The Wrecks of Scapa: A Digital Exploration

Scapa Flow and its surrounding waters are internationally renowned as the home of many military shipwrecks from WWI and WWII. These include the Royal Navy war graves HMS Royal Oak (1939), HMS Vanguard (1917) and HMS Hampshire (1916) and the remains of the German WWI High Seas Fleet scuttled in 1919. In addition, blockships sunk to protect the entrances to the natural harbour are still visible at the Churchill Barriers. The German wrecks are protected as Scheduled Monuments by Historic Environment Scotland. This allows diving on the sites so long as no damage occurs, and nothing is removed from the wrecks. The RN war graves are protected under the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986 which prevents all diving unless licenced by the Ministry of Defence.

As sites of archaeological interest, these historic wrecks have been the subject of numerous bathymetric (side-scan and multibeam sonar) surveys since 2001. Additional smaller scale surveys have taken place using more traditional maritime archaeology techniques which have added to the knowledge base in understanding the condition and stories of the wrecks in and around Scapa Flow.