dresden

SMS Dresden

  • Type: Light Cruiser
  • Class: Cöln
  • Length: 115m
  • Beam: 12m
  • Launched 1917. Commissioned into service with High Seas Fleet in 1918. SMS Cöln, her sister Cöln class cruiser, also lies in Scapa Flow.

SMS Dresden

SMS Dresden is a unique dive within Scapa Flow thanks to the ship coming to rest both on its port side and on an incline. The northward-facing bow sits at a depth of 25 metres and the ship slopes south towards the stern at 38 metres.

This is often the first dive of a Scapa week as the shallower bow section allows for more conservative shakedown dives. Multi-level dives are easier on SMS Dresden thanks to the incline it rests on.

There are enough hidden gems to please veteran divers but for many it is the human touches shining through which provide the most reward. A bath seen here links back through the generations to the sailors of a hundred years ago, bringing the vessel alive.

SMS Dresden was launched in 1917 and commissioned into service with the High Seas Fleet in 1918. Her sister ship SMS Cöln also lies in the depths of Scapa Flow.

dresden 3d wreck

SMS Dresden 3D Shipwreck Tour

The SMS Dresden suffered surprisingly little from the salvaging operations. It has retained its shape well and still houses many of its original features. The intact sweep of its stern shows off the splendour of such ships. Find Out More...

dive boats

Book a Dive on the Dresden

There is an array of dive boats operating in the Scapa Flow area. Covering all the main dive sites and offering either liveaboard style diving or day trips, there is an option to suit every diver. Find Out More...