Things to do · Destination Guide
Descend through cold, clear history onto the warships of Scapa Flow
Pick an activity mode to compare signature sites, skill fit, and gear planning notes before you lock your trip.
Scapa Flow is built for divers who want to understand a wreck, not merely see one. Stromness skippers use detailed history and orientation briefings to turn the immense SMS Coln, Brummer, Markgraf and their fleet companions into navigable routes. A normal week gives repeated exposure to cruisers, battleships and alternative blockships rather than trying to compress the destination into a weekend. The protected inner anchorage often remains workable when open coasts are rough, but cold water, darkness, silt and depth still make current drysuit and wreck skills essential. Kraken Diving and other local providers also use the shallow Churchill Barriers for training and confidence-building before qualified divers progress to more demanding boat dives.
A relatively intact light cruiser lying on its side, with a reported profile around 22 m to 36 m and recognizable bow, bridge and gun features.
An immense upturned battleship in roughly 45 m of water.
Operator Checklist
Book a five-day charter well before transport and accommodation, then send the skipper honest certification, recent-experience and gas requirements. Confirm whether cylinders, weights, air, nitrox, trimix, sorb and rebreather cylinders are included or must be reserved. Build the first day conservatively, especially after travel or a drysuit break. The skipper normally coordinates Orkney Harbour permission, but each diver remains responsible for obeying the no-touch Historic MPA rules. Carry a primary and backup wreck light, a reliable DSMB and reel, adequate thermal protection, and a configuration appropriate to the planned decompression and overhead exposure.
Conditions Fallback
Avoid