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