SCUBA December 2021 Issue 121 | Page 122

SCAPA 100

War machines

The König-class battleships of Scapa Flow

The battleships are what makes Scapa Flow special in the world of diving , with unique sights for those qualified to visit their hidden features . Story and photographs by Bob Anderson of MV Halton

Just off the top of Scotland lies a windswept archipelago with a diving jewel at its heart . Under the waters of Scapa Flow lie the last remains of the German High Seas Fleet . Of these , the three most significant wrecks are the remaining König class battleships .

The turbulent times that created these bellicose behemoths saw the first Great War rage across Europe and shape modern history . These machines were the pinnacle of engineering technology of their day , expensive enough to bankrupt nations but , ironically , obsolete almost before their conception . There are very few places in the world where you can visit the guns that fired in anger at the Battle of Jutland at sports diving depths .
The Scapa obsession
People come to Scapa Flow to go diving
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