Day 15 - Stromness

Thursday 7^th July 2016 – Stromness – Day 15

Scapa Flow is an inland sea of more than 120 sq km. and was one of the world’s great naval bases and the scene of many of the major events of twentieth-century naval history.  During both World Wars, the Royal Navy made Scapa the home for its capital ships, and thousands of servicemen and women were posted to Orkney.  From here the Grand Fleet sailed for Jutland in 1916, from here the escorts for the Russian convoys set off, and it was in this beautiful, bleak anchorage the German High Seas fleet committed the greatest act of suicide ever seen at sea – ‘The Grand Scuttle’ – before being raised and scrapped in the most astonishing feat of maritime salvage.

Scapa is also the grave of many who fought for their country in both World Wars.  In its silent waters lie the wrecks of the battleship Vanguard, blown apart by an explosion in 1917, and the Royal Oak, sunk by U-47 in a spectacular raid at the beginning of World War II.

As Syd is ex-Royal Navy (25 years service), today we are on a naval pilgrimage.  We caught the 09.40, X5 bus from the ferry terminal to Houton, cost £1.45p single, a journey time of 20 minutes.

The ferry to Lyness, on the island of Hoy, return fare £2.65p. a trip of 40 minutes.

Hoy Head

   

Engine room

Once on the ferry, we introduced ourselves to the Engineer, who quickly took us down to the engine room, compact and workable.

Arrival on Hoy at the former Royal Naval base of Lyness, which had a population of 12,000 people during World War II; more than the current population of Kirkwall.

Pump House with Torpedo

The main exhibition is in the former pump house which housed the steam plant and pumps which pumped oil to and from the 16 oil tanks and underground oil fuel storage underneath Wee Fea hill.

Royal Oak Exhibit

On the night of Friday 13^th October 1939, HMS Royal Oak was sunk by the German submarine U-47 commanded by Gunther Prien.  The ships sank within 15 minutes and 833 lives were lost in the cold, oily waters and darkness whilst the U-47 slipped away.

Arctic convoys memoriak

The memorial to the Arctic convoys is close to the pump room in memory of the ship’s personnel who were a lifeline taking supplies into the Northern Russian ports such Murmansk and Archangel.  The conditions endured by both Merchant men and Navy escorts were terrible.  From 1942 they assembled in Loch Ewe in the West of Scotland before running the gauntlet of German battleships and U-boats patrolling off the Norwegian coast.

Lyness Cemetary

The Lyness Naval cemetery a quarter of mile walk up the hill from the pump house was established in 1915, as the final resting place for naval personnel who lost their lives during WWI. 

Other servicemen

It also holds personnel from the Merchant Navy and Air Force who lost their lives during both wars.  The many tombstones are testimony to that in this tranquil hillside overlooking Scapa Flow.

We returned to the pump house and in the small café enjoyed a cup of tea and a sausage roll, while reflecting on what we had seen and experienced.  We were both happy to be here and being able to pay our respects to the personnel who never returned home.

Flotta Refinery

Back on the ferry for the 14.00 sailing, took us to the island of Flotta for a short stop as equipment was unloaded and loaded for the oil refinery. 

We were off for the trip back across the Scapa Flow, the significance of this inland sea, its vastness and importance as an anchorage and naval base will remain long in the memory.

Scapa Flow from the bus

At 15.00 we left the ferry at Houton and hopped on the waiting bus which took us Kirkwall arriving at 15.30 at a cost of £2.25p single fare.  The views over Scapa Flow from the bus, as it wound its way along the hillsides were magnificent.

We visited the bank, paper shop and café, where we had tea, scone with cream and jam, very nice.  The town was very busy with a lot more visitors, as the cruise liner ‘Zanamaar’ was in port.

The 16.20 bus took us back to Stromness, cost £3.10p single fare.  Into the ‘Ferry Inn’ for a couple of pints, then along to the Stromness Hotel for a meal, a very nice restaurant and dined on a bucket full of mussels.

We had seen more of the mainland, crossed again Scapa Flow and paid our respects at Lyness, a tremendous day.