Looking for Scapa Flow

[JayJudge]

Hi,
First I'll introduce myself. I am an American (West Virginia), looking for more information and recommendations regarding dive operations in the Scapa Flow region. There would be a group coming over, just friends, not a dive shop. We are strictly a club interested in diving the German Fleet, and any other recommended sites.
Thanks,
Jay

 

[grazie42]

I´d recommend you to ask your questions here: http://www.yorkshire-divers.com/

 

[Diving Doc]

Hi Jay, if you would like to PM me. I will send u details of a couple of organisations up there who we have used and are v. accomodating.

 

[JayJudge]

Thanks for the link to Yorkshire divers and the other responses. On a side note, a few of us would like to see some sites of historic interest above water i.e. castles, museums. Any recommendations?
thanks,
Jay

 

[Adrian Kelland]

Well Skara Brae would certainly meet your historic requirement, there are some stone circles too.

WWI - Lyness

WWII - There is the Italian Chapel built by POWs

I don't know what you know of the wrecks, but diving HMS Royal Oak (sunk 1939) is completely off limits.

Adrian

 

[Mark Milburn]

I went to Scapa last September on Bob Andersons Liveaboard boat the Halton. Bob's a great guy and knows the area well.

http://www.mvhalton.co.uk/


We went to the museum at Lyness a couple of times and spent the odd night away from Stromness.

He has O2, Helium and a compressor on board. He also does trips to Shetland and Norway.

The boat heating is an oil fired Rayburn, a big cooking stove/heater to keep you warm and dry you out.

 

[MarkUK]

If you are into your techie diving, then John Thornton is one of the best skippers up there for that kind of thing. Scapa Technical is on: www.scapaflow.com

I went diving with him up at Scapa nearly ten years ago and we had a great time, but the boat has been done up since then, and is supposed to have a diver lift for this season - cool!

I am going up again this May with Scapa Scuba, the only PADI centre up there, and they offer guided diving on the German wrecks and the best of the others. This is a good idea if you perhaps haven't done much diving where it is jumping off a boat into 25-30m of water and dropping on to a ruddy big wreck! Plus, they can show you all the nifty bits.

All the German wrecks are great, though the Kronprinz Wilhelm is the best of the three biggies as you can get under one side and see the big guns. I find the cruisers make better dives, as they are on their sides and slightly shallower, so you can have a good explore for longer without getting into loads of deco, etc.

Other good dives are the steam trawler James Barrie, which lies in a sound and has excellent vis, and the blockships, notably the Tabarka, which I think is the best dive up there, even though it is only in 15m or so.

You will have a great time!

Mark

 

[mwpowell]

I also recommend Bob Anderson. I went a couple of years ago, and had a great time.

http://www.mvhalton.co.uk/

Mike

 

[Diving Doc]

Hi Jay, got your pm, will be sending you a few details of a couple of places soon

Doc

 

[JayJudge]

Wow, thanks again for all the information. As for tech- I think all of us are deco/nitrox certified, no trimix. We are trying to keep a level field and similar profiles. The same week I posted this, one of the others got a copy of a British dive mag that had Scapa 3D. That has gotten a few more on board. What about the availability of doubles, DIN fittings, etc. Also, aside from Cold water, what about current, vis, waves, etc. I don't always believe what magazines claim about vis- we dive North Carolina, New Jersey, and Virginia- average depth 90-130 ftsw, Jersey vis up to 30 feet-though claimed higher. One more thing- any customs of the area we should be aware of? I know the wrecks are look, don't take, but I don't want to start pub fights, either.
Sorry for so many questions, but this is a large undertaking, as it will be our club's first international trip.
Thanks again,
-Jay