TERN - Scapa Flow, Orkney
The *TERN* is a good, straightforward wreck dive in Scapa Flow, sitting upright on a rocky seabed at 20 meters. This old fishing vessel, sunk in 1976 after running aground, is fairly intact, offering plenty of nooks and crannies to peer into. We've found the wheelhouse a particularly interesting spot, now home to plump wrasse and inquisitive conger eels. It’s a comfortable dive for those looking for an accessible wreck experience, with generally mild currents. You'll often see schools of saithe swirling around the mast, and the rocky surrounds give way to an abundance of anemones and sea squirts coating the hull.
- Location
- Scapa Flow, Orkney, United Kingdom, Mediterranean & Europe
- Coordinates
- 58.695430, -3.126576
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 20m
Marine Protected Area: Pentland Firth Islands
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)
Nearby Dive Sites in Scapa Flow, Orkney
- 090 - 26m (wreck)
- AASE - 60m (wreck)
- ABERDEEN CITY - 5m (wreck)
- AC6 - 5m (wreck)
- ACHILLES - 32m (wreck)
- ACTIVE - 42m (wreck)
- Aith Baa (reef)
- ALABAMA - 12m (wreck)
- ALCORA (POSSIBLY) - 40m (wreck)
- ALMERIA - 5m (wreck)
- ANDALINA - 8m (wreck)
- ANDRIAS - 27m (wreck)
- ANVERS - 52m (wreck)
- AORANGI - 5m (wreck)
- ARCADIA - 30m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to TERN
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 TERN
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