Scapa Flow in Orkney  

2 dives a day in the 25-40m range. With 15m Visibility on average, these historically important intact remains of the scuttled German Fleet of U-boats, steamers, tugs and Churchill's extraordinary 'Blockships' is within most divers top FIVE dive sites worldwide to dive. Suitable for both Recreational Divers with Advanced (30m) and Deep certification (40m), Drysuit with EanX. And also suitable for Technical OC/CCR Rebreather Divers

Dates 

Sunday 17th August - Saturday 23rd August 2025. 

The Boat - MV Huskyan

Built for divers in 2015.

HUSKYAN IS THE ONLY PURPOSE BUILT DIVE BOAT IN ORKNEY – DESIGNED BY DIVERS AND BUILT TO LAST.

MAIN DECK

• Large open plan galley & saloon
• Lounge seating
• 240-volt power & charging points
• 2 x wide screen TV & media facilities
• Heated wet changing room/kit store with individual drysuit hanging
• Equipment preparation work bench
• Shower Room
• Customer toilet & wash hand basin
  

BELOW DECKS

• Large dry Changing room with individual lockers & bag storage
• Bathroom
• Cabins for overnight adventures & afternoon snoozes

DIVE DECK

• Large 33m² dive deck
• Spacious dive benches
• Under-bench gear gulper storage
• 2 x booster pumps
• 2 x large dive compressors
• Load tested, extra wide, stainless steel diver lift
• Guerra Hydraulic Crane – we crane your dive gear aboard
• O2/He/NITROX/SOFNOLIME
  

FORE DECK

• Perfect place to relax and enjoy the view

NUMBER 15 (DIVERS LODGE) to accomodate 12 people

• Six bedrooms
• Five bathrooms
• Spacious open plan living space
• Large kitchen diner equipped for 12
• Washing machine & tumble dryer
• Designated diver equipment charging station
• Outdoor equipment store and drying room with charging facilities

Travelling to Scapa and Orkney

This is the most popular and most practical way to get to Orkney, is drive and catch the ferry accross. The route is Scrabster to Stromness. It is advisable to book in advance.

Tel: 01856 851144

email: info@northlinkferries.co.uk

website: www.northlinkferries.co.uk

There are a number of other less convenient ways to get this far north, including flying or take the train. Or even combine the two as the train journey from Scotland can be much cheaper than the second flight up. The best source of info is Orkney Tourist Board website.

https://www.orkney.com/

Ferry Times and details - Cost for two people in a van (i.e C-Life Van) no higher 2m Length 4.892m is £211.40 (2023 Price).

You do need to pre-book these ferry crossings.

• Outward Journey from Scrabster to Stromness
  • Sunday Depart 13.15 Arrive 14.45
• Return Journey from Stromness to Scrabster;
  • Saturday Depart time options Depart 08:15 Arrive 10:45, or later times.

Example Flight Option from Heathrow or Gatwick - many other options/airports available

Price Flying from Heathrow from £240 return (2024 price).

• Outward Journey from Heathrow to Kirkwall
  • Depart Heathrow 21:50 - arrive Kirkwall 15:55
• Return Journey from Kirkwall to Heathrow
  • Depart Kirkwall 10:20 - Arrive Heathrow 16:40

Price flying from Gatwick from £340 return (2024 price) 

• Outward Journey from Gatwick to Kirkwall via Aberdeen
  • Depart Gatwick 19:55 - Arrive Aberdeen 21:30
  • Day after Depart Aberdeen 14:40 - Arrive Kirkwell 15:35
    
• Return Journey from Kirkwall to Gatwick
  • Depart Kirkwall 10:20 - Arrive Aberdeen 11:10
  • Depart Aberdeen 15:40 - Arrive Gatwick 17:20

The Diving

Scapa Flow has been used as an anchorage since the days of the Vikings, and through two world wars. Situated on the north East coast of Scotland it is a large expanse of water surrounded by a ring of Islands known as the Orkney Isles. Scapa Flow is a natural harbour providing shelter to the worse of the weather, being blown out on a dive is rare, and Scapa Flow is with out doubt the finest wreck diving location in the UK. And here's why

On the 21st June 1919 Admiral Von Reuter ordered the high seas German Fleet to scuttle. This consisted of 74 ships being sent to the depths of Scapa Flow, 10 battle ships 6 battle cruisers 8 light cruisers and 50 destroyers. Out of the 74 ships 52 went to the bottom and 22 were beached or saved by armed naval boarding parties. Salvage operations by Messrs Cox and Danks and later by Metal Industries ltd and Scapa Salvage raised 45 ships.

The German fleet wrecks are great diving no doubt of that but that's not all what Scapa is about. We have scrap sites from previously salvaged ships, and block ships in shallow fast tidal waters. Wrecks like the Gobernador Bories a Chilean registered steamer sunk in Burra Sound in 1915 is the one for the photographer, this wreck is just teaming with life. The large Ballen and Cuckoo Wrasse really do expect to be fed with sea urchins from visiting divers, honest if you don't feed them they'll bite you. The average depth of this dive is around 15 meters, and the viz well, check it out.

There are seven ships from the fleet which are S.M.S Kronprinz, Koing, Markgraf, Dresden, Brummer, Karlsuhe, and Koln.

There is a lot to dive and more than the German Fleet, from single cylinder air divers to deep mixed gas techie. Dive with the seals or a scenic drift around the Old Man of Hoy.

What we get in Charter package:

• Six nights’ accommodation (based on shared rooms) - Check-In Sunday - Check-Out Saturday morning.
• Five days diving (based on 2 dives per day) - Monday - Friday
• Use of lead weights (please bring your own belts)
• Air fills (nitrox available charged extra, trimix by prior arrangement)
• Complimentary tea, coffee & biscuits.
• Onboard hot soups and home bakes and tasty treats
• Accurate, in depth, multi-media wreck orientation and history talks. Huskyan Crew have over 40 years combined experience diving the German Fleet. We are the only boat offering this level of briefing in Scapa.

Extras on board

• Nitrox and Trimix Fills extra. 

Cylinder Hire Costs - 2025 rate TBC - Please make your requests in advance.

• 12L/15L Steel Cylinder - £6/day
• 12L Manifolded Twinset - £13.50/day 
• 3L Pony  - £6/day
• 3L Pony with regulator - £18/day
• 2L or 3L APD Rebreather Pair DIL & 02 - £10/day
  
• 7L Stage (Ali 60) with carry straps - £10.50/day
• 11L Stage (Ali 80) with carry straps - £10.50/day
  
• We can take your dive kit up in TYDY the C-Life Wagon for a fee - please reserve a place

Please pre-book cylinder hire in advance - non are supplied by boat. If you have your own SS Bands this is another option of twinning two single same size cylinders. Tech and Rebreather courses available before or on trip and on request.

• Flights from London to Kirkwall From £240 (2024 price).
• Driving will involve 750 miles each way and ferry to Stromness return 2 people share for example TYDY the C-Life Wagon £211.40 (2023 Price).

The Plan and when to arrive

We will arrive on board Sunday 17th August after 1pm, diving commences from the Monday 18th - Friday 22nd and depart 9am Saturday 23rd August (5 Days diving). We can then take an early a return flight home on the Saturday 23rd or late afternoon/evening or take the ferry from Stromness to Scrabster. Alternatively add an extension to visit local Neolithic sites or enjoy the countryside by staying in a B&B and enjoy Stromness for another day or more and then fly/Ferry back. The dives on the last day will be scheduled to take into account of 24hrs or more before anyone fly's home.

www.divernet - SCAPA

ScapaMAP - The Scapa

Have a look at the pdf trip info and more photos.

Please contact us for more details.

Specialty courses can be taught on trip i.e Deep, Wreck, Enriched Air, Peak Performance Bouyancy, Boat, Drift and many more. As wel as Tech Courses.

We advice you to have completed either a scuba review with us or have completed several practice dives before this weekend trip.

Diver prerequisite: Advanced Open Water, with Deep, Drysuit and Enriched Air. We advise you take out holiday insurance too.

Have a look at the pdf trip info and more photos.