Stromness, Scotland, United Kingdom

SMS Karlsruhe

SMS Karlsruhe is a German Konigsberg-class light cruiser scuttled in Scapa Flow on 21 June 1919. Lying on its starboard side at depths from about 12 to 27 metres, it is the shallowest of the surviving High Seas Fleet cruisers and a popular introduction to Scapa wreck diving. The 151-metre hull retains a strikingly intact bow, the foredeck with anchor hawsepipes, davits, and several 15cm casemate guns. Salvage and natural collapse have opened sections of the hull, allowing experienced divers to identify boilers, condensers and machinery spaces on guided dives. Visibility frequently reaches 8 to 12 metres in summer and water temperature stays between 6 and 12 degrees Celsius. The wreck is colonised by plumose anemones, dead man's fingers, sponges and hydroids, and supports ling, pollack, ballan wrasse, conger eels and occasional grey seals investigating divers. Currents are weak to moderate and dives are run from Stromness charter boats. Karlsruhe is suitable for AOWD and above with drysuit experience and is typically combined with a second dive on the Cologne or Dresden in a single day boat schedule.