So Many to Choose From

Now that some of our Divemasters have been with us for a few months and had the opportunity to dive on the majority of the amazing wrecks on offer in Orkney, we thought we'd ask which ones they liked most. First up is Hamish, who couldn't decide between the deeper German wrecks of Scapa Flow or the shallower British ones at the Churchill Barriers, so did one for each!

Bow Swimthru on the SMS Dresden

"The Dresden II was a 115m long Coln class light cruiser. After being launched deep into WWI it saw very little action. By December 1918 it was towed into Scapa Flow due to turbine failure where it would eventually be scuttled by the German navy in 1919. Of the seven remaining German High Seas Fleet, the Dresden is my favourite. As you descend the shot line, the city of Dresden crest becomes visible on the bow of the ship. The upper deck has peeled away leaving an incredible opening to explore slightly deeper inside. As you work backwards, my favourite part of the ship, the conning tower, becomes visible with the original glass slits still in place over 100 years on. The Dresden is a wreck I always want to go back to and, as with all the ships in Scapa flow, each time you dive it you find something new that peaks your interest, making the dive sites timeless!"

Bow Anchor Capstan on the SMS Dresden

Even if you're not a diver, you might have seen Hamish's favourite Barrier dive the Empire Seaman sticking out the water as you cross over the third barrier.

Divers heading out to the Empire Seaman on a training dive

"This ship was originally a German steam ship named SS Morea, when traveling back to

German in 1940 it was captured by the British and renamed the SS Empire Seaman. Later that year it was brought to Scapa flow and sunk to be used as one of four block ships on Churchill Barrier 3. After salvaging took place throughout the 1940s, it has created an incredible site exposing large portions of the ship perfect for exploring. Additionally, numerous swim throughs containing incredible and ever-changing life are present on the ship making it one of my favourite barrier dives."

Swimthru on the Empire Seaman

Each person has different favourite sites and different reasons for picking one, if you'd like to find yours or just want the chance to explore some of the amazing wrecks on offer just drop us a message.