SMS Markgraf

SMS Markgraf is a German Imperial Navy battleship lying in Scapa Flow, Orkney, approximately 50 minutes by boat from the port of Stromness. A König Class Dreadnought launched in 1913, she measured 177 metres in length and displaced 25,400 tons, heavily armoured and armed with 12-inch main guns. She was scuttled along with the rest of the interned German fleet and now lies upside down on her port side.

The wreck sits on the seabed at a maximum depth of 45 metres, with the top of the upturned hull coming up to 19 metres. A shotline is rigged on the wreck, giving divers a direct descent to the structure. The scale of the hull and the presence of her 12-inch main armament make for substantial wreck penetration and exterior exploration across a wide depth range.

Given the maximum depth of 45 metres, SMS Markgraf is a technical dive and is suited to divers with the appropriate certification and experience for that depth. Conditions in Scapa Flow should be factored into planning, as they are typical of an exposed Scottish anchorage.