Scapa Flow

Hi, I am looking at doing a diving holiday in Scapa and would like peoples
opinions on where to stay, what operators to use and ferry arrangements etc
etc, any help would be appreciated.

Cheers
Neil

On Wed, 7 Jan 2004 17:00:36 -0000, "Neil" <skillander@ntlworld.com>
wrote:

>Hi, I am looking at doing a diving holiday in Scapa and would like peoples
>opinions on where to stay, what operators to use and ferry arrangements etc
>etc, any help would be appreciated.
>
>Cheers
>Neil
>
We were up at the end of September this year.

Booked on the Jean Elaine with Andy Cuthbertson
http://www.jeanelaine.co.uk/

The boat and Skipper were perfect for what we needed, and I would not
hesitate to book with them again. Having said that, we stayed ashore,
so cannot comment about the Jean Elaine's suitability as a live
aboard.

Should mention that the "crew", Ronnie, may well be certifiable, but
no less likeable for it!

We stayed at the Ferry Inn, Stromness.
http://www.ferryinn.com/

This is as close to the ferry terminal and the harbour as you can get
(100 yards?). Rooms were clean and beds comfortable, do you need
anything more? Some people were kept awake a little, but we were there
during the Orkney Blues Festival (to be recommended) so this may not
be typical.

We hired a 15 seat minibus and 8 of us drove up in that with all the
kit, whilst two wimped out and flew. I think it took somewhere near 14
hours driving from Hertfordshire.

Ferry from Scrabster to Stromness.

You can hire containers at Scrabster to transport your kit across to
Stromness. We decided to take the minibus across as it gave us some
freedom on Orkney (Stromness has 3 pubs, 1 restaurent and a cafe, if
you're their for a week it is nice to be able to sample the throbbing
metropole of Kirkwall)

All in all, I don't think I will change anything next time we go.
Whilst the drive up is loooong, I'm sure it is the most cost effective
option. If anyone in your group wants to take their own tanks / twins
etc then someone will have to drive, and by the time you have one car
going up, the extra cost in fuel and van hire spread across the group
easily outweighs the cost of flights.

Just re-read your post and realised all the group stuff may be
irrelevant.

However recommendations of Jean Elaine and Ferry Inn stand.

HTH

David

> Hi, I am looking at doing a diving holiday in Scapa and would like peoples
> opinions on where to stay,

FerryInn (http://www.ferryinn.com/) or Stromness Hotel
(http://www.stromnesshotel.com/) are the best. Some dive operators offer
their own accommodation which is typically cheaper.

> what operators

For Scapa both the diving cellar http://www.divescapaflow.co.uk/ (which has
it's own accommodation & takes small groups), Ian Trumpess
http://www.scapa-flow.co.uk/index.htm (livaboard) and John Thornton
(http://www.scapaflowtechnical.com/) (livaboard) are all good.

> to use and ferry arrangements etc

Ferry from Scrabster to Stromness. It's cheap.

> etc, any help would be appreciated.

Drive to Scrabster setting of on a Friday AM. Stay overnight in Thurso
(http://www.watersidehouse.info it's cheap, nice breakfast, good location).

Ferry (01856 850655) on the Saturday. Back the following Saturday.

Fly to Kirkwall (expensive) and get a taxi or a lift.

Cheers
Matt.

"Neil" <skillander@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:UWWKb.114$rm2.93@newsfep1-gui.server.ntli.net...
> Hi, I am looking at doing a diving holiday in Scapa and would like peoples
> opinions on where to stay, what operators to use and ferry arrangements
etc
> etc, any help would be appreciated.
>
> Cheers
> Neil
>
If you fancy s/c & a few home comforts I can thoroughly recommend the Old
Custom House, Stromness. House on 3 floors. Yard backs straight onto the
Flow. 3 bedrooms.
www.arranmore.co.uk/inside.html
2 of us stayed there & absolutely rattled round the place but much nicer out
of season than a cold damp boat.
And crucially - only a few minutes walk from the Ferry Inn.

Lee