Visiting recognised scuba dive sites is the best way for scuba divers who are relatively new to the sport to develop their diving skills. As everyone is taught when learning to dive, scuba diving can be a dangerous sport owing to the alien environment in which it takes place. If you add to that completely unknown conditions then the risk of an accident increases.

Therefore, knowing in advance that many other divers have visited a particular site and, so long as they followed their training carefully, had safe and enjoyable dives – gives the visiting divers a head start to having a good dive themselves.

Once a dive site has been selected as having potential for a visit by a buddy pair or group from a club – a risk assessment of the proposed trip is needed. Factors that will be considered will likely include the following:

1. Site conditions, depth, currents, tides

2. Site access – by boat, shore etc

3. Level of experience likely needed for the particular dives being planned

4. Safety considerations – nearest hyperbaric chamber etc.

5. Local rescue services

6. Local facilities – air and gas, equipment, hot food, accommodation

A scuba diving risk assessment will consider these and other details and can be reviewed by an experienced diver who can give advice and guidance to the group that intends making the particular trip. It may be that a member of the club who is not joining the group can nevertheless give some pointers on the scuba dive sites being targeted.

Once a successful visit to the scuba dive sites has taken place, it is important that a record of the visit is made for future references. Then, when a visit takes place in a year or two – information for the new group will be available for any new members wanting to try out the sites.

Unknown and un-dived scuba dive sites can be a challenge. More advanced scuba divers welcome this challenge and have the experience to be able to carry out exploratory dives in such unknown circumstances. It is best to wait until you have the necessary skills and experience before you think about taking part in such diving expeditions.

Scapa Flow is graveyard to a number of massive battleships and cruisers that it is impossible to do justice to in a single dive each. With visibility ranging from 3 metres to as much as 15 meters at certain times of the year it is impossible to take in the size of these ships, each hundreds of feet long. However, their immensity is apparent – and absorbing their mysterious presence is possible by swimming away from the wrecks and viewing their massive prows from a couple of metres away.

The wrecks are typically at depths of 35 to 40 metres and are not suitable for novices. To get the best out of the dives planning for at least a little decompression will give you a little more time to take in some of the detail revealed by a good bright torch at these gloomy depths. The scuba diving equipment used must of course be suitable for this.

I first visited Scapa fifteen years ago in July. The visibility was poor at that time of year, perhaps 3 or 4 metres at best. It was still a moving experience, to see these mighty ships at rest. The plan is to return next year in October when the visibility is hopefully at its best, the summer plankton blooms being over. It is hoped that the Scottish weather is not too inclement topside also!

A trip to Scapa Flow should be on your list – the journey up is a long one, depending on the area of the UK in which you live. Coming from farther afield means that you will definitely have to fly in. Flying means that you will be unable to bring your own scuba tanks within your scuba diving gear. However, most boats out of the local port Stromness have their own scuba tanks on board. Of course if your own diving gear includes more technical configurations the trip becomes harder, though it is possible to hire twin 12s and 10s from some operators. Other dive gear can also be hired from the local dive shop.