Stromness, Scotland, United Kingdom

Inverlane Blockship

The Inverlane was a British tanker partially scuttled in Burra Sound, Scapa Flow, after being damaged by a mine during WWII. The bow section was deliberately sunk in 1944 as part of the blockship defences against U-boat incursion at the western entrance to the Flow. The remaining wreckage now lies broken across a shingle and rock bottom at 8 to 14 metres, with the keel and hull plating heavily collapsed but still recognisable. Like other Burra Sound wrecks, the Inverlane is dived only at slack water because the tidal flow rips through the sound at several knots. Visibility is typically 8 to 12 metres in summer thanks to the constant tidal flushing. The wreckage is densely covered with plumose anemones, dead man's fingers and hydroids, and supports lobsters, edible crabs, pollack, ballan wrasse, conger eels and the occasional grey seal. The relatively shallow depth makes it suitable for AOWD divers with drysuit experience and is generally combined with the Tabarka in the same slack-water schedule. Boats run from Stromness.