Dive-site story
Built during the Second World War to seal eastern navigational channels into Scapa Flow, Churchill Barrier 3 links Glimps Holm and Burray. Merchant vessels intentionally scuttled as blockships rest on the shallow sand, fragmented by wave action and overgrown with kelp. Divers navigate collapsed iron frames, boilers, and exposed hull plates colonized as artificial reefs.
World War II blockship wreckage accessible directly from the causeway
Kelp canopies sheltering cold-water crustaceans and juvenile fish
Natural light illuminating iron beams and exposed steam machinery
Location
Use the map to plan with your operator and confirm the exact entry point on the day.
Seasonality
Late spring and summer bring calmer conditions, warmer water, and extended daylight.
Marine life
| Species | Likelihood | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Velvet swimming crabNecora puber | Common | ||||||||||||
| Edible crabCancer pagurus | Common | ||||||||||||
| ButterfishPholis gunnellus | Common | ||||||||||||
| Common sealPhoca vitulina | Seasonal | ||||||||||||
| Dead man's fingersAlcyonium digitatum | Common |
Marine forecast
