Scotland
Best Time to Dive in Scapa Flow
58.90°N 3.15°W
Divers come for the scuttled German High Seas Fleet. Nothing about it runs to a calendar, so it comes down to the weather: go April to August. Diving holds up from April to September.
- Best time
- Apr–Aug
- Water
- 7–13 °C
- Visibility
- 5–20 m
- Season runs
- Apr–Sep
- Dived from
- day boat
- Tidal range
- 1.3–2.8 m
- Species logged
- 9
Worth knowing: water around 12 °C.
Where it is
111 km across · coastline from Natural Earth 10m
Diving in Scapa Flow — monthly breakdown
A year of scuba diving conditions at a glance. Hover a month to isolate it.
| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conditions | Poor | Poor | Poor | Good | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Excellent | Poor | Poor | Poor |
| Water temp (°C) | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 9 |
| Visibility (m) | — | 10–20 | 10–20 | 5–15 | 5–15 | 5–15 | 5–15 | 5–15 | 5–15 | 5–15 | — | — |
| Marine life | Busy | Steady | Steady | Steady | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Busy | Steady | Steady |
| Best time | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak | Peak |
Excellent Good Moderate PoorPeak season Apr–Aug
Long-term averages, 2016–2025. Visibility is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a. Water temperature is the surface mean; it is cooler at depth.
The Scapa Flow diving season
April to September · Peak season
6 monthsJFMAMJJASOND
- Water temperature
- 8–13 °C
- Visibility
- 5–15 m
- Rain
- 16 days a month
Diving conditionsThe sea is calmer. The wind eases.
Marine lifeBasking shark (near-guaranteed), Grey seal (near-guaranteed) peak at Scapa Flow in these months.
October to March · Off season
6 monthsJFMAMJJASOND
- Water temperature
- 7–12 °C
- Visibility
- 10–20 m
- Rain
- 18 days a month
Diving conditionsThe sea is rougher. The wind is up.
- Spring tides run 2.8 m against 1.3 m on neaps, so currents build around the full and new moon.
- Water temperature is satellite sea-surface temperature, so expect it cooler below the thermocline.
- Visibility is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a.
Scapa Flow water temperature and weather
4,066 underwater observation records · 32 surveyed years of ocean data · 10 years of sea temperature
Water & weather
Scapa Flow water temperature by month
The dashed line is the monthly average. Eight days in ten fall inside the band.
10th to 90th percentile rangemonthly mean
8
rough days a month
Seas top 1.5 m on 28% of days. Enough to cancel a day boat
6
blowy days a month
Gusts over 40 km/h, about where a day boat stays in port
17
wet days a month
2 of them bring heavy rain
| Month | Swell | Gusts over 40 km/h | Wet days | Heavy rain | Air | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 2.5 m | 41% | 19 | 3 | 7 °C | 6.6 h |
| February | 2.7 m | 37% | 17 | 2 | 7 °C | 8.9 h |
| March | 2.1 m | 26% | 17 | 2 | 8 °C | 11.4 h |
| April | 1.5 m | 17% | 13 | 1 | 9 °C | 14.1 h |
| May | 1.5 m | 6% | 13 | 1 | 12 °C | 16.6 h |
| June | 1.6 m | 10% | 15 | 2 | 14 °C | 18.1 h |
| July | 1.2 m | 5% | 19 | 1 | 15 °C | 17.4 h |
| August | 1.5 m | 6% | 18 | 2 | 16 °C | 15.2 h |
| September | 1.6 m | 20% | 18 | 3 | 14 °C | 12.5 h |
| October | 2.1 m | 29% | 21 | 3 | 12 °C | 9.8 h |
| November | 2.1 m | 28% | 18 | 3 | 9 °C | 7.3 h |
| December | 2.4 m | 32% | 19 | 2 | 8 °C | 5.9 h |
Swell is the rough end of the month: nine days in ten come in under it. Sea temperature covers 10 years, waves 4.
Pick your week
48 weeks from the daily record. Darker is better, against this site's own year. Pick a month for the detail.
| Week 1 | January week 1: Poor | February week 1: Poor | March week 1: Poor | April week 1: Moderate | May week 1: Excellent | June week 1: Excellent | July week 1: Good | August week 1: Excellent | September week 1: Excellent | October week 1: Poor | November week 1: Poor | December week 1: Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 2 | January week 2: Poor | February week 2: Poor | March week 2: Poor | April week 2: Moderate | May week 2: Excellent | June week 2: Excellent | July week 2: Excellent | August week 2: Excellent | September week 2: Good | October week 2: Poor | November week 2: Poor | December week 2: Poor |
| Week 3 | January week 3: Poor | February week 3: Poor | March week 3: Poor | April week 3: Excellent | May week 3: Good | June week 3: Good | July week 3: Excellent | August week 3: Excellent | September week 3: Excellent | October week 3: Poor | November week 3: Poor | December week 3: Poor |
| Week 4 | January week 4: Poor | February week 4: Poor | March week 4: Moderate | April week 4: Excellent | May week 4: Good | June week 4: Excellent | July week 4: Excellent | August week 4: Excellent | September week 4: Good | October week 4: Poor | November week 4: Poor | December week 4: Poor |
Excellent Good Moderate PoorBest week to go: first of June
January, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 9 °C | 2.3 m | 36 km/h | 61% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 8 °C | 2.2 m | 37 km/h | 58% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 8 °C | 2.4 m | 36 km/h | 58% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 8 °C | 3.1 m | 36 km/h | 64% |
February, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 8 °C | 3.2 m | 37 km/h | 66% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 7 °C | 2.6 m | 35 km/h | 62% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 7 °C | 2.5 m | 35 km/h | 60% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 7 °C | 2.5 m | 34 km/h | 56% |
March, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 7 °C | 2.3 m | 33 km/h | 52% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 7 °C | 2.1 m | 34 km/h | 57% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 7 °C | 2.1 m | 34 km/h | 55% |
| Week 4 | Moderate | 7 °C | 1.8 m | 32 km/h | 51% |
April, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Moderate | 7 °C | 1.6 m | 30 km/h | 48% |
| Week 2 | Moderate | 8 °C | 1.6 m | 30 km/h | 45% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 8 °C | 1.5 m | 28 km/h | 41% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 8 °C | 1.2 m | 26 km/h | 42% |
May, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 9 °C | 1.3 m | 25 km/h | 40% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 9 °C | 1.3 m | 25 km/h | 40% |
| Week 3 | Good | 9 °C | 1.4 m | 25 km/h | 49% |
| Week 4 | Good | 10 °C | 1.6 m | 25 km/h | 45% |
June, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 10 °C | 1.6 m | 23 km/h | 40% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 11 °C | 1.5 m | 25 km/h | 49% |
| Week 3 | Good | 11 °C | 1.4 m | 28 km/h | 53% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 11 °C | 1.7 m | 27 km/h | 55% |
July, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Good | 12 °C | 1.5 m | 25 km/h | 60% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 12 °C | 1.3 m | 25 km/h | 60% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 13 °C | 1.0 m | 24 km/h | 62% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 13 °C | 1.0 m | 24 km/h | 63% |
August, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 13 °C | 1.4 m | 25 km/h | 67% |
| Week 2 | Excellent | 13 °C | 1.5 m | 26 km/h | 65% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 13 °C | 1.5 m | 25 km/h | 57% |
| Week 4 | Excellent | 13 °C | 1.4 m | 25 km/h | 51% |
September, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Excellent | 13 °C | 1.4 m | 26 km/h | 55% |
| Week 2 | Good | 13 °C | 1.6 m | 28 km/h | 63% |
| Week 3 | Excellent | 13 °C | 1.5 m | 30 km/h | 60% |
| Week 4 | Good | 13 °C | 1.8 m | 32 km/h | 62% |
October, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 13 °C | 2.2 m | 34 km/h | 71% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 12 °C | 2.4 m | 33 km/h | 68% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 12 °C | 2.3 m | 33 km/h | 62% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 12 °C | 1.9 m | 34 km/h | 65% |
November, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 11 °C | 1.8 m | 33 km/h | 63% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 11 °C | 1.9 m | 33 km/h | 60% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 11 °C | 2.3 m | 35 km/h | 63% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 10 °C | 2.1 m | 33 km/h | 59% |
December, week by week
| Week | Conditions | Water | Swell | Wind | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | Poor | 10 °C | 2.1 m | 32 km/h | 59% |
| Week 2 | Poor | 10 °C | 2.4 m | 35 km/h | 61% |
| Week 3 | Poor | 9 °C | 2.6 m | 35 km/h | 57% |
| Week 4 | Poor | 9 °C | 2.5 m | 35 km/h | 61% |
10 years of daily records, averaged into weeks.
Gear & storms
What to wear
Off the coldest water of each month, not the average — that is what the suit has to cope with.
| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Suit | January: dry | February: dry | March: dry | April: dry | May: dry | June: dry | July: dry | August: dry | September: dry | October: dry | November: dry | December: dry |
One suit covers the whole year: a drysuit.
Swell through the year
The rough end of each month — nine days in ten come in under it.
Amber is over 1.5 m.
Tides
Tropical storms
No tropical storm has come within 250 km in 30 years of records. Swell and wind set the season, not cyclones.
- NOAASea surface temperature, from OISST and MUR
- ERA5Wind, waves, rain and air temperature, via Open-Meteo
- OBISMarine species records within 60 km
- IBTrACSTropical cyclone tracks, 1996 to 2025
Scapa Flow marine life — what you'll see diving
| Species | When | Observed window | Reliability | Evidence | Records |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minke whale | May–Jun, Aug | Near-guaranteed | 914 | ||
| Common dolphin | All year | Near-guaranteed | 199 | ||
| Orca | Apr–Jun | Near-guaranteed | 1019 | ||
| Basking shark | Jul–Sep | Near-guaranteed | 313 | ||
| Grey seal | May–Jun, Aug | Near-guaranteed | 1093 | ||
| Bottlenose dolphin | All year | Near-guaranteed | 123 | ||
| Humpback whale | All year | Likely | 45 | ||
| Harbour seal | May, Aug | Likely | 277 | ||
| Sperm whale | Mar, Dec | Hit-or-miss | 74 |
Peak Present
- Observed window
- Months with records. Peak is where most of them fall.
- Reliability
- Near-guaranteed in 60% of surveyed years or more
- Likely 30% to 60%
- Hit-or-miss under 30%
- Evidence
- Years it was seen, out of the years anyone surveyed.
- Records
- OBIS sightings within 60 km.
These are sightings people logged, not a full survey of the reef. A species missing from a month may just mean nobody recorded one.
Diving Scapa Flow — common questions
- When is the best time to dive Scapa Flow?
- Divers come for the scuttled German High Seas Fleet. Nothing about it runs to a calendar, so it comes down to the weather: go April to August. Diving holds up from April to September.
- When is the diving season in Scapa Flow?
- The diving season in Scapa Flow runs April to September, and it is at its best April to August.
- Is the diving in Scapa Flow good for beginners?
- Not really. It is for experienced divers, so it is not a place to learn or to make your first dives after certification.
- How warm is the water in Scapa Flow?
- Between 7 and 13 °C at the surface across the year, coldest in March and warmest in August. It runs cooler below the thermocline.
- What wetsuit do I need in Scapa Flow?
- A drysuit covers the coldest water of the year. The same suit works all year.
- What is the visibility like in Scapa Flow?
- Roughly 5 to 20 m depending on the month. That is estimated from satellite chlorophyll-a rather than measured in the water.
- What will I see diving Scapa Flow?
- The most consistently recorded species are Minke whale (near-guaranteed), Common dolphin (near-guaranteed) and Orca (near-guaranteed), from 4,066 records within 60 km.
- Does Scapa Flow get tropical storms?
- No. None has passed within 250 km in 30 years of records.
- Is there current in Scapa Flow?
- The tide rises and falls 2.8 m around the full and new moon, against 1.3 m in between. How much of that becomes current depends on the shape of the channel.
- When should I avoid Scapa Flow?
- November–February are the weakest months for conditions.
- How do you dive Scapa Flow?
- Mostly from day boats. Trips run through the season, Apr–Sep.