wreck

Log This Dive

Wreck of Aorangi

The Aorangi isn’t one of Scapa’s monster German dreadnoughts, and frankly, that’s part of her charm. She’s a smaller, working-class wreck – a former cable layer, sunk in 1915, sitting upright and pretty intact. We love how accessible she feels, allowing you to really get a sense of her purpose. Slip inside the wheelhouse, if you dare, imagining the crew in those final moments, then trace the deck out to the bow where the anchor chains still lie coiled. What you'll find here is a wreck that has truly become part of the seabed. Visibility in Scapa is often a deep emerald, and the light filtering through the water just enhances the atmosphere. Keep an eye out for the resident lumpsuckers clinging to the bulkheads, perfectly camouflaged, and the colourful Devonshire cup corals blooming on any flat surface. This site is brilliant for divers who appreciate the history but also want a relaxed penetration, a proper exploration, without the crushing scale of some of her neighbours. It’s a photographer’s dream, too, especially if you catch the light just right on a calm day.