Scapa Flow Dive Guide [Anglais] [Broché]

This is the 42nd book from this author and he is still going strong. More importantly, within these pages the visiting diver will find all the information he is looking for. Whilst some might argue there are already too many diving guides to this area, this guide stands apart from all others because it has it all.

The book commences with a very interesting and informative view of Orkney. Next we have a fascinating potted history of how the German High Seas Fleet came to be interned and then scuttled followed by the story of the salvaging of many of those vessels. Then there is the information required by all visiting divers "Travelling and Staying in Orkney" with notes on how to get there, where to stay and what else there is to see.

After a one page introduction to the Scapa Map project - which exists to document the wrecks of Scapa Flow by imaging, the book gets down to cases and, chapter by chapter, explains and describes those wrecks which interest divers from all over the world. This is where the book comes into it's own. Each of these chapters commences with a map showing the wrecks under discussion in relation to the remainder. Then we get down to facts, statistics and diving detail interspersed with historic photographs I have never seen before. All are interesting, some are pretty amazing. With only the occasional underwater photograph, each of the major shipwrecks is fully described and incorporates one or more scan images to show exactly what that wreck looks like on the seabed today.

Predominantly, Scapa attracts divers because of the remains of the German High Seas Fleet and whilst these are given full and excellent coverage, the book does not stop there. Next up are chapters headed; Other Wrecks in Scapa Flow, World War II Wrecks, Breaking the Flow Defences (which provides an excellent account of HMS Royal Oak), Orkney Italian Chapel, War Graves (HMS Hampshire and HMS Vanguard), Churchill Barriers (which includes an incredible series of photos of the "Collindoc" from her being mostly underwater to mostly underground!) and finally Scapa Flow Reef Dives - all of which are self explanatory.

With appendices containing contact and other useful information, this single book has it all.

The product itself is well laid out, easy to follow and equally as easy to read. What else could any diver ask for.

NM