Finding the sites

The majority of the salvage areas of the battleships and battle cruisers are easily identified in the remote sensing data either by the remaining footprint on the seabed or the remains of scattered wreckage.

Site Easting Northing Depth (m) Description
Bayern 489769.63 6528774.62 35 Depression & Debris
Grosser Kurfürst 490205.63 6528631.20 31 Depression
Friedrick der Grosse 489315.94 6528614.14 34 Depression
König Albert 488808.82 6528091.26 38 Depression
Kaiserin 488620.68 6527648.60 35 Depression
Derfflinger 487948.50 6527745.44 40 Depression
Prinzregent Luitpold 488479.63 6527091.66 43 Depression
Kaiser 488907.42 6527104.22 26 Depression
Kaiser masts? 489171.89 6526956.43 21 Debris
Remains of destroyer 489246.03 6526281.91 19 Partial hull
Seydlitz 489463.80 6525532.56 20 Debris
Destroyer 489004.64 6525433.00 21 Debris
Destroyer 488976.24 6524957.69 20 Debris

The table above shows the position of the scuttled vessels prior to salvage operations commencing (reproduced by kind permission of the UKHO).

Visitor access

The salvage sites most frequently dived are those of the SMS Bayern and the SMS Seydlitz. The Bayern is particularly popular because her turrets were left in position on the seabed when she was salvaged. While the barrels of the guns, and a large proportion of the turrets, are buried, the remains do give the diver an impression of how large the guns were. By contrast the unsalvaged battleships rest upside down on the seabed, having 'turned turtle' while sinking due to the great weight of their armoured superstructures. As a consequence, their armaments are not accessible.

See the wreck page on the Bayern for more detials.

The SMS Seydlitz is a popular second dive because it is shallower, and the slight current across this site encourages an abundance of encrusting marine life and fish.

The remaining salvage sites are also dived but, due to the depth and lack of major features, on a less regular basis.