Diving the Isle of Mull

[Fred Clarke]

Hi, I am traveling to mull with our club rhibs soon and I am looking for any dive sites that are different to the usual Hispania, Rhondo, Shuna etc. Has anybody dived any alternative sites? Any info much appreciated

[Andrew Hunt]

Hi, I am traveling to mull with our club rhibs soon and I am looking for any dive sites that are different to the usual Hispania, Rhondo, Shuna etc. Has anybody dived any alternative sites? Any info much appreciated

Couple of sites dived on REDS and other trips:

Risga Pinnacle (6-45m) Loch Sunart (didn't find any trace of wreck on top as mentioned in Gordon Ridley's Book). West side covered in big plumrose anemonmes.

Ardtornish Point - Wall Dive (0-80m). Similar to Lochaline Pier, gets swept by a more tide and so more life.
Anchors of Evelyn Rose (Armed Trawler) apparently on slope in deep water, wreck in trimix range). We didn't find them however.

Off Lady's Rock: Looked but failed to find wreckage of Mountaineer. Other wreckage has apparently been dived (see Argyll Shipwrecks Book). Watch the tides and surface traffic though.

Inside Oban Harbour off Kererra there is a wreck sicking out the water (Hyacinth?). Used by Puffin for training apparently. Last time we found a weight belt and divers knife. Head SW over and down the reef, 50m away or in 35m water is the superstructure of a fishing boat. Lots of fish life and other pretty underwater flowers. Dived this at New year in F8 easterly Gale. Looks like surrounding seabed has been seeded with scollaps - lots of them but all too small to eat.

If weather is really crap, Loch Etive has some interesting/eerie sites: Falls of Lora, Fishing Boat Wreck at Bonawe Quarry, and just round the corner from Bonawe some 60-70 stepped walls, great viz, zero light dives day dives with fresh water rinse on the way out. Latest chart for Loch Etive is black and white, 50 year old with depths in fathoms and no lat/long.

Why not do some of standard sites in a different way. e.g. lost kit hunt around the Breda?

More interesting stuff is outside the Sound of Mull and usually deeper, more tidal and more adventurous and requires much more planning and good luck with the weather. The Canna wall is stunning! Godag reef off Eigg (I think) has a bottom about 40 and stepped walls. Nice dive.
Nice scenic stuff in Firth Of Lorn also.

Andy

Andy

[Dave Hursthouse]

Hi, I am traveling to mull with our club rhibs soon and I am looking for any dive sites that are different to the usual Hispania, Rhondo, Shuna etc. Has anybody dived any alternative sites? Any info much appreciated

Head out of tobermory and across the sound into Loch Sunart. On the right as you head into the loch is golden sand down to around 18 metres and then a dramatic cliff drop off to 35 metres. Scallops abundant on the steeply sloping mud banks at the base of the cliff and a great wall dive along the cliff!

[Bren Tierney]

Hi, I am traveling to mull with our club rhibs soon and I am looking for any dive sites that are different to the usual Hispania, Rhondo, Shuna etc. Has anybody dived any alternative sites? Any info much appreciated


Aye,

Contact Alan or David (Skippers of the 'Brendan' and the 'Peregrine' and run Lochaline Boat Charters) at:

<a href="http://www.lochaline-boats.co.uk" >http://www.lochaline-boats.co.uk</a>

or TEL: 01967 - 421305


We had a three-day trip (off the 'Peregrine') up there 5 weeks ago and managed - along with the 'Rhondo' and the 'Hispania' - the 'Tapti' (a must dive wreck!), the 'SS Aurania' (ditto), Bofascadale and Muck Wall - all truly worth the trip.

I can give you marks for all the wrecks, but you'll need to speak to the skippers for the scenics.

Hope this helps,

Cheers,

Bren.