Orkney has a unique underwater environment, from vast battleships resting in the heart of Scapa Flow, to smaller blockships dotted along the rugged coastline.
There is a real poignancy to seeing the wrecks on the seafloor of the Flow, an area that is teeming with a history that spans the centuries and encompasses both grievous losses and magnificent victories.
HMS Royal Oak and HMS Vanguard are war graves which must not be disturbed but technical divers and sport divers alike can visit many of the other wrecks scattered throughout Orkney's waters. These include the seven remaining warships of the German High Seas Fleet.
Each wreck provides an emotive insight into a bygone era, compelling divers to return to Orkney time and time again.
For non-divers, these pages give the opportunity to experience the wrecks from afar – and without the need to don a drysuit.
In late November 1918 the German High Seas Fleet arrived in Scapa Flow for internment. On 21 June 1919, believing the British intended to seize the fleet, Rear Admiral Ludwig von Reuter gave the order to scuttle every ship.
Today the wrecks of three battleships, three light cruisers and a fast mine-layer – ships that all escaped complete removal during salvage operations – remain on the seabed of Scapa Flow.
Lying between 45 and 12 metres under the surface, these wrecks have become imposing and insightful pieces of history. They offer distinct and rare diving experiences.
HMS Royal Oak and HMS Vanguard were British battleships that sank in Orkney waters, the former in World War II due to enemy action, the latter in World War I due to an accidental explosion. In total more than 1,600 men were killed.
Today both wrecks are afforded statutory protection as designated war graves under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986. The Act makes it a criminal offence to remove or tamper with any item that is part of a wreck designated under the Act without a government licence. There are currently 67 such wrecks designated in UK or international waters.
In recognition of their historical and cultural importance, the wrecks of the Cöln, Dresden, Brummer, Karlsruhe, Kronprinz Wilhelm, König and Markgraf have been protected as scheduled monuments. Divers are welcome to enjoy and respect these wrecks but removal of artefacts from them is illegal. For more information, please visit the: MCA Website
The SMS Dresden was completed in 1917 and commissioned into the High Seas Fleet in 1918. The ship was partially scuttled in the Baltic Sea that same year. It was refloated, but was decisively scuttled in Scapa Flow in 1919. Find Out More...
SMS Cöln was launched in 1916 and commissioned into service with the High Seas Fleet in 1918, just 10 months before the end of WWI. Find Out More...
The Karlsruhe is the only Königsberg class cruiser to be successfully scuttled in Scapa Flow. Its sister ships the Nürnberg and Emden were also interned, but beached by the British before they could sink. Find Out More...
The SMS Brummer and SMS Bremse were mine-laying cruisers interned and scuttled in Scapa Flow, but the SMS Bremse was raised in 1929, leaving the SMS Brummer to become one of Scapa Flow’s most favoured dives. Find Out More...
The size and scale of the engineering on the SMS Kronprinz Wilhelm is remarkable. The wreck is just 12 metres at its shallowest point and has retained many of its guns. It makes for an accessible and fascinating dive. Find Out More...
SMS Markgraf is a König class battleship that was involved in most of the fleet actions during WWI. The wreck is one of three battleships remaining on the seabed of Scapa Flow. Find Out More...
SMS König was involved in plenty of active service and was a fearsome force. Leading the German line in the battle of Jutland - surviving 10 shell hits in the process. Find Out More...
At 12.58am on 14 October 1939 German torpedoes struck the HMS Royal Oak. The battleship sank at an alarming rate and with a tragic loss of life.Find Out More...
On the night of 9 July 1917, HMS Vanguard was anchored in Scapa Flow. In a matter of seconds a devastating explosion destroyed the ship, killing all but two of the 845 men on board. Find Out More...
The fishing vessel James Barrie ran aground at Lother Rock near the south-west end of South Ronaldsay on 27 March 1969. The ship's hull was pierced as it grounded, forcing the crew to abandon ship. Find Out More...
Sunk to protect the entrance of Scapa Flow from enemy submarines, the Tabarka now rests in the strong tides of Burra Sound. Find Out More...
Today the blockships of Scapa Flow offer great shallow wreck diving. They can still be seen jutting above the water as you cross the Churchill Barriers from the mainland to Burray. Find Out More...
The SMS Bayern and SMS Baden were classed as the most powerful ships in the German Navy. SMS Bayern joined the 5th Division of the 3rd Battle Squadron in June 1916 but saw no action in WW1 Find Out More...
F2 was a WWII Escort Boat, similar to a corvette, given to the British as war reparations and sunk in her present location in 1946 during a gale in Gutter Sound between Hoy and Fara. Find Out More...
Steam Trawler stranded in 1952 on the north-east coast of Hoy. Read some fascinating newspaper articles from the 1950's describing the drama as it unfolded. Find Out More...
The Lizzie Bain was a wooden smack sloop rigged. Formally a fishing boat, there is now no record of where she was built. She collided with the S.S. Queen in 1915.Find Out More...
Nine Norwegian fishermen had to abandon their ship when she grounded on rocks in Hoy Sound in 1966. Today pieces of the wreck can still be seen on the shore. Find Out More...
Formerly known as Benella, the FV James Barrie ran aground at Lother Rock, on the south west end of South Ronaldsay, piercing the hull and forcing the crew to abandon ship. Find Out More...
On New Year's Day in 1866, 10 lives were lost when the Albion was wrecked off the Point of Oxan on Graemsay in Hoy Sound. Find Out More...
The High Seas Fleet is often the focus when it comes to wrecks in the orkney Islands. The reality is almost one hundred wrecks litter the seabed, ranging from sailing ships to fishing vessels. Find Out More...
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