Swiftsure
Conditions & tides
Scored by DiveConnect's site-physics model
Marine forecast via Copernicus Marine. Score is a rule-based guide from swell/wind vs. the site's exposure — always dive your own assessment.
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About this site
The SS Swiftsure is a shipwreck lying in a channel a few miles from Kirkwall, Orkney. She departed Kirkwall carrying a cargo of wood in September 1917 and sank after striking a mine laid by the German submarine UC40. The wreck sits on a sand bottom, scoured by the currents that run through the channel, but her engine and boilers remain identifiable along with other structural features.
The maximum depth is 21 metres, and the sand bottom keeps the site open and accessible. Because the channel carries significant tidal flow, the Swiftsure is a slack water dive only, meaning timing the dive to coincide with the brief window of minimal current is essential.
The site is rated suitable for beginners and offers great visibility, making it a manageable wreck dive for divers who plan their entry around the tides.
Marine life here
Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.
OrcaOrcinus orcaReported here · unconfirmed
Durable tips from divers — access, hazards, marine life, facilities. For day-of conditions, use the report tool in the conditions card above.
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Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · OGL v3