On the 18th of September our dive team is heading off on a road trip of epic proportions; destination: the Orkney Islands in order to enjoy of a week of extreme wreck diving on the scuttled German WWI High Seas Fleet.
This is a return visit for me and many of the dive team, we dived there in September 2007. Needless to say everyone is really looking forward to this trip. I certainly can’t wait!
The following information is a little background on Scapa Flow and the wrecks to be found there.
Scapa Flow is a sheltered open lagoon, encircled by the Orkney islands. It contains some of the most interesting wrecks in the world. For years it was the main anchorage of the British Royal Navy, and has many relics left of British naval history. In June 1919, the interned German navy scuttled most of its High Seas Fleet to prevent them from falling into Allied hands. Despite subsequent salvage, 8 of them remain and provide excellent wrecks for technical/wreck divers.
The following wrecks are going to feature in our dive plans… thanks to http://atschool.eduweb.co.uk/jralston/rk/scapa/wrecks/index.html for the reference material:
The Dresden: a Light Cruiser - Dresden II class 
History: Built at Kiel and launched April 1917. The Dresden laid a few mines off Embden and was attacked by a British submarine in August 1917. Owing to a turbine failure she was one of the last ships to arrive for internment at Scapa Flow. Sank at 13.30 on 21st June 1919,
Diving info: The Dresden lies in 35 metres with her nearest surface point at 18 metres. In some ways she resembles the Koln, but her stern is more intact and gives the diver a better appreciation of that area. She lists at a slighter angle than the Koln and part of her deck has rotted and dropped away to reveal some of the innards. The bridge is intact and the whole superstructure together with the mainmast makes for excellent diving. The bow anchor chains are present, but like the Koln, the gun platforms are empty. Towards the stern the officers' accommodation section is obvious with its windows and open doorways. Both stern guns still remain as does the stern anchor.
The Koeln : a Light Cruiser - Dresden II class 
History: The Koeln was built in Hamburg over 1915 – 1916 to replace its predecessor which was sunk at the Battle of Heligoland Bight in August 1914. She joined the German navy in early 1918, but apart from a little scouting saw no action. By the time of the Scapa internment, the Koeln was in bad repair and her slow speed held up the Fleet. The boat was scuttled at about 14.00 on 21st June 1919.
Diving info: The Koeln is in good condition, and makes for an excellent dive. The boat is in 35 metres of water and lies on its starboard side with a very slight list. Because of the orientation of the wreck, the Koeln is quite light when the sun is out and it is easy to make out many of the structures on her. There are many ways of diving the Koeln. You can descend straight to the sea bed at 35 metres and then work your way up the vertical deck. Or else land amidships on the port rail and either go to the bows or stern making sure to buoyant on mid deck level (about 25 - 30 meters). Or stand from one end and go straight to the other. The Koeln is large enough and interesting enough to make a few dives necessary before you get the picture.
The highest point is 20 metres which is the midpoint port rail. It makes a convenient place to start a dive from particularly if the shot is near here (which it often is). Although it is possible to stay around this depth and inspect a port side midmast 6 inch gun whose barrel points upwards, you need to go deeper to see the best of the wreck. You could continue to the stern and pass over a salvage hole towards the stern most pair of 6 inch guns. They are both in good condition. By swimming over the stern you can then land on the long rudder (there is no propeller!). An impressive sight.
Or else move along towards the bows and pass the lifeboat davits that dangle over the side of the boat. You can look over and see the deck of the boat plunging down to the dark seabed some 15 metres below. As you approach the bows the depth increases down to around 28 metres. Near the sleek almost knife edge bows are two capstans with the remainder of the anchor chains. Behind the capstans working back toward the mainmast are the platforms of two 6 inch guns which have now disappeared. The mainmast still has a basically intact structure.
When diving this wreck it is easy to imagine being on a fast and lean cruiser. Her remaining guns are well preserved and even unpromising items like lifeboat davits and the holes left by her absent funnels are all memorable and add to the unique atmosphere that this wreck creates.
The Brummer - Light Cruiser - Bremse class 
History: Launched in Dec 1915 at Stettin. The Brummer took part in a raiding operation against a convoy bound from Bergen to the Shetlands in October 1917. They massacred the convoy and as a result Germany considered using it as a lone commerce raider. However, the combined total of American and British naval opposition made this unworkable. The Brummer sank at 14.30pm on 21st June 1919.
Diving info: The Brummer can be a darkish dive that is different from the Dresden class cruisers. Partly this is because of her orientation and partly because this is a more open wreck that divers can partially enter. She lies in 36 metres with 20 metres being her shallowest depth. She lies on her starboard side with her bows slightly shallower than her stern. At the bows you can see the anchor capstans with the chains still hanging off them. Behind them lies the 6 inch bow deck gun with its armoured shield. Aft of this is the control tower with its narrow viewing slits and open access door and directly behind is the bridge. The bridge and mainmast structure is largely intact, and presents the diver with a mass of wires and cross rigging. Just aft of the bridge is the mid 6 inch gun with its barrel facing astern. Amidships is a mess of salvage damage. It is possible to enter the ship here and explore her interior. Further back at the stern can be found another 6 inch gun. The rudder can be seen lying on the seabed.
The Karlsruhe - Light Cruiser - Konigsberg II class 
History: completed in January 1916 at Wilhelmshaven the Karlsruhe saw a little action around the Baltic islands in 1917 and did some mine laying and guard duty in 1918. Sank at 15.50 on 21st June 1919.
Diving info: The Karlsruhe is the shallowest of the High Seas Fleet. She lies in 26 metres with a minimum depth of 12 metres. The boat is quite badly broken in places, but is nonetheless a rattling good dive. She lies on her starboard side with her stern section relatively intact with capstans and mooring bollards still attached to a sloping quarterdeck. Her mid section has been extensively salvaged, but this means that parts of her structure are more easily seen. Towards her bows there are two 6 inch guns that straddle the sea bed having collapsed from the main deck housing. Her bows are intact and quite imposing. Anchor chains from the capstans lead out over the deck through hawse pipes set in the damaged deck. An anchor chain runs out along the sea bed. She has an excellent control tower.
This is an excellent dive not least because the salvage damage has made some parts of the cruiser more obvious than in the more extant ones. The stern is quite impressive.
The Koenig – Dreadnought Battleship - Koenig class 
History:Ordered in August 1911 the Koenig was built at Wilhelmshaven. She was launched on 1st March 1913 and completed on 10th Aug 1914. The Koenig was in the 3rd Battleship Squadron. She fought at Jutland, and was hit by the British battleships. The Koenig fought in the conquest of the Baltic islands during 1917. She sank around 2.00pm on 21st June 1919.
Diving info: The Koenig is virtually upside down in 40 metres of water at 58.53.13 : 3.09.07. Her starboard side is only a few feet above the silty bottom whereas the port side is well embedded. Her keel is at 20 metres. Life has not been so good to the Koenig. She has been extensively salvaged, not least for the radiation free steel some of which has found its way to the moon in the 1969 expeditions. A lot of the hull has been blasted apart which at least gives the diver some appreciation of the inner bulk of these battleships. Amidships her starboard casemate guns are clearly visible. Underneath her deck the centre turret of her 12 inch guns can be seen half buried in the mud. Unfortunately, the guns cannot be seen.
The Koenig is now a pile of wreckage, but an excellent dive for wreck ferrets. She is big and quite intimidating.
The Kronprinz Wilhelm – Dreadnought Battleship - Koenig class 
History: First ordered in April 1912 she was launched on 21st Feb 1914 at the Germania Yard in Kiel. Originally named Kronprinz, she was rechristened in honour of the German Crown Prince in January 1918.
The Kronprinz only saw two actions.
She took part in the Battle of Jutland. She was in the 3rd battleship squadron and fired many shots on the British battleships.
In November 1916 she took part in a rescue operation off Denmark. The aim was to tow the aground U boat U-20 which had torpedoed the Lusitania. The exercise failed, but on the way home the Kronprinz was hit and damaged by a British torpedo. She limped home and remained in port. In 1917 she took part in fleet manoeuvres off Heligoland Bight. Both the Kronprinz and the Grosser Kurfurst were involved in a collision which called for extensive repairs.
Towards the end of the war she got mixed up in the German Fleet's mutiny and got sent to Kiel when the Fleet dispersed. It is thought that experience of the British fleet's fire fight at Jutland directed at the feisty Koenig ships made the crew realise their possible mortality and insecurity even in boats as powerful as these. During November 1918 the Armistice was signed and the ship was subsequently sent to Scapa Flow. She sank just after 1.00pm on 21st June 1919.
Diving info: The Kronprinz Wilhelm is at 58.53.39 : 03.09.46. The sea bed is about 38 metres down in cool, green Scapa water. She lies on her starboard main deck with most of her superstructure embedded in the silt bottom. She is virtually upside down and the only access to her decks is from the port side at a depth of 30m plus. The highest point of her upturned keel is about 12 metres from the surface.
The first impression when you dive her is size and confusion. This wreck is enormous and the profusion of steel, wreckage and general debris is overpowering. Her hull, however, is relatively smooth and uncluttered. Rather like a steel platform that has been well colonised by encrusties and brittle stars. There are four bilge keels that stand out quite nicely and give the diver some navigation marks. In places, the hull has been shattered by salvage work. The bow and stern both have salvage holes as does a large area some two thirds away towards the stern.
To get the most from this wreck you must get to the sea bed and work on alongside or in. This means that you have to descend off the port side of the hull. This is a thrilling experience as you drop off into the gloom and pass by the tangled wreckage on the way down. At about 30m you arrive at the gunwales and you can then peer in as the deck runs at an angle to the seabed. It's dark, exciting and tantalising. So many shapes, but what are they? Much of the superstructure is buried, but towards the stern the turrets of the most aft guns can be found. To do this means entering a cave, with the deck the roof and the seabed the floor. If you are the first dive team there, then the guns can be clearly seen - a superb sight. They are upside down, the most aft barrels sticking in the deck. To see them closer means entering the cave and that's when you need to be careful. The silt stirs up quickly and without an attached reel it's easy to lose your bearings.
Along the gunwales are the secondary gun turrets - 7 per side. Although many are badly broken some can be easily distinguished amongst the general wreckage. The two masts of the vessel can still be seen as they stretch out away from the wreck. The seabed all around is littered with wreckage as is the area towards the bows.
At the stern section it is easy to locate the twin rudders with the propeller shafts above. Although not quite as impressive as the Markgraf's they provide a convenient reference point with which to navigate the wreck. Along the starboard side, part of the hull has been removed to expose the inner parts. Divers can appreciate how part of the boat was built by fining along this section and peering inside. It is straightforward to traverse the length of the boat by travelling up this side.
The Kronprinz is not the deepest of the Scapa wrecks. With the keel at 12m she is more like a reef. It is easy to do a pleasant and leisurely decompression as you ascend up the sides of the boat. But good dive planning is essential to get the most from this wreck. The biggest problems are orientation, where to go and what to see. It's also easy to get carried away and extend your diving time. The Kronprinz is a big wreck and it takes many dives to get to know her.
The Markgraf – Dreadnought Battleship - Koenig class 
History: Ordered in August 1911 the Markgraf was built in the Weser Yard in Bremen. She was launched on 4th June 1913 and completed on 1st Oct 1914. The Markgraf was part of the 3rd Battleship Squadron. She saw action at Jutland, being hit many times in her vanguard position by the British Queen Elizabeth battleships. Her captain was shot by British marines during the great scuttle and his grave can be seen in the Lyness naval cemetery. She sank around 4.30pm on 21st June 1919.
Diving info: The Markgraf lies on her port side at 58.53.31 : 3.09.55. The seabed is around 45 metres, with a least depth of around 24 metres. This is the deepest German battleship. Like all the battleships she is virtually upside down so to get underneath her means getting to the gunwales at around 38 metres. Depending on the shot position, the diver lands on the upturned hull and looks over the side into 20 metres of gloom and darkness. It is important to ensure that you are on the right side! Off you go, skydiving down the side of the hull. If the shot is amidships then you should see the 6 inch guns pointing out as you approach the gunwales at 38 metres. This gives a useful reference point as the direction that the guns are pointing will show you where you are on the wreck. Amidships, the gun barrels point out 90 degrees to the hull, whereas towards the bows the guns point towards the bows. So you can hang in the water above the gun barrels and navigate yourself accordingly. Below you it is dark as the decks run sharply under the hull.
As you descend towards the unseen sea bed at around 45 metres the underneath of the wreck reveals itself as a dark, imposing cave. Your torch beam just seems to go nowhere. To venture into this cave takes previous dive planning and some courage. But once inside it's not so bad. You can see the green of the outside as the bulk of the 25000 ton ship lies above you. It is possible to swim underneath most of the wreck. Just follow the coal brick road. In the middle you will come across part of the amidships crane. One diver goes above and the other underneath. Somewhere in the darkness of the cave lies one of the 12 inch gun turrets, but it takes adventurous diving to find it.
There are 2 enormous rudders on the stern that are worth visiting. The hull is largely intact and well fitted with thick slabs of armour plating, some of which have peeled away. Some blasting damage can be seen near the bows. The bows themselves tip over sharply into the darkness.
The Markgraf is an exciting and challenging dive. Its depth and position are such that good dive planning is essential. The sea bed is dark and silty and so on a dull day this wreck can be gloomy and quite intimidating. It is a cleaner wreck than the other battleships with less obvious damage done by salvage work.
Diving Notes from Grif: Ok as this is a return trip I might as well add in some of my own personal views on the majestic wrecks above. First off the Germans sure knew how to build large and impressive battleships. In 2007 I found the wreck of the Brummer to be absolutely stunning and I really enjoyed penetrating large sections of this wreck. The Markgraf must get special mention as in our 2007 trip we ended up with two divers being taken away by ambulance and one diver getting emergency decompression chamber treatment in the middle of the night after our dive on this massive and foreboding wreck. I am particularly looking forward to returning to the Markgraf and any of the block ships. The block ships are not German battle ships but rather ships sunk in strategic positions around the access points to Scapa Flow. They were sunk with the intention of “blocking” U-boat access to the inner waters of the Flow. In particular the Tabarka was a absolutely stunning wreck dive in 2007 really looking forward to our return.
Hopefully if there is a half decent internet connection on the Island I will be updating this site with daily trip reports during the week of what will prove to be both stunning and challenging wreck diving from the 20th to 27th September in Scapa Flow, Scotland.
Some great photos of the German High Seas Fleet in their glory days in the following YouTube video…
Below is a very interesting video of the British salvaging some of the scuttled German High Seas WWI fleet… obviously they could not get them all out of the water… the remaining battleships are the target of our dive trip… as named and listed above. However the footage here does give you the sense of the sheer size & scale of the ships awaiting us on the sea bed of Scapa Flow. I think we can safely say that they don't make them like they used to! :)
