PERKINA - Scapa Flow, Orkney

Okay, so Scapa Flow isn’t all about the German High Seas Fleet. Head to the Churchill Barriers and you’ll find some cracking smaller wrecks, and the *Perkina* is one of our favourites. This isn’t a deep dive, barely 3 metres, so it’s ideal for a long, relaxed potter, even on a second or third dive of the day. She's an 11.6-metre sailing vessel, which went down in 1976 after an explosion. What you get now is a beautifully broken-up wooden hull, spread across the seabed. We love how the planks have separated, creating little nooks and crannies that are just bursting with life. Crabs scuttle under the timbers, blennies peer out from the cracks, and you’ll often spot small shoals of pollack darting between the frames. The ambient light here, filtering down through the shallow water, really makes the greens and browns of the kelp and the wreck itself pop. Visibility tends to be decent, especially around high tide, so plan your dive then for the best views. It’s a great spot for photographers looking to capture that interplay of light, history, and marine life in a really accessible way. Perfect for a gentle exploration, and a welcome contrast to the darker, deeper dives Scapa is famous for.

Location: Scapa Flow, Orkney, United Kingdom, Mediterranean & Europe
Coordinates: 57.534720, -4.152478
Type: wreck
Maximum Depth: 3m

Marine Protected Area: Longman and Castle Stuart Bays

Best Time to Dive in Scapa Flow, Orkney

The warmest water temperatures in Scapa Flow, Orkney occur in January, averaging 8.4°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 8.4°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

January: 8.4°C (air: 5.5°C)
February: 8.4°C (air: 5.3°C)
March: 8.4°C (air: 5.9°C)
April: 8.4°C (air: 6.8°C)
May: 8.4°C (air: 9.7°C)
June: 8.4°C (air: 12.4°C)
July: 8.4°C (air: 13.2°C)
August: 8.4°C (air: 13.7°C)
September: 8.4°C (air: 12.7°C)
October: 8.4°C (air: 10.2°C)
November: 8.4°C (air: 8.0°C)
December: 8.4°C (air: 5.8°C)

Nearest Dive Centres to PERKINA

The Diving Cellar

Marine Life in Scapa Flow, Orkney

Home to 155 recorded species including 63 reef fish, 17 whales & dolphins, 12 sharks & rays, 11 crabs & lobsters, 11 other, 10 seagrass & algae.

Notable Species

Protestant (Clupea harengus) - Reef Fish
Haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) - Reef Fish
Cowfish (Tursiops truncatus) - Whales & Dolphins
whiting (Merlangius merlangus) - Reef Fish
dab (Limanda limanda) - Reef Fish
harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) - Whales & Dolphins
grey gurnard (Eutrigla gurnardus) - Reef Fish
long rough dab (Hippoglossoides platessoides) - Reef Fish
dogfish (Scyliorhinus canicula) - Sharks & Rays
Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) - Reef Fish
poor cod (Trisopterus minutus) - Reef Fish
sprat (Sprattus sprattus) - Reef Fish
Common minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) - Whales & Dolphins
Split (Scomber scombrus) - Reef Fish
Norway Lobster (Nephrops norvegicus) - Crabs & Lobsters
Common dragonet (Callionymus lyra) - Reef Fish
lesser argentine (Argentina sphyraena) - Reef Fish
white-beaked dolphin (Lagenorhynchus albirostris) - Whales & Dolphins
Common sea star (Asterias rubens) - Starfish
Soldier (Chelidonichthys cuculus) - Reef Fish

Recommended Packing List for PERKINA

Based on average water temperature of 8.4°C.

Drysuit - water at 8°C demands a drysuit with thermal undergarments
Hood & Gloves (7mm+) - critical to prevent heat loss
Mask - essential for every dive
Fins
BCD - buoyancy compensator
Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories