| The Orkney Islands, location of Scapa Flow a natural | | | | vertical at our side.Descending to the seabed we look |
| harbour since the days of the Norse invaders, more | | | | up and the wreck is silhouetted in the greenyblue |
| recently a base for the Royal Navy, The final resting | | | | glow from above. Ascending slightly we set off along |
| place for the remains of the German High Seas Fleet | | | | the deck our torches picking out various features |
| and the destination for this years Selby Aquanauts | | | | until, passing the anchor chain capstans we come to |
| diving expedition. | | | | the muzzle of a 5.9" gun, gliding along the barrel and |
| The story starts at the beginning of the twentieth | | | | round the protective shield we come to the conning |
| century when Germany envious of the colonies of | | | | tower, the command centre when in battle, the |
| her European neighbours and the wealth they are | | | | access door behind the conning tower is missing so |
| bringing decided to build a navy to match that of the | | | | we cautiously enter, disturbed silt threatens our vision |
| British Royal Navy, at the time the most powerful in | | | | so leaving we come to the bridge where empty |
| the world and protector of the biggest empire the | | | | windows still look out for the battle that will never |
| world has known. With the Royal Navy as her target | | | | come. Beyond that broken rigging,sagging handrails |
| Germany started the first arms race of the 20th | | | | and dangling wires attest to her age. Checking our |
| century. | | | | computers and contents gauges 35 minutes later we |
| The Royal Navy's policy at this time was to be able | | | | decide that's it for this dive and retrace our route to |
| to outfight and outgun the 2nd and 3rd navies in the | | | | the line. The sunlight shines down to meet us as we |
| world combined so no two countries could form an | | | | make our ascent and after pausing at 6 metres for a |
| alliance to defeat Britain and when Germany started | | | | safety stop we finally emerge into the morning sun. |
| their building Britain took a close interest. | | | | James on the bridge is waiting to exchange O.K. signs |
| Since Britain was always more of a maritime nation | | | | with us and soon Robert is coming to pick us up. |
| than Germany the infrastructure was in place to build | | | | Another great dive. Once everyone is back on board |
| ships at will so this was a race Germany was | | | | we're off to Lyness where the naval base used to |
| destined to lose, especially when Britain brought out | | | | be to visit the museum and have a bowl of soup in |
| the first of a new class of warship, "the | | | | the NAAFI. By the time we return about an hour and |
| Dreadnought" larger and more powerful than any war | | | | a half later James is just finishing charging up our |
| ship ever built it gave its name to a new class of | | | | cylinders and Robert is flat out on the upper deck |
| ships. | | | | asleep in the sun. Woken by our return he soon has |
| As the great war started Germany's naval policy was | | | | James casting off and it's away to our second dive. |
| to shell Eastern towns of England to tempt the Royal | | | | The Second dive brings a choice of shallower dives. |
| Navy out and take them out individually. This policy | | | | There are the blockships sunk in the sounds between |
| never worked as, Germany, always nervous of what | | | | the islands to keep out the U boats,both second and |
| was over the horizon, tended to hit and run so the | | | | first world wars,a dive boat, bottle dives where the |
| two powerful navies played a game of cat and | | | | rubbish of years has been dumped over the side (I |
| mouse around the North Sea, Each wanting to meet | | | | found a glazed stoneware preserve jar similar to one |
| in battle, but nervous of the power of their | | | | in the Stromness museum, others found an |
| adversaries, until May 1916. Both fleets were out in | | | | assortment of interesting old bottles) and the F2 a |
| force when a Danish merchant ship steamed past on | | | | German escort boat similar to the R.N. corvettes. This |
| the horizen and both navies sent a detachment to | | | | was taken in war reparation but sunk, believed to |
| investigate. The British ships were met by an | | | | have sprung a severe leak soon after and was not |
| outnumbering force of the German "High Seas" fleet | | | | considered worth lifting. This is the one we'll choose. |
| so turned and lead the Germans in a running battle | | | | An interesting point of this wreck is that it was sold |
| onto the guns of the rapidly advancing dreadnoughts | | | | for salvage in 1968 and during salvage a gale blew up |
| of the "Grand Fleet". As darkness fell neither side | | | | and the salvage barge with all the salvaged parts |
| could claim a definite victory. The Royal Navy had | | | | went down yet again. The wreck lies in only 16 |
| lost more ships but this was down to lighter armour | | | | metres at high water and rises to within 7 metres of |
| to keep the ships faster and more manouverable. | | | | the surface. The hull is broken in two with the stern |
| Most of the German ships had sustained damage | | | | upright and the remainder on its port side. We drop |
| that would have sunk a British ship so come the | | | | down onto the barge and explore the salvaged parts |
| morning the German fleet had fled to harbour for | | | | for a while then follow the weed covered line to the |
| repairs, many of them just floating hulks. | | | | F2 where we seem to be a source of interest to a |
| The following day the "Grand Fleet" was back at sea | | | | number of wrasse about a foot long that follow us |
| and the "High Seas Fleet" was blockaded in port | | | | around the wreck. Like all the wrecks it is covered |
| never to take to the seas in force for the remainder | | | | with life. Apart from the many types of fish we see |
| of the war. | | | | the odd seal. There are numerious specimens of the |
| As the war came to an end the once proud German | | | | tiny Devonshire cup coral, many types of anemone |
| navy was escorted to internment at Scapa Flow | | | | including the large plumose, many types of starfish |
| where in a final defiant act they scuttled 74 of their | | | | including some huge sunstars over a foot across and |
| own ships. Some were saved, others beached and | | | | on all the overhangs and superstructure grow dead |
| during the 20's and early 30's a massive salvage | | | | men's fingers, a soft coral. There are also many |
| operation took part and many of the ships were | | | | sponges,sea squirts and sea urchins and of course |
| salvaged for scrap, but, with the onset of the | | | | crabs, lobsters and shellfish Many of the spider crabs |
| second world war this came to a stop, and then, in | | | | grow a garden of weed on their backs so sometimes |
| 1945 when W.W.2 ended there was no shortage of | | | | while near the seabed a clump of weed suddenly |
| scrap iron so the remaining 14 ship were left to rest. | | | | walks away. |
| The Dive Trip | | | | As we leave the break in the hull behind we need to |
| Sailing South from our base at Stromness on the | | | | ascend slightly to go over to the other side to reach |
| mainland of Orkney we pass the brooding high hills of | | | | the superstructure where we find the single mast laid |
| Hoy on our right and as we head slightly east into | | | | on the seabed the searchlight platform still |
| the calm waters of Scapa Flow the islands part. In | | | | recognisable. The forward gun is intact and the |
| the distance we can see the low mounds of Burray, | | | | starboard anchor chain leads out from the bow. Being |
| Flotta,Holm, Fara and Ronaldsay. Hoy by the way got | | | | a smaller ship at shallower depth we are able to |
| its name because it's the hoyest island in the | | | | cover the whole wreck in one dive and still find time |
| Orkneys, the Vikings either had a dry sense of | | | | to collect a bag of scallops for tonights meal. Lovely |
| humour or were not very imaginative with name | | | | fried in garlic butter. |
| giving. It's a glorious day, the sun glistening on the | | | | Other wrecks dived on the trip are Kronprinz Wilhelm, |
| blue green water ahead. It's a forty minute trip out | | | | Karlsruhe, Koln, Dresden, Gobernador Bories and the |
| to the wreck we are diving today. There is no rush | | | | Tabarka. The latter being a blockship in Burra sound. |
| to get our equipment together so during the next | | | | Formerly a merchant ship she lies upside down and |
| half hour the usual leg pulling and mickey taking goes | | | | being in a place of strong tides is swept clean and |
| on. During this time most of the divers have brought | | | | consequently there is no silt inside to disturb. Plates |
| their gear up from the drying room where it was | | | | are missing but the construction seems sound so we |
| hung up last night and are starting to assemble it. A | | | | enter. Passing through the engine room torches are |
| number of jobs need to be done, making sure you | | | | needed as without them it's pitch black. Three boilers |
| got a good air fill yesterday and for the majority of | | | | lay in a row on the bottom and underneath one is a |
| divers aboard analysing the Nitrox fill (Nitrox is an | | | | large lobster (tonights tea) While Christine my buddy |
| oxygen enriched air which has recently become the | | | | is trying to tease it out I nipped the back of her leg, |
| gas of choice for most responsible and suitably | | | | After she jumped I got a punch for my troubles. |
| qualified divers) Because the boat was full of | | | | Passing through the dark engine room we see two |
| Yorkshire folk there was of course the tight wad | | | | more torch beams coming towards us and two more |
| who used air all week because it was free, my nitrox | | | | from our club pass by exchanging O.K.s on the way. |
| bill for the week was £19.50 which I though was | | | | This was the last dive and so with heavy hearts and |
| good value especially when it wasincreasing my diving | | | | fond memories of a fantastic week of diving we |
| time by about 30%. | | | | head back to Stromness to pack ready for the long |
| We are diving on the "Brummer" today and with ten | | | | drive home tomorrow. |
| minutes to go the skipper Robert shouts down from | | | | If you are inspired by the tale of our diving trip why |
| the wheelhouse to galvanise us into action. | | | | not take a diving course and join us on one of our |
| We arrive at the wreck site kitted up and ready to | | | | many trips around Britain. Contact John Hewitt. |
| go and as Robert slows down we step off into the | | | | Master scuba diver trainer on Selby 702487 and the |
| water. The wreck is bouyed so meeting my buddy | | | | adventure can begin. |
| at the bouy we exchange signals and begin our | | | | The club meets in the New Inn in Selby every |
| descent. Natural light fades as we go deeper until we | | | | Thursday evening if you would like to call in for a |
| see a dark shape below in the gloom. Landing on the | | | | chat. |
| deck along a row of empty portholes we exchange | | | | This article was written by John Hewitt a BS-AC and |
| O.K.signals, make adjustments to our bouyancy and | | | | Padi Instructor, founding member of Selby Aquanauts |
| glide over the side. The Brummer lays on her side | | | | and CEO of Red Hat Diving equipment. |
| and we intend finning along the deck which is now | | | | |