World | UK | Scotland | Diving Scapa:

Scapa Flow overview

Wrecks:

• Brummer
• Coln
• Dresden
• F2 (& YC21 Barge)
• James Barrie
• Karlsruhe
• Konig
• Kronprinz Wilhelm
• Markgraf
• Tabarka

Resources & Links:

Other Scapa diving information online:

• Scapa article by Rosemary Lunn on scotsac.com

Other Information Online:

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Scuba Diving in Scapa Flow, Scotland, UK, Europe

Dive Site: SMS Kronprinz Wilhelm

Location: 58°53.39N; 03°09.46W

Description: 26 000 ton battleship

Length: 177 metres (581 feet)

Depth: 12 - 37 metres (39 - 121 feet)

Visibility: 15 metres (50 feet)

Rating: *****

Lying nearly upside down, the hull is the first thing you encounter on this wreck, which is covered in so many brittle stars that from a distance they look like netting. Because the deck of the ship is nearly on the sea floor and due to the immense size of the ship, expect to clock up a lot of decompression. Much of the wreck is buried but the consequently disguised shapes make interesting viewing. This is a picturesque dive and if you get well under the wreck it is possible to see the large guns still mounted on the deck. Starfish, sponges and sea anemones are abundant, especially on the rudder covering 99% of it. Leave the stern until the end of the dive and ascend up the rudder, which is very beautiful and reaches up to only 12 metres below the surface.

Reader Reviews:

I dived the Kronprinz Wilhelm in August 2006. The ship is massive and would take numerous dives to look at everything. We started from a shot line about half way along the hull. Unfortunately the day we dived was overcast so the visibility was way down on what it normally is. We followed the hull down to thirty metres looking in the various holes that abound. The ship is almost completely covered in bright coloured sponges and has lots of almost tame fish life. When we were down to four minutes no stop we turned round and let the current drift us gently back up to our starting point, a very odd sensation drifting over a ship. We went a little way past the shot and saw something which could have been a gun turret before it was time to ascend. I want to do this one again.

Jef Proudfoot, SAA Dive Leader

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