wreck

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Wreck of William Richardson

The William Richardson sits upright, a proper old cargo steamer from 1869, sunk during a gale in 1913. She’s relatively shallow, around 14m to the deck, and because of that, she’s become a fantastic reef. We love the way the light filters through the relatively clear Scapa Flow water, illuminating the growth on her. Her bow points east, her stern towards the island of Flotta, and the whole structure is covered in plumose anemones, dead man's fingers, and kelp. Exploring her holds is easy, you can fin through them and pop out the other side, sometimes startling a wrasse or a small cod. There are parts of her superstructure still intact, offering little swim-throughs and plenty of nooks for crabs. Visibility can be excellent here, making for some striking photographs of her silhouette against the surface. It’s a gentle dive, perfect for divers wanting a true wreck experience without the depth or complexity of some of Scapa’s bigger warships. We’d suggest a slow, deliberate exploration, looking closely at the life on her decks, rather than rushing through.