Anchor Capstans on Karlsruhe

Another day diving Scapa Flow - and this afternoon we were on the Karlsruhe. It's another light cruiser from the WW1 German High Seas Fleet (see yesterday), in about 25m of water so there is fairly good light for photography.

These are the anchor capstans at the bow, complete with chains disappearing off into lockers below deck. Normally motor powered, but still with slots for capstan bars to raise the anchors manually if necessary. Two or three sailors on each of twelve or more bars on each of three deck levels could provide a fair bit of force... For centuries before steam power, this was the standard way of raising an anchor!

The decks on the Karlsruhe have started to collapse in her 93 years underwater so these capstans have ended up close together, even though they would originally have been on opposite sides of the deck.

We're starting on the big battleships tomorrow - I can't wait!

P.S. My diving buddy sailfish blipped the guns on the Karlrsruhe - more of the 150mm type I blipped yesterday.