wreck

Log This Dive

HMS Nelson

The HMS Nelson, or rather, what was *supposed* to be the HMS Nelson, is pure Scapa Flow legend. This isn't the battleship you're thinking of. This is the remains of a brand-new battleship, the original HMS Nelson, on its way to the scrapyard in 1925, sunk accidentally by its own escort vessel. We love the irony. What divers experience here is less a mighty warship and more a colossal, broken-up scrap heap, but don't let that fool you. Visibility here can be a bit of a lottery, as it is in much of Scapa, but when it's good, you’re enveloped by the sheer scale of the twisted metal. We particularly enjoy poking around the various sections. You'll find thick plates of steel, colossal frames, and jagged edges everywhere. It’s an ideal site for exploring penetration points, with dark, silty corridors winding through the wreckage if you’re appropriately trained and equipped. The marine life here isn't the star, but we've always found plenty of plump lobsters tucked into crevices and ling lurking in the darker corners. Best dived on a slack tide, naturally, to really appreciate the quiet majesty of its demise. This is a site that suits divers who appreciate history and the sheer drama of industrial-scale wreckage.