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Totnes BSAC expedition to Scapa Flow - 1995.Most years Totnes BSAC visits Scapa Flow in Orkney. 1995 was no exception. The point of the exercise is to dive the best collection of wrecks in Europe - especially 7 warships that were scuttled by the German High Seas fleet in 1919. These boats are the 5000 ton cruisers Koln, Dresden, Brummer and Karlsruhr and the 25000 ton battleships Kronprinz Wilhelm, Markgraf and the Konig. Scapa Flow is a big place. Largely landlocked by an assemblage of Orcadian islands it provides excellent anchorage for boats. For many years it was the main station for the Royal Navy. During the 2 World Wars it was the main Atlantic Operations HQ for the navy at Lyness on the island of Hoy. All around there are reminders of its past military history. For the diver there are wrecks galore. Apart from the jewels of the 7 German warships there are steamers, tugs, blockships and a few British battleships. The Royal Oak is probably the most famous. On 14th October 1939, a U boat managed to slip past the defences and torpedoed the Royal Oak at anchor. Within 5 minutes the huge boat turned upside down and sank. 833 men died that night. Today the wreck is a war grave and nobody dives it. It is a poignant experience to sail over the site and see the oil still escaping from the leviathan below the waves.
The German boats are big. On average 500 to 600 feet long, while the battleships are up to 100 feet wide. It would take many dives on one wreck to even begin to know it. Orientation is a problem unless careful pre dive planning has taken place. Nonetheless, the diver quickly responds to the majesty of the underwater sight and despite a certain confusion as to where one is on the wreck the result is awesome. These wrecks are stunning.
11 people from Totnes were there. Derek Pearson (expedition leader), John Kilvert, Allen Tudor, Nic Lyons, John O' Brixham, Colin McCracken, Malcolm Rahn, Gavin Houlston, Ian Brookes, Donald Brookes and Richard Knights. A motley crew. Some had never been there before, others had dived Scapa for more than 10 years. A range of diving experience from National Instructors down to Sport Divers.
The guys in the photo are: Back row: Derek Middle row: Malcolm, Allen, John K., Colin Front row: Ian, John O'B, Richard, Gavin, Donald, Nick
Friday 16th JuneWe left Totnes early on Friday morning and took turns to drive the minibus the 700 miles plus to John O' Groats. Although it is a long journey, it is an interesting one. You're aware of going up north where it's cooler and the nights are shorter. We made John O' Groats by 8pm and spent a happy evening recuperating.
Saturday 17th JuneOn Saturday we drove 20 miles to the Scrabster ferry. On the way over the island of Hoy loomed up and the rock pillar of Old Man of Hoy was clearly seen. Seabirds were there in their thousands. We stayed in Stromness - an old whaling port. In some ways Stromness is not dissimilar to Totnes. The people are very friendly and there's a relaxed feel and a strong sense of culture and heritage. A nice town. We spent the afternoon walking around and planning our next few days.
Sunday 18th JuneThis was our first dive day. By 8.30am we had gathered at the harbour to board the John L - our boat for the next week. The skipper was an easy going but efficient Orcadian called Phillip. Soon we were on the flow ready for our first dive which was to be the Koln cruiser. Heart beats rose as we kitted up and looked at the small shot line buoy lying in the Flow. But little time to contemplate. We jumped off the boat, swam to the shot line and prepared to descend. God had been good. The visibility and light was excellent as we descended and reached the ship below at 25 metres. The wreck was grey and quite clear. A rear gun stood out. We swam around the stern, noting the huge rudder. Back along the gunwales and swam the entire length of the boat up to the bows. There were so many things to see and all too quickly our dive computers told us we must ascend. For our break we went to Lyness on the island of Hoy. This is where the Royal Navy HQ used to be based. Today there is a small museum that details the past history of the Flow. Plenty of stuff for interested divers! Hoy itself is quite isolated and seems a million miles from the British mainland. After a sufficient break period we sailed back out into the Flow and prepared to dive the Brummer. This wreck was darker than the morning's dive and a wholly different experience. Owing to the way the boat has settled it is easier to approach and with torches it is possible to safely explore some of the innards of the boat. The control tower is easily recognisable with its narrow viewing slits. Guns galore and a bridge still with thick wire stretched across. A beautiful dive.
Monday 19th JuneToday gave us the Dresden cruiser. The water was greener and less transparent than the day before. Down to 20 metres to get to the gunwales and then 32 meters to the seabed. Swam around the bows until we reached a mast stretching out from the wreck along the seabed. Observation platforms could be seen. Then back to the main wreck where we slowly ascended around the bridge, noting a solitary 6 inch gun. Then we swam a way along the wreck until dive time demanded that we ascend slowly. Kirkwall was our break destination. Kirkwall is the capital of Orkney and is a town about the size of Totnes. After arranging the design of the mandatory expedition sweat shirts from a local draper we walked around the town. It was sunny but cool. You couldn't get a sun tan in Kirkwall ! Then back on the boat. The skipper took us past the site of the Royal Oak. This is a sad place. The fuel oil still trickling up after 56 years reminded us about the stupidity of war. We then slowly cruised the Flow. The water was calm as the boat glided along. Seals were playing in the water and a school of porpoises were not far away. The 2nd dive of the day was a shallower one at 20 metres. The seabed was littered with old bottles which many of our group enthusiastically collected. The water was clear but cold (8 Cent). Back on the boat the haul was examined. From one bottle an octopus emerged ! This gave a strangely Mediterranean feel to the Flow. Octopus in Orkney ?
Tuesday 20th JuneNow for the battleships. The Kronprinz Wilhelm is a huge wreck that is lying nearly upside down on the seabed. To see anything means that you have to get to the seabed and then look in towards the boat. There is much to explore but the size of the boat, the depth (37 metres) and the easily stirred up silt means that one has to be careful. Towards the stern it is possible to approach the boat and examine the impressive 12 inch guns that are lying on the silt of the bottom. They lie under the deck in what amounts to a cave entrance. This is exciting diving. Then slowly up the sides of the wreck you ascend. The wreck resembles an aircraft carrier. It is huge with an enormous amount of wreckage and things to look at. For our break we landed at Hoy and took a taxi to the isolated village of Rackwick. This is a beautiful place. Windswept and oceanswept. But today the weather was calm and sunny. We walked 2 miles over the headlands to the Old man of Hoy. Spectacular. Not least of all were the fulmars showing off their flight control over the cliff edges. Puffins were nesting and on our way back the skuas were ready to harry anyone who ventured off the path near to their nests. Our afternoon dive was a relatively shallow one (18 meters) on a 2nd World War wreck - the German destroyer F2. This wreck is badly broken up and apart from a nice 6 inch gun and impressive bows consists of wreckage. We spent much of the dive looking at the friendly colourful wrasse that wanted us to feed them with the plentiful sea urchins that carpeted the wreck. Malcolm found a fridge with a convenient tray that he snaffled for Thursday's barbecue.
Wednesday 21st June.This was the anniversary of the German scuttle in 1919. The first dive was on the Markgraf. This is the deepest and most impressive of all the wrecks. Upside down in 46 metres of water it is a memorable dive. The diver lands on the keel and then descends over the sides to the gunwales at 39 metres. 6 inch guns stick out from the side and below the darkness seems abysmal. The adventurous diver ventures below and swims underneath the deck. There is much to see but such a short time to see it with. Torches are essential as is a calm and deliberate swimming technique. Nitrogen narcosis is a real danger at this depth. Ascent is slow and helped by the bulk of the wreck. At the surface we were entertained with a flypast by the RAF. 4 fighters zoomed over - maybe to celebrate the anniversary of the scuttle? The midday break took us to the island of Burray where we could see the Churchill barriers that were constructed during the 2nd World War to discourage further enemy penetration (after the Royal Oak). The afternoon dive was another one on the Kronprinz Wilhelm.
Thursday 22nd JuneBy now most of the party needed a diving rest. Some decided to dive one of the blockships - the Inverlane. Blockships are boats that were deliberately sunk in approach channels to the Flow by the Navy. The idea was that they would impede the entry of enemy boats. Today they make great diving and the Inverlane is one of the best. We boarded the boat which is partially submerged, and jumped into one of the holds. The visibility was excellent and after exploring and appreciating the light streaming in we exited via the stern and launched out into the channel. This was now a drift dive and we let the current take us. The visibility was good as we swooped over kelp beds and reefs. A seal followed us and confused one diver. He thought the seal was a diver ! After a short rest on the boat another dive was done on the Kronprinz Wilhelm. In the evening we had a barbecue on the Ness, a stretch of land just outside Stromness harbour. The tide runs fast near here and we watched a yacht approaching the harbour with its mast rearing to and fro as it struggled with the flow. On the nearby golf course they were playing all night golf to celebrate Midsummer.
Friday 23rd JuneThis was the last day of diving. The morning dive was a repeat on the Markgraf. Lunch time was spent in Stromness shopping and buying souvenirs. The afternoon dive was the cruiser Karlsruhr. This was a wreck that most of us had never done. It is badly broken up and shallower than the other German wrecks. However, it was an exciting dive. We landed on the near vertical deck at 14 meters and then ventured down into the wreckage until we got to the seabed at 28 metres. There was a lot to look at. 2 gun turrets and an impressive bow. Wreckage and artefacts galore. The ascent was exhilarating with 4 divers holding onto a line tied onto the wreck taking up the slack from below. It was like diving in champagne bubbles. Noisy and bubbly ! The last night in Stromness was fun. After an excellent meal in the Ferry Inn and a desultory disco in another deserted hotel we ended up with a superb string band at the Stromness Hotel. The music was good, the dancing was good and we retired for a last drink on the John L in harbour. After a dram of the local whisky we gave a libation to the harbour god, invoked the spirit of Odin and retired to bed.
Saturday 24th JuneThe worst day. All the diving had been done and we had to drive back 700 miles to Totnes. We caught the ferry at 9.00 am. The Pentland Firth was foggy and cool. Scarves were ideal. At Scrabster we quickly loaded the van and drove off. By lunch time at Inverness we were in a heat wave that most of Britain had been enjoying. By 7pm we were leaving Scotland and we were tired. By 1.30am we hit Totnes ready for bed. Scapa Flow is an interesting place. Although the Orkneys don't have an exactly exotic feel they are fascinating islands. The waters are cold, but the sea life is prolific and certainly doesn't suffer from the predations that many other waters suffer. The wrecks speak for themselves, but most of all the local people - the Orcadians. Hospitable to an H. Good humoured, tidy and understanding of the demands that grockles give them.
Richard Knights Sept 1995 Photos by Gavin, Malcolm & Richard
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Royal Oak marker buoy
Totnes divers on the John L 
I've forgotten what you do with
all this..
Gavin raring to go..
Octopus, not octopush Donald !
I wish he'd take that silly hat off.
The Markgraf calls for Derek
A little evening talk by the Ness.
Afternoon dive approaching..