Carrick Castle
Kate Rowley
Does anyone know a dive site near Carrick castle in south west Scotland?
I've been told there's lots of divers been seen near there but I don't
actually know of a site there. Also can people advise me only any good
dive sites around Glasgow? Ideally I'm looking for sites other than
Furnace, Stallion Rock, Kinmore point and Wemyss Bay that are decent for
shore diving.
TIA
Kate
Tom Burnett
mine, for that make no apologise.
I am not aware of any sites around Carrick Castle but that gives me an
excuse now for looking. OOOOooooo,,,,,,....._[:]殃
Whatever the weather there is always somewhere to shore dive on the Clyde.
Our Sea-Lochs are varied, deep and interesting. Regardless of your interests
there is something for everyone. For winter diver training several of the
sites are simply excellent and suited to all grades. For the visiting club
up for the weekend, inclement weather need not deprive you of some memorable
dives. Please note the list is not exclusive, just a few of my regular
sites.
LOCH STRIVEN
Brackley Point. Access to Brackley point is best by boat from Largs, however
it is relatively cheap to get the ferry across to Dunoon and drive round to
the point. Ample parking is available. At low water on the point itself in 6
metres lies the remains of a Landing Craft. Visibility can be excellent.
There are also the remains of other vessels around 40mtrs just north of the
point. Currents can be fairly strong here. As with most Loch dives, darkness
and depth is the main hazard for divers.
LOCH LONG
Finnart. Enter from the car park next to the Finnart Ocean Terminal -
through the hole in the fence. In the shallows there is the remains of the
old concrete pier - to see the larger sections of the pier look across the
Loch and set your compass for the smallest of the two lights on the opposite
shore (almost directly North) swim down to 20mtrs and you will pass 2
section of pier lying on the bottom. On the lower section if you swim off
maintaining your original bearing you will come across a bottle dump in
around 25 - 28mtrs.
Fisherman's Car park. This used to be a favourite site for divers however,
the local authority has blocked off access to what was the main parking
facility at NS250971 and as such the site is extremely difficult to reach
now. It has a mud slope to 20mtrs in front of the car park, with cliffs at
either end the south being the best site.
The Caves. NN278020. Parking on this part of the road is poor with room for
2 cars only, on the corner at the bridge. Entry to the water is by a tunnel
under the bridge to the waters edge. The site is a jumble of huge rocks and
boulders at 10mtrs then a steep drop to 30mtrs+. A great dive in good viz.
however, fresh water run-off from the rivers affect the surface layers and
you may have to descend to 10 - 15mtrs for this to improve. Not a site for
trainees in my opinion regardless of visibility or conditions. Recovery of a
casualty would be very difficult; attempts to locate a lost diver near
impossible.
Ballast Bank Troon. NS312308. Depths range from 3 - 8mtrs (if you swim out)
site suitable for training only. You may enter the water either to the left
of the small car park (nearest the harbour wall) or use the old broken slip
at the far end of the car park (my preferred point of entry) Not much to
see, bottom is sand and rock, visibility can be very good at times and as
such is a safe introduction for trainees on their first sea dive with entry
and exit from the water very easy indeed.
Portencross (by Ardrossan) NS175489 & NS177485. For the last 18 months this
has been my dive site on a regular basis, sometimes twice weekly. Head
toward Largs, through the village of Seamill and you will see Portencross
signposted. Toward the end of 1996 the Local authority built a new car park
here to improve parking for an increasing number of summer visitors. The
local farmer also reclaimed the old picnic area, which is now fenced off. In
my view this is a clear case of Authority gone mad, and has ruined what was
a delightful little hamlet. When you enter the car park either park on the
extreme left or right. On your right, go through the fence in front of the
house and look-out for the concrete path (about a foot wide) which cuts
through the rocks to the water edge. Entry here is easy and safe with your
first point of call being the old grave stone at around 4mtrs. A pleasant
dive in the various gullies with excellent prospects on a sunny day for
underwater photographers. If you swim out to sea, little is to be seen and
depths will not exceed 10mtrs. If you go through the gate on the left of the
car park you will enter via what looks like the remains of an old slipway,
crudely cut in the rock. This is a safe entry point should conditions be a
little windy. Keep to the right of the gully on your way out past the rocks.
Portencross Wrecks. There have been at least 2 wrecks at this site. (a) The
Lady Margaret - Feb.1770 which had a general cargo and many items have been
found encrusted in the gullies so keep a sharp look out particularly around
the old grave stone as winter storms tend to reveal items on occasion. Also
the timber of another wreck was recovered from around the point said to be
from a 16th century vessel.
Largs Pier. Firstly, NEVER dive this site when the ferry is operating. In
summer two ferries run continuously. Take my advice, make it a late evening
dive when the ferry is tied-up for the night. Parking along the shore front
you can carry gear onto the pier and enter down the steps. Swim round pier
and out to sea, you will go down a slope - 30m is easy here. I am unsure of
what depth can be reached? Use shore cover on the pier - display a dive flag
and an SMB is useful as an extra precaution. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
RedRocks (by Largs). Drive through Largs heading for Wemyss Bay. A few miles
out of Largs you will find a Lay-by with what looks like a small harbour
cut-out in the rock. There should be a small slip about 100yards up the road
(its about 3 feet wide) You can enter the water either via the rock inlet or
down the small slip. This site is excellent for training. If you use the
slip, swim out to sea and you can reach 28m. Not much to see but the bottom
is sand up to 15m (not silt) and as such is suited to a range of tests for
the club diver.
Lion Rock (Isle of Cumbrae) Come off the Largs to Millport ferry and turn
left. Pass the National Watersports Centre and keep driving until you see
the rock which yes you guessed it, looks like a Lion. The site has two
picnic tables and parking for around 3 - 4 cars. Entry to the water is easy
and you can reach 20m with ease. Another excellent training site. Watch the
current here on occasion if diving with inexperienced trainees. All good
sites on Great Cumbrae are on the Mainland side (East) between the ferry
slip and Lion Rock. Take your pick!
Further south from Kenmore Point is Stallion Rock, which is similar in
profile, but is in fact a single rock that rises from the muddy seabed 30m
below. This vertical and overhanging rock is profusely covered in sponges,
sea squirts and anemones and is rated as one of the top dives in Loch Fyne.
To the north of Kenmore, in Inveraray, the old pier is excellent at night.
The old wooden supports are well encrusted in marine life and being only
eight metres deep, it is perfect for exploration and nudibranch hunting.
Care, as always, should be taken when diving near a pier, not only with the
possibility of running into boat traffic, but also for submerged
obstructions which have been thrown overboard and may snag your diving
equipment.
On the Eastern Shore, directly opposite the car park at the Creggans Hotel,
a steep sand slope falls way below the safe diving limit and scallops,
edible crabs and squat lobsters can be found. Also to be unearthed on the
slope are the quite rare pelicans foot shell, large dog whelks and mussels.
Gorton Point, opposite Lochgilphead, is steeply sloping gravel and boulders,
finally becoming a hard rock slope that drops below 33m. This rock face is
deeply incised with small ledges where blennies, anemones and squat lobsters
lurk. Continuing south along the western shores (which will eventually bring
you to Campbeltown in the Mull of Kintyre), the most frequent diving is
around Tarbert. To the south of the village is a small bay and a smaller
island called Eilean a Chomhraig. This muddy, boulder slope leads to a rocky
reef at 30m and beyond to over 40m, down a muddy slope interspaced with
small boul ders covered in plumose anemones. To the north is Barmore Point,
where the remains of the SS Arran 111 can be found well broken up on a sandy
bottom, with lots of marine life and fish to be found around the area.
Hope this little lot helps
Some further info on Scottish Diving can be found at our club site
http://website.lineone.net/~dumfries.sac/
or contact me directly via the address on the page
Tom Burnett
Dumfries & Galloway SAC BDO / PADI Divemaster
rupel.w
Great post. My buddy's family still live in Dunoon, and for some time we
have been considering diving the area. Thanks for the info.
Gareth.
"Tom Burnett" <tom.b...@NOSPAM.lineone.net> wrote in message
news:8rvcmq$obu$1...@supernews.com...
Jason
"rupel.w" <rup...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
> Tom, Great post. My buddy's family still live in Dunoon, and for some
> time we have been considering diving the area. Thanks for the info.
Was it really necessary to include 208 lines with your 2 line post?
Jason
--
See http://www.scuba-addict.co.uk/ for trip reports about Australia,
the Caribbean, Gran Canaria, the Maldives, Bali and the UK.
rupel.w
Sorry, for me it's an achievement to send the right post.
Oh bugger, I've just left on another load of lines ...
Gareth.
"Jason" <jas...@bigfoot.com> wrote in message
news:20001010.211958...@buffy.local...
> In article <0GKE5.26312$uq5.5...@news6-win.server.ntlworld.com>,
> "rupel.w" <rup...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>
> > Tom, Great post. My buddy's family still live in Dunoon, and for some
> > time we have been considering diving the area. Thanks for the info.
>
Jason
"rupel.w" <rup...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
> Jason, Sorry, for me it's an achievement to send the right post. Oh
> bugger, I've just left on another load of lines ...
Being inconsiderate is nothing to brag about. Welcome to my killfile.
Robert Smith
meets the beach there is a stream on the RHS.
Park to the left, but dive on the other side of the stream. There is a
volcanic rock reef that extends a good way out. Lots of kelp, and gullies.
It's quite shallow, but on a sunny day the reef is very enjoyable.
--
Robert Smith ICQ 8193350
http://www.robsmith.co.uk