at Scapa Flow.

The Kronprinz Wilhelm was given an anchoring position "three-quarters of a mile north-east of the Calf of Cava". Close by were her sister-ships König and Markgraf, each with caretaker crews of about 200 Germans on board.

At 11.15pm on 21 June, 1919, the Kronprinz Wilhelm went down quietly and upright to the seabed in 36m, to be joined a few hours later by her sisters. These and four other Scapa Flow wrecks were recently scheduled for protection under the Ancient Monuments and
Archaeological Areas Act 1979.




Open hatch leading into number 5 turret


ammunition racks inside the turret


drive cogs for stern anchor capstans



 

Eday Map

East Mainland

East Mainland

The Orkney Mainland is divided between Kirkwall and Scapa into two sectors, east and west. The East Mainland, contains the parishes of Holm (pronounced locally as "Ham"), St Andrews and Deemess. St Andrews itself is divided into two districts, Tankerness and Toab, whilst Holm also includes the small island of Lamb Holm (pronounced "Home").

The area stretches twelve miles east from Kirkwall to Skaill in Deemess and ten miles south from Rerwick Head in Tankemess to Rose Ness in Holm. Comparatively low lying, it is almost entirely covered with glacial deposits. Here is good, though heavy, farmland which supports many of Orkney's beef herds.

Much land reclamation took place within the last century and the higher ground was peat-covered until quite recently; even today, traces of heather can be seen on roadside edges The tranquil beauty of nature is evident all around and although you'll find few archaeological sites in the area, modern historic monuments such as the famous Churchill Causeways and the Italian Chapel assure the area is high on everyone's visiting list. You can tour the area in a circular route, with a mileage of some thirty-seven miles, and within this trail you'll find several interesting shore walks. Superb views of Orkney's North Isles can be seen from Tankemess and Deemess, and from Holm you can easy see the Scottish Mainland on a clear day. The East Mainland is an area everyone from the specialist to the downright curious will enjoy to visit.

1.      Grimsetter Airport: Now titled "Kirkwall Airport", Grimsetter serves all internal and external air services. During World War II the Navy's Barracuda torpedo bombers departed from here to fly sweeps along the Norwegian coast in 1944-45. Nearby is Wideford Farm from where Captain Fresson flew on 30th May 1934 to establish the first internal airmail service in Britain

2.      Twin Lochs of Weethick: Due north, on the west side of the Tankerness peninsula, lie the twin lochs of Weethick, both brackish and both impounded by a double ayre or shingle bar-the only example of its kind in Orkney. Nousts, where boats were hauled out when not in use, are found along the northern bank of the outer lagoon-evidence of its use as a harbour, perhaps as far back as Viking times.

3.      Loch of Tankerness: Most of the farms in the vicinity of the loch were established when the sea was the main form of transport. The loch occupies a central position among fertile land and Curlews, Lapwings and Oystercatchers can be seen in this area, where they breed and feed.

4.      Rerwick Head: Remains of World War II coastal defence installations, guarding the channel between Tankerness and Shapinsay, can be seen on this headland.

5.      Mill Sands: These beaches are good places for collecting cockles and razor fish (known locally as "spoots") at very low spring tides. During spring and autumn the bay is frequented by Redshank, Turnstone and sometimes Bar-tailed Godwit; Shelduck spend the summer here, breeding in nearby rabbit-holes.

6.      Sheila Fleet Jewellery: Sheila Fleet, an Orcadian designer and producer of silver and gold jewellery, has a workshop in Tankerness. Visitors are welcome within working hours.

7.      Dingieshowe: The road runs over a sandy isthmus which connects Deerness to the Mainland of Orkney. An old defensive structure, the broch mound, is strategically sited amongst the dunes on the south side taking its name from the Old Norse for "parliament mount".

8.      Point of Ayre: An example of Lower Eday Sandstone.

9.      The Gloup: A dramatic collapsed sea-cave separated from the sea by a land bridge about 80 yards wide. It is approximately 40 yards long and 80 feet deep. Gloup comes from the Old Norse "gluppa" -a chasm- the local name for a blow hole. The Gloup is a 200 yard walk from the car park, though it is unfenced and great care is required. It is possible to navigate and enter the Gloup in a small boat from the sea. Details of boat hire are available at the tourist offices.

10.  Brough of Deerness: Accessible only by a narrow and dangerous cliff track, northwards from the Gloup and almost cut off by the sea at high tide, the Brough of Deerness is the site of an early Christian Monastery of the Celtic Church. Here hermit monks lived simple lives in solitude with nature. The remains of their chapel can still be seen.

11.  Mull Head Nature Reserve: An area of over 200 acres of coastal grassland, heath and sea cliff providing opportunity for walking, bird-watching and nature study. A comprehensive path network stretches from the Covenanters Memorial on the North coast to the Gloup on the west coast; circular walks of between 4 and 8 km are signposted from the Gloup Car Park. Features of interest on the reserve include the archaeological remains of a Norse settlement and church on the Brough of Deerness and sea cliffs, home to many seabirds.

 

  Copinsay, East Mainland

 

12. Copinsay: is a wedge shaped island with a lighthouse perched on 300 feet high vertical cliffs facing the North Sea. The lighthouse was first lit in 1915. To the north is the smallsteep "Horse of Copinsay" with, so it is said, "enough grass to fatten one sheep, feed two or starve three". To the west of the main island are Corn Holm, Black Holm (with its volcanic rock) and Ward Holm. This whole group of islands is now the James Fisher Memorial Reserve, owned by The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. These islands are the nesting sites of some 10,000 pairs of Guillemots and Kittiwakes on their mile long stretch of cliffs. Copinsay can be reached by boat-please ask at a tourist office for details.

13.  St Ninians Church and Churchyard: The Deerness War Memorial can be found within this complex and also a unique Hogg-backed gravestone.

14.  Covenanters Memorial: A slender monument erected in 1888 marking the area where about two hundred Covenanters, made prisoner at the Battle of Bothwell Bridge, were ship-wrecked on the "Crown" in 1697. The Covenanters had stubbornly resisted the introduction by Charles I of the English Common Book of Prayer in 1638. They were being transported to the American Colonies. There is a footpath from the parking area.

15.  Norwood Museum: Graemeshall House contains a private collection of antique items gathered over 55 years by Norris Wood. Spread over five rooms the museum exhibits fine examples of lustre ware, furniture, clocks, watches and musical boxes. Included in the tour is a viewing of a private chapel dedicated to St Margaret of Antioch and St Margaret of Scotland, consecrated in 1898. The house was originally owned by the Sutherland Graeme family and had been extensively rebuilt between 1874-96. Open certain weekdays May to September. There is an admission charge.

16.  "JoKer" jewellery was founded by Kerry McCallum in 1984. Her husband John joined her in 1986. Both are post graduates of Art College specialising in sculpture. The jewellery is made of ceramic, and is designed, manufactured and packaged from Holm. Visitors are welcome to the workshop.

17.  Churchill Barriers or Causeways: These four causeways were built after the sinking of the HMS Royal Oak while it lay at harbour in Scapa Flow in October 1939. Barrier No 1 is over 2,000 feet (610 metres) in length. The maximum depth below the highest tide level is 59 feet (18 metres) After the war, a road was built on top of the barriers allowing the south isles of Lamb Holm, Glimps Holm, Burray and South Ronaldsay to become part of the main roadway system of Orkney.

18.  Lamb Holm: Small island off Holm boasting the first Churchill Barrier and the Italian Chapel.

19.  Italian Chapel: Near St Mary's, on the tiny island of Lamb Holm - which is connected to the Mainland by the first of the Churchill Barriers - is a unique memorial to 550 Italian Prisoners of War where they were interned in the 1940s. This beautiful little chapel was converted internally from two corrugated - iron nissen huts.

20.  St Mary's Village: A picturesque little village with an esplanade facing south which developed during the herring fishing days. St Mary's is the venue for a variety of water based sports and has an annual regatta in July.

21.  HMS "Royal Oak" Marker Buoy: In Scapa Flow, almost hidden by the dark moorland across the valley of Deepdale is the green marker buoy forHMS "Royal Oak". Torpedoed with the loss of over 800 lives in 1939, the ship is protected from disturbance, being scheduled as a War Grave. A memorial to HMS "Royal Oak" can be found in St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall.

22.  Minehowe: Discovered in 1946 and re-excavated in 2000 - this mysterious but obviously important Iron Age chamber is open to the public. 

West Mainland

The West Mainland of Orkney can offer the visitor a richness and variety of attractions that few other places can match. Running through the rich farm land, there is also hill and moorland scenery to compare favourably with anywhere else in Britain. Here, there is a wide variety of plant and birdlife of interest to naturalists and ornithologists from many parts of the world. Spectacular cliff scenery along the Atlantic coastline, again full of birdlife during the summer months, contrasts strongly with sheltered sandy bays -ideal for artists, photographers, walkers and sightseers. Well-preserved prehistoric settlements provide a stark reminder that early settlers of these islands lived in circumstances differing greatly from today's inhabitants who live in very up-to-date dwellings. The West Mainland also contains some of the best-known wild brown trout fishing lochs in Northern Scotland. Access to all these locations is well signposted and served by good, surfaced roads. In most places car parking is available, free of charge. Accommodation can be had at excellent hotels, superior self-catering establishments and homely bed & breakfast guest houses of a very high standard. Local shops offer a friendly service. Good food can be enjoyed in local hotels and restaurants, with "High Tea" a speciality in some.

1.      Brough of Birsay: A tidal islet with 45 metre-high cliffs on its north face. Access by causeway at low tide to a small museum and ruins of a Romanesque church, Bishops Palace and several Norse Long-houses.

2.      St Magnus Church: Built in 1064 and rebuilt in 1664 and 1760; believed to be where St Magnus's body was taken, after his murder, by his cousin Hakon in 1115. ( His remains were later re-interred in St Magnus Cathedral).

3.      Earl's Palace: Built late 16th century by Earl Robert Stewart.

4.      Boardhouse Mill: Last example of a meal mill in working order.

5.      Stone o' Quoybune: A standing stone which folk-lore says went to the loch every New Year's - morning for a drink - not a bad idea, even today! .   

 

   Skara Brae, West Mainland

 

6. Marwick Head: Walk from the car park up to the stone-built memorial commemorating the loss of HMS Hampshire, whichsank here in mysterious circumstances with the loss of all but 12 men, including Lord Kitchener of Khartoum, Minister of War, reputed to be on a secret mission to Russia.

7.      Bay of Skaill: Sandy beach with sheltering dunes.

8.      Skara Brae: Magnificent prehistoric village. Skaill House. Visitors Centre.

9.      Hole o' Rowe: Natural arched cliff.

10.  St Peters Old churchyard.

11.  Orkney Brewery: At the old school, Quoyloo - Raven Ale and Skullsplitter.

12.  Yesnaby: A must for unforgettable views of cliffs, stacks ("castles"), and geos, and Primula scotica in season.

13.  Skipi Geo and Sandgeo: Recently restored fishermen's huts.

14.  Longaglebe Geo: A deep gorge eroded by the sea, 200 metres inwards.

15.  Kirbister Farm Museum: A well-kept example of an early 19th century farmhouse and steading, with central fireplace, stone neuk beds and collection of farm utensils of yesteryear.

16.  Dounby: A small village settlement where Birsay, Harray and Sandwick meet.

17.  Burgar Hill: Site of several aerogenerators, the largest with a diameter of 50 metres and a capacity of three megawatts.

18.  The Roost: Often wild strait separating Evie from Eynhallow, where there are the remains of a monastery.

19.  Mill of Harray: 19th century meal mill which, before 1875, had no drying kiln; farmers had to dry their own oats and barley before taking it to be milled.

20.  Click Mill: A simple type of wheel mill with horizontal wooden waterwheel of early 19th century design.

21.  Corrigall Farm Museum: Commemorates a bygone age, recreating a mid-19th century farmstead, with household artefacts and farm tools.

22.  Quoyer Viewpoint: An ideal stopping place for panoramic views of the Harray and Stenness Lochs, the Ring of Brodgar and the distant Hoy hills.

23.  Aikerness Beach: Probably the longest stretch of sandy beach in the West Mainland -perfect for bathing, picnicking or beachcombing for shells, especially cowries (groatie buckles).

24.  Broch of Gurness: One of Orkney's best-preserved brochs, from about the 1st century BC and occupied by both Picts and Vikings.

25.  Tingwall Ferry Terminal: Provides link with Rousay, Egilsay and Wyre. Evidence of another broch here.

26.  Doocot: Interesting home for pigeons at the Hall of Rendall. Recently restored, it is unique in Orkney.

27.  Finstown: Possibly named after an Irish soldier, Phin, who retired here after the Napoleonic Wars and set up an Inn called 'The Toddy Hole".

28.  Old Mill: No longer in use, but the machinery dating from the early 19th century is still there, including the overshot wheel which provided the power.

29.  Langalour: Notable 19th century farm, complete with neuk beds - originally a longhouse, shared by family and animals.

30.  Ingashowe Broch: Human remains and red deer bones were found when it was excavated. Inhabited 500-60 BC.

31.  Rennibister Earth House: Well-preserved and accessible.

32.  Brig o'Waithe: Where a stray bomb killed the first civilian to die on British soil in the 2nd World War. Sea trout sometimes caught here.

33.  Unstan Cairn Chambered tomb: excavated in 1884, when lots of neolithic pots were found.

 

34. Ring of Brodgar: A stone circle with 36 stones remaining - either as upright sentinels or broken stumps.

 

 

                      The Standing Stones of Stenness, West Mainland

 

 

35.  Barnhouse Stone-age village.

36.  Standing Stones of Stenness: A small circle dating from the third millenium BC and consisting originally of 12 stones, with, nearby, the Watchstone and the Bamhouse stone.

37.  Tormiston Mill: Refurbished mill.

38.  Maeshowe: The finest chambered tomb in Western Europe. Built before 2700 BC, it was raided by the Vikings in the mid-12th century and plundered of its 'treasures'. Here are the largest collection outside Scandanavia of runic inscriptions to be found in one place

39.  Buckle's Toor: Small tower built last century by a local lad while he herded sheep on the hillside.

40.  Binscarth: Three hectares of coniferous and broad-leafed woodland planted about 100 years ago.

41.  Cuween Chambered Cairn: Built around 2800-2000 BC. When it was entered in 1901, 24 dog skulls were found, thought to be tribal emblems of the stone-age builders.

42.  Site of Battle of Summerdale: Where the last pitched battle in Orkney was fought. The army of King James V, led by the Earl of Caithness, was defeated by the islanders who were rebelling against taxes and feudalism.

43.  Ward Hill: The highest point on the Orkney mainland - 268 metres.

44.  Houton: A sheltered harbour used by King Haakon in 1263 and the British Navy during the First World War. Now a ferry terminal for the South Isles and the oil terminal at Flotta.

45.  Round Kirk: Part of the Norse settlement at the Bu, this is Scotland's only circular mediaeval church, dating from the early 12th century.

46.  Earl's Bu: The remains of a Norse farmstead, at one time home to some of the Norse Earls who were so important in Orkney's history.

47.  Waulkmill: A beautiful sheltered beach. 

Hoy & Graemsay

Hoy means 'High Island' from the Old Norse 'HAEY'. It is the second largest island in Orkney at 57 square miles. The north and west are hilly and more 'Highland' in character, the south and east low-lying and fertile. more typical of Orkney in general. Hoy is steeped in history with sites which date from prehistoric times, through the Viking period and into the 20th century. Here you'll find the only rock-cut chambered tomb in Britain and discover Hoy's key role in British maritime history.

The richness of heritage is equalled by a treasure trove of natural history, for example you'll find plant communities normally associated with mountain areas. An ornithologist's paradise, a number of northern species can be seen in a natural setting which has few equals in Britain. Hills and stunning sea cliffs offer excellent hillwalking, the west coast in particular is one of spectacular natural beauty. The dramatic summits of Ward Hill and the Cuilags stand in splendid contrast to the rest of Orkney and can be seen from almost anywhere on Orkney Mainland.

Eday Map

The Dwarfie Stane, Hoy

Old Man of Hoy

 

1.      The Dwarfie Stone: Only rock-cut tomb in Britain: according to Sir Walter Scott it was the residence of the Trolld', a legendary Norse dwarf.

2.      Ward Hill: At 1570 feet (479m) this is Orkney's highest hill and with the neighbouring Cuilags has a sub-arctic, glaciated environment attracting geologists, botanists and hillwalkers.

3.      Rackwick: This crofting township is considered one of the most beautiful places in Orkney. Bounded by towering cliffs and steep heathery hills, Rackwick Valley rests beside a fine sand and boulder strewn beach.

4.      Watermill; Home-built water wheel used to drive a small croft mill. Berriedale Wood: The most northerly woodland in Britain; pollen analysis suggests that woodland of this type was more widespread in Orkney around 5000BC.

5.      The Old Man of Hoy: Famous 450 foot sea stack, first climbed in 1966 in a televised assault, is perhaps Orkney's most famous landmark. Occasionally steep footpath from Rackwick to the stack requires a three-hour round trip.

6.      St John's Head: Highest vertical cliff in Britain, the first direct ascent was made in 1970 by Edward Ward Drummond and companion who spent six nights on the face sleeping in hammocks.

7.      Broch of Braebister: This promontory provided protection for an Iron Age fort built some 2000 years ago. Remains are still visible in the form of a six to nine foot high mound.

8.      Hoy High & Hoy Low Lighthouses, Graemsay: Completed in 1851 Hoy High's white 108-foot tower tapers to CL balcony supported by Gothic arches. At the foot of the tower are keepers' houses, built in a style reminiscent of Assyrian temples.

9.      Betty Corrigall's Grave: A young girl from Lyness abandoned, pregnant, by a visiting sailor last century, took her own life and was buried away from hallowed ground on the parish boundary. Surely one of Britain's loneliest graves.

10.  Scad Head Viewpoint: A wonderful panorama of Scapa Flow and Orkney Mainland.

11.  Lyness Naval Cemetery: Here rest the heroes from some of the most famous incidents in modern naval history - the Battle of Jutland (1916]; HMS Hampshire sunk by a mine off Birsay (1916); explosion of the Vanguard off Flotta (1917) and the Royal Oak torpedoed in Scapa Flow (1939).

 

 

 Lynes Navel Base, Hoy

 

12. Lyness Naval Base & Interpretation Centre: Scapa Flow was a key anchorage for the Royal Navy in both World Wars. The Oil pump house at Lyness naval base has been converted into an interpretation centre reliving the history of the base.

13.  Martello Towers and Longhope Battery: These two towers, constructed between 1813 and 1815 were built as protection for the Baltic convoys. Renovated in 1866 they were used during World War I.

14.  Melsetter House: Largely constructed in 1898 by the famous architect W. R. Lethaby. It has one of the oldest gardens in Orkney. A private house with visits by appointment Thurs., Sat., & Sun. Tel.: 01856 791352.

15.  Osmondwall: This was a favourite Viking anchorage where in 955 Jarl Sigurd the Stout was given his famous choice - baptism into the Christian faith or decapitation. He chose baptism!.

16.  Longhope Lifeboat Memorial: At Osmondwall the Kirkhope burial ground is dominated by the lone bronze figure of a lifeboatman, erected in honour of the eight-man crew of the T. G.B. which was lost with all hands on March 17, 1969, en route to a rescue.

17.  Moodie Burial Place: The Moodie family owned most of Walls parish from the late 16th century until 1820

18.  Cantick Head Lighthouse: First lit in 1858 it was built by David Stevenson to mark the southern entrance to Scapa Flow.

19.  Green Hill of Hesti Geo: This large green mound, not far from the Candle of Snelsetter, contains an unusually large broch. There are two gloups nearby.

20.  Longhope Lifeboat Station: Situated at Brims in South Walls, Longhope Lifeboat station opened in 1834 and has saved over 500 lives.

21.  Wee Fea Viewpoint: Panorama of the South Isles

South Ronaldsay & Burray

South Ronaldsay is the nearest Orkney Island to Scotland, being just 6.5 miles across the Pentland Firth from John O'Groats. The main town is St. Margarets Hope. Burray was called "Borgarey" by the Vikings and the name means Broch Island. Burray lies to the north of South Ronaldsay and the two islands are connected by the 4th Churchill Barrier. Burray has several lovely sandy beaches and is a centre for many water sports including: diving, canoeing, sailing and water skiing. In both Burray village and St. Margarets Hope the visitor will find many facilities hotels, cafes, restaurants, shops, post offices, garages and craft shops.

The islands of Burray and South Ronaldsay are paradise for birdwatchers. The various habitats on the islands - such as heathland, beaches, lochs, cliffs and rocks - give rise to a wide variety of birds. Common and Grey Seals can also often be seen as you walk along the coast. The more elusive otter can be seen occasionally at dusk or dawn off the 4 barriers - footprints in the sand giving a clue as to their locations.

Being islands, many leisure activities are associated with the sea. Scapa Flow is arguably one of the best diving locations in Europe with the remnants of the scutled German fleet to explore as well as the sunken blockships. The clean pollution free water allows for clear vision under water enabling divers good views of the wrecks as well as varied marine life.Visitors can also enjoy fishing off the barriers and local boats are available for hire.

 

 

Eday Map

 

The German Fleet in Scapa Flow

Aeriel view of Burray and South Ronaldsay

 

 

1.      The Churchill Barriers: These were built with the assistance of Italian POWs after the sinking of HMS Royal Oak in October 1939 to protect the fleet anchored in Scapa Flow.

2.      Italian Chapel: Two Nissan huts were converted into this beautiful chapel by Italian POWs. The paintings were done by Domenico Chiocchetti, one of the prisoners.

3.      Northfield Broch: This Broch is a conspicuous mound and the interior is impressive. Please call at the farm before visiting. Tel 01856 731245

4.      Orkney Fossil and Vintage Centre: See many displays of fossils, relics of bygone days and other fascinating vintage exhibits. Outside are displays of old farm buildings and implements. Coffee shop and Gift shop. Tel 01856 731255

5.      Hunda: Hunda is uninhabited except for sheep and goats, reared for their wool. Connected to Burray by a Reef, a walk round Hunda will allow you to see many birds and seals. Please call at the farm of Littlequoy first.

6.      Burray Village: The hub of Burray with a licensed grocer and post office, garage, motel. bar. restaurant and a busy boat yard.

7.      St. Margaret's Hope: This picturesque town lies in its sheltered bay, perhaps named after the ill-fated Margaret of Norway who died in 1290. It is the third largest town in Orkney, and has a first class restaurant, craft shops, cafes. shops, and hotels. The Smiddy Museum has many artefacts from the time when every town had its own blacksmith. The Marengo Garden is a sheltered spot for a rest and contemplation. St Margarets Hope is the port for the ferry from Gills Bay - Pentland Ferries.

8.      Howe of Hoxa: Although this broch is a prehistoric fortress; it is also reputed to be where Earl Thorfinn The Skullsplitter was buried in 967 AD.

9.      Hoxa Head: Military enthusiasts will enjoy Hoxa Head. Follow the marked walkway and explore coastal battery sites. Area also noted for its wild flowers. Superb views of Scapa Flow.

10.  Sands O'Right: A lovely sandy beach which is the scene of the Annual Boy's Ploughing Match every August. There is an interesting coastal footpath through an area of high quality wetlands.

11.  Herston Village: A peaceful village originally built for the herring fishing about 1830. A good place to see wading birds.

12.  Harrabrough: An impressive rock formation with a natural arch and magnificent cliffs. Good place to see puffins.

13.  Olad Brae: A marvellous viewpoint from which to see panoramic views of the Pentland Firth. mainland Scotland and many islands of Orkney.

14.  Tomison Academy: An imposing disused school, built at the bequest of William Tomison who made a fortune working for the Hudson Bay Company. Tomison is buried in his own garden at Dundas House across the road.

15.  Old St Mary's Church: The site of one of the earliest chapels in Scotland. Inside there is a curious stone, said to have come from Caithness, with a pair of footprints carved into it. Several interesting old tombstones add to the atmosphere of the old kirk. The key is available locally. Tel. 01856 831212

16.  Burwick: Arrival and departure point for the short sea crossing from John O'Groats. The crossing takes 45 minutes. There is a large seal colony off the cliffs and it is also an excellent place to see puffins.

17.  Tomb of the Eagles: This impressive stalled chambered tomb was discovered by Mr R. Simison of Liddle Farm. Dating from approx. 3000 BC the name comes from the many talons and claws of sea-eagles found among the burials. Analysis of the bones found during excavation indicate that up to 340 people were buried here.

18.  Halcro Head: The coastal walk from the Tomb of the Eagles passes dramatic cliff scenery and a gloup at Halcro Head.

19.  Windwick Bay:Beautiful views from the cliff tops and there is a rocky beach where you can see seals. Good place to see migrant birds when conditions are right.

20.  Hesta Head: In 1918 HMS Narborough and HMS Opal. returning to Scapa Flow at night, ran at full speed into the cliffs during a blizzard. There was one survivor out of a crew of 180.

21.  Millennium Stone: This large stone, thought to be an old standing stone, lay undisturbed in a ditch near St Peter's church for at least 30 years. Three local men decided to move and re-erect the stone as their own Millennium project. They decorated the weathered stone with many carvings including a cross, a viking ship, a foot. a pair of hands. and put the letter M at the top which represents the Millennium. Access is free across farmland so watch out for animals.

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