Hosted by Ian Scholey, we're off the Scapa Flow in Orkany (Above Scotland in the UK). 

Scapa Flow ranks as one of the world’s top diving destinations, but many people who will never even get their feet wet are fascinated with what lies beneath its surface.

http://scapaflowwrecks.com/

Scapa Flow is a body of water about 120 square miles in area and with an average depth of 30 to 40 metres. The Orkney Mainland and South Isles encircle Scapa Flow, making it a sheltered harbour with easy access to both the North Sea and Atlantic Ocean.

The name Scapa Flow comes from the Old Norse Skalpaflói, meaning ‘bay of the long isthmus’, which refers to the thin strip of land between Scapa Bay and the town of Kirkwall.

Scapa Flow has been used as a harbour since Viking times, the name Skalpaflói being given to it by the Vikings. However, it wasn’t until the Napoleonic wars of the early 1800s that the Admiralty first took an interest in Scapa Flow. The Admiralty used the area as a deep water anchorage for trading ships waiting to cross the North Sea to Baltic ports. Two Martello Towers were built on either side of Longhope in order to defend these trading ships until a warship arrived to escort them to the Baltic Sea.

Subsequent wars were waged against countries including France, Spain and the Netherlands – as such a northern naval base became unnecessary. However, by the early 20th century the Admiralty once again looked at Scapa Flow. This time it was to defend against a new enemy: Germany. Scapa Flow was ideally situated to provide a safe anchorage in the north with easy access to open waters. If the Admiralty were to rely on the Firth of Forth further south, there was a real risk their ships could be trapped if a minefield was placed across its mouth.

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.

$3500 AUD is rough indication of the trip price. Contact Ian for more details.