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Type: Bayern class super dreadnoughts which were the heaviest ships in the Imperial Fleet at 28,075 tons. She was 179.4 meters long and a beam of 30m.
Picture:
Wreck Information : The site of SMS Bayern consists of two pairs of depressions, where the ship lay upside-down with its turrets in the mud. The biggest parts of wreckage left are the four turrets, which broke free of the ship during the salvage operation by the salvage firm Metal Industries of Charlestownin 1934. She gave her name to this class of this ship. If you dive the turrets they seem like a big cylinder about 4m dia and 6m high. There is a big ball race that used to support the turret and the ball bearings are about 200-250mm in diameter. (see the picture below)
Cargo: None
Harbour / slip: Stromness
Travel directions: Northlinkferries 0845 6000 449. Photographic ID is required on the ferry now
Parking directions: In the car park opposite to the ferry car entrance.
Distance from harbour: 5Nm
Lat / Long: N58 53.9333 W3 10.8000
Chart: Admiralty Chart 35, Scapa Flow and Approaches
Depth: 40m Plus 3m if you enter the turret
Tides: Tide tables
Dive Boat: The Karin Jean Elaine Sharon Rose Sunrise Gaelic Rose Invincible Halton Valkyrie
Day boats: Radiant queen
Dive Shop: Scapascuba
Accommodation: Polrudden guest house Orkney Islands Tourist Board, 01856 872856,
Suggested experience: Master diver
Other comments: It is possible to get into the main turret through the shell ejection tube but you need to be small enough and have nerves of steel. You can't see the 15" guns as they are below the seabed but if you enter the main turret area you can see the breaches below you and the red cage lamps stick up from below. This is a dive you must lay a line as its very easy to get lost and there is a fine silt everywhere that can kill the viz with a wrong finkick. (see wreck diagram below)
Pub: The Ferry Inn & Flatties Bar.
Created by: John Nicolson
Air & Nitrox fills: On all the dive boats.
Date: 17/1/10
Revision: 5
Thanks To:
Links: Link Scapamap Section thru the turret
Underwater photos: Utube
Wreck diagram: By John Nicolson
Dive Report: Rob Infantie Later we went to the turrets of the SMS Bayern, the namesake for a class of battleships. She was raised in 1934, but her four 600 ton, 380mm (15") turrets remain in 120'. They are a magnificent dive, with the shafts rising 35' proud, as they say there. Enormous ball bearings like bowling balls still sit in their chases. Near the base of one turret I found an opening, and dropped down below the sea bed. I was surprised to see there was an anchor in the opening, a little forward of the guns massive breech. Apparently all manner of junk falls down when you flip a 28,500 ton vessel upside down (the consensus was that it came from a steam pinnace, as a similar one has been seen on the Markgraf.)
Dive Report: Meeko If you want to penetrate them it can be done but not for big lads or the faint hearted. The bit that sticks up is the Barbette and you can see parts of the shell and ordinance lifts.Next to where it "enters"the base of the turret is a shell ejection hatch. Its not the biggest entrance in the world but if you look into it you'll see the bottom of the front part of the breach.Going into this hatch is not without risk!!!!!! and you need to spool off some line to get back out again. You go in between both breaches and go back and down to drop under the breach. you can then swim along the side of the the breach and up to the fire wall. All is intact including bi colour cage lamps with the glass still in, dials and comms systems linked to fire control, wheels cogs and all the other stuff needed aim and operate the beasts. There is not much space at the breaches but quite a lot further in. You can only come out the way you went in and there is no ambient light so be warned. Get lost inside this and its a 600 ton coffin!!! Take plenty of gas.