Is this week for me?

In order to get the best out of the week you will need to be a competent diver capable of diving to 30m, be curious, have an inquiring mind, a want to learn and an interest in history... pretty much everybody really. We hope to educate and entertain, not to take you back to the dusty, dread, foreboding classroom of your childhood! We can cover as much or as little as is comfortable without becoming overwhelming. Think of the week as an ongoing discussion with Scapa as the theme.

What are the minimum qualifications?

It's easy to get too prescriptive but basically you need to be the kind of diver that doesn't need to think about their diving too much in the water, leaving your eyes free to look about and your mind able to concentrate on the wreck. We would suggest Sports Diver for BSAC or Advanced for PADI, but basically of that ilk. You will be able to deploy an SMB and be reasonable dived up before arrival. Your kit is not important, we can accommodate anything from single cylinder to rebreather and so forth: the week is about the wrecks not the diving.

What will I need to do before I arrive?

Forearmed is forearmed so is you do a little reading before you get here so you know what the basics are: take Rod Macdonalds "Dive Scapa Flow" to bed and read from cover to cover is probably about the right amount. Be dived up so you are ready to go from the start. And, funnily enough, have a look around HMS Belfast in London if you get a chance: much of the structures and technologies are very similar and certainly will have had some inception from the Scapa Flow wrecks.

Whats the best way to get to Orkney?

Your best travel plan is to drive to Aberdeen and catch the Northlink ferry north on the Saturday. The ferry leaves to head south again on the following Friday night arriving in Aberdeen on the Saturday morning at 07.30. There is no need to bring a car unless you want to, there is a connecting coach from the ferry to the Halton.

Do we need Diving Insurance?

It is highly recommended that you take out holiday insurance that will also cover you in the water.

Will there be Nitrox?

We have oxygen aboard and can blend any mix prior to the dive. Oxygen is charged at 1.6p per litre. We keep a tally of your use during the week and bill you on the last day.

Do you have emergency oxygen aboard?

Yes, we carry emergency oxygen. There is a chamber in Stromness and excellent medical facilities on the island should the worst occur.

Do I need bedding?

All bedding is provided on the boat.



If you have any other questions, just drop us a line: