When is the best time to dive Scapa Flow — Barrel of Butter?

The best months to dive Scapa Flow — Barrel of Butter are May, June, July, August, September, when conditions are most favorable.

What certification do I need to dive Scapa Flow — Barrel of Butter?

Scapa Flow — Barrel of Butter requires a minimum certification of Open Water. Currents are typically moderate and the maximum depth reaches 22 m.

How much does it cost to dive Scapa Flow — Barrel of Butter?

A 2-tank dive at Scapa Flow — Barrel of Butter averages around $90 USD. The destination is in our mid range tier.

Why does Scapa Flow — Barrel of Butter score 56.9/100 on OkToDive?

Scapa Flow — Barrel of Butter earns a 56.9/100 Score based on 12 weighted categories including marine life, coral health, visibility, operator quality, and value. Backed by 355 operator reviews.

Scapa Flow — Barrel of Butter Diving — Score: 56.9/100 | Conditions, Operators & Guide

Q: What will I see diving Scapa Flow — Barrel of Butter?

Scapa Flow — Barrel of Butter is known for dahlia anemone, wolf fish, ballan wrasse, edible crab, common lobster, with 6–18 m visibility and 6–13°C water temperatures.

Back to directory

World Class

Intermediate

Scapa Flow — Barrel of Butter

United KingdomEurope

56.9

SCORE

58.8900°N

-3.1000°E

Barrel of Butter is a rocky reef pinnacle rising from the sandy floor of Scapa Flow, separate from the famous German fleet wrecks. Carpeted in jewel anemones and soft corals, it offers a colourful shallow dive in the heart of Orkney's legendary anchorage. Ideal for divers wanting a reef break between wreck dives.

Orkney's Shallow Reef Jewel

Visibility6–18 m

Temperature6–13°C

Max Depth22 m

Currentmoderate

2-Tank Dive$90

Best MonthsMay, June, July, August

CertificationOpen WaterIntermediate

Score Breakdown

Click any score to see a detailed breakdown

Marine Life

58.0

Species diversity, megafauna encounters, reef fish abundance, macro life, and endemic species.

Species Diversity

Megafauna Encounters

Reef Fish Abundance

Macro Life

Endemic Species

Marine Life Diversity

58.0

Coral & Reef Health

45.0

Visibility & Conditions

55.0

Dive Site Variety

55.0

Water Temperature

28.0

Depth & Access

60.0

Operator Quality

72.0

Topside Experience

58.0

Getting There

45.0

Value & Cost

70.0

Crowding

85.0

Social Proof

52.0

Key Species

dahlia anemonewolf fishballan wrasseedible crabcommon lobster

Dive Types

reefwallscenic

Traveling with Non-Divers?

Your non-diving travel companions will find plenty to enjoy topside while you're underwater. Here are some activities to consider.

Activities for Non-Divers

Skara Brae Neolithic villageRing of BrodgarScapa distillery tourpuffin watching at Marwick Head

Nearby Cultural Sites

Skara Brae
Maeshowe Chambered Cairn
St Magnus Cathedral

Non-Diver Partner Score

7/10

Good topside options for non-diving companions.

Family FriendlyYes

Restaurants & Nightlifebasic

Safety & Emergency

Dive Insurance

Dive insurance is essential. Standard travel insurance often excludes scuba diving. We recommend DAN (Divers Alert Network) for comprehensive dive accident coverage.

Learn More at DAN.org

Hyperbaric Chamber5 km — Orkney Hyperbaric Trust Chamber, Kirkwall

Nearest Hospital10 km

Chamber in Kirkwall; DAN Europe emergency line available

Skill LevelIntermediate

Current Strengthmoderate

Top Operators

Scapa Scuba

PADI

4.8

210 reviewsNITROX

Diving Cellar

BSAC

4.6

145 reviewsNITROX

Compare This Dive Site

Honest reality check

What your dive shop won't tell you

The minimum certification printed on a brochure is the legal floor, not the honest recommendation. Here's what we actually think you should bring to this site.

Recommended logged dives

35+

Below this we'd send you somewhere easier first.

Recommended certification

Open Water + Drysuit specialty

“Accessible to most certified divers with basic open water skills.”

What will challenge you

→Moderate currents. Expect to drift — this is not a skill-builder site for a first trip after certification.
→Cold water — 6°C at the coldest. Drysuit recommended; wetsuit divers will be genuinely cold past 30 minutes.
→Variable visibility
→Navigation in low viz

What will surprise you

→Scapa Flow — Barrel of Butter has more marine life variety than most divers expect
→Local operators know spots the guidebooks miss

Time of day

When to dive it

Every dive shop gives you this briefing at 7am. We just wrote it down. Tidal dependency: slight. Optimal window: First light to 11am for best visibility..

Morning

Viz
moderate
Current
moderate
Crowd
light

reef exploration
photography

Best light and calmest conditions before afternoon wind picks up.

Afternoon

Viz
moderate
Current
moderate
Crowd
moderate

drift diving
second tank

Wind chop can reduce viz. Still diveable but morning is better.

Month-by-month

Dive forecast

Realistic conditions by month. Viz ranges are what you should actually expect, not best-case marketing numbers. Confidence % is the share of days that match this profile historically.

Month	Viz (m)	Temp (°C)	Current	Sea	Rain	Confidence	Highlights
Jan	6–12	6	Mod	Mod	Light	70%	reef fish active, peak season crowds
Feb	6–12	6	Mod	Mod	Light	70%	reef fish active, peak season crowds
Mar	6–12	6	Mod	Mod	Light	70%	reef fish active, peak season crowds
Apr	6–12	6	Mod	Mod	Light	70%	reef fish active
May	14–18	13	Mod	Calm	Dry	70%	reef fish active
Jun	14–18	13	Mod	Calm	Dry	70%	reef fish active
Jul	14–18	13	Mod	Calm	Dry	70%	reef fish active
Aug	14–18	13	Mod	Calm	Dry	70%	reef fish active
Sep	14–18	13	Mod	Calm	Dry	70%	reef fish active
Oct	6–12	6	Mod	Mod	Light	70%	reef fish active
Nov	6–12	6	Mod	Mod	Light	70%	reef fish active
Dec	6–12	6	Mod	Mod	Light	70%	reef fish active

Shoot here

Photography brief

Subjects are only half the shot. A perfect macro site is useless in a three-knot drift, and a wide-angle dream is useless at 35 m with a murky ceiling. These are the conditions, not the hype.

Macro subjects70

Wide angle58

Viz stability50

Hover friendliness70

Natural light47

Recommended kit

→Cold-water housing — condensation is a real issue below 18°C, bring silica packs

Level up here

What this site will teach you

The dives that made you a better diver are the ones that made you uncomfortable for the right reasons. Here's what this site will quietly train you for.

Dive planning
foundational
Variable conditions teach you to adapt on the fly.
Buddy awareness
foundational
New environments sharpen your team diving skills.

What it costsEstimates — calibration pending

7-day trip, per person

Rough ranges anchored to existing regional data — not booking quotes. Land-based trip, standard breakdown.

Budget

$1,700–$2,550

Hostels, shore diving, cheap eats

Flights (RT from US): $540–$660
Accommodation / day: $50–$100
Diving / day: $80–$90
Food / day: $30–$55
Transfers + misc: $50–$150

Mid-range

$2,800–$4,300

3-star hotels, standard boat ops, mix of restaurants

Flights (RT from US): $810–$990
Accommodation / day: $120–$220
Diving / day: $90–$120
Food / day: $65–$110
Transfers + misc: $50–$150

Splurge

$5,050–$8,200

Top resorts or liveaboards, premium operators

Flights (RT from US): $1,450–$1,750
Accommodation / day: $260–$500
Diving / day: $120–$150
Food / day: $130–$250
Transfers + misc: $50–$150

Flights priced round-trip from a major US hub. Figures are per person on a shared room. Solo travelers add ~30% to accommodation.

Pair with

Build a trip around it

Most divers fly across the world for one destination and don't realise another worth-it site is 90 minutes away. Here are the honest pairings.

Best dive types here

Scapa Flow — Barrel of Butter Diving — United Kingdom

Score Breakdown

Marine Life

Key Species

Dive Types

Traveling with Non-Divers?

Activities for Non-Divers

Nearby Cultural Sites

Non-Diver Partner Score

Safety & Emergency

Dive Insurance

Top Operators

Scapa Scuba

Diving Cellar

What your dive shop won't tell you

When to dive it

Dive forecast

Photography brief

What this site will teach you

Dive planning

Buddy awareness

7-day trip, per person

Build a trip around it