Over the course of the week, we will explore the events that led to the entire German Fleet coming to rest on the bottom of a British Naval Harbour, the scuttle itself and the tale that unfolded afterwards. With a mixture of talks, walks and dives we hope to illustrate the forces that shaped history here in Scapa Flow.

Comprehensive dive briefings

Nothing brings the wrecks alive more than hitting the water armed with the knowledge of what to expect, what to look for and a good idea of where to go. Still got lost? Well bash out your dive around the table afterwards and see where to go next time.

Experience has shown that a detailed briefing of whats what, wheres where and the how tos, what tos and where tos really allow divers to put a decent dive plan together, building up a picture of the wrecks' orientation as they lie now.  Prior to each dive there will be an in depth dive briefing with illustrations, sonar images, 3d computer visualizations  to ensure you hit the water running and see as much as possible during your time underwater.  

• From Sailing Ship to Battleship: an arms race that precipitated the First World War
• Engagements during the Great War culminating in the Battle of Jutland
• The internment of the High Seas Fleet, armistice negotiations and scuttling itself.
  
• The Defense and Role of Scapa Flow 1914-45
• The Interwar Years: the start of salvage and a new dawn of war.
  
• What Happened to the Battleship?

We hope you will find the topics informal and engaging and we aim to keep the format light and informal, fitting talks around the important events of the day like diving and  food!



Exploration

Orkney has a huge number of wartime buildings and relics remaining dotted around the islands.   We will offer the opportunity to explore these sites during surface intervals with guided walks to the above, taking in some of the following:

• the old Navy base of Lyness, now a museum in the former oil pumping station.
•  the command center Wee Fea.
  
• the Churchill Barriers and Italian Chapel.
• the remaining gun emplacements and abandoned boom defense nets to name but a few....