wreck

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Wreck of SMS König Albert

The König Albert is one of our favourites in Scapa Flow, probably because it’s a bit of a contradiction. For a start, it’s a massive dreadnought battleship, lying upside down, but its sheer size means there’s still plenty of internal exploration to be had. We often drop onto the stern, which sits around 24 metres, and then work our way forward along the hull. The ship is largely intact, with several large shell holes providing access into the engineering spaces – keep an eye out for the giant reciprocating engines, they’re still impressive even after all these years. What we really love about the Albert, though, is how life has claimed it. The exposed hull is thick with plumose anemones, creating these incredible white carpets that shimmer in your torch beam. Look closer and you'll find curled octopuses tucked into crevices, their eyes watching you with unnerving intelligence. We once spent an entire deco stop just watching a harbour porpoise feed near the bow, its sleek form a blur in the green water. The visibility here can be excellent, particularly on a slack tide, which really helps bring the scale of the wreck to life. It’s a dive that suits experienced wreck divers, certainly, but anyone comfortable with some overhead environments will find a lot to love.