View Full Version : The Slates (divesite at Glencoe)
Dived at glencoe in loch leven at a dive site called the Slates with an old freind Jack holroyd. I'v included it in local divesites cos it takes 2 hours to get there and for diving I consider this to be local. The diving was really good an easy walk into the water, stand chest deep and put my finns on. We surface swim over seaweed and kelp and drop down onto a sand slope from about 3 meters to 12 meters, This is a popular spot for thornbacks and Topnot. The slope continues down with bolders and slate and continues out and slopes up to the left. this is the best part of the dive and u can pick your depth here cos its 0-50+ meters. There is an ubundance of fish here saith slowly cruising up and down the reef, Ballan rass glide slowly until another ballan rass gets into its area and then they dart about untill there territory is safe. Large edible crabs sit on top of the slate looking out over the reef and small rare norwegion topknot camoflage themselves on the slate. So much to see and so little time. My buddie is a bubbler so her 10L cylinder is running low after only 75 mins. Never mind I can do another dive here in 2 hours. I you would like to dive this site It will be in the local divesites soon.
Lizardland
04-09-06, 12:38
Sounds like the old quarry slip at Wester Laroch, just past Ballachulish before the bridge?
It's a great dive, especially right on the bottom where there is loads of life crawling around. There were some octopus there the last time I dived it.
The old quarry in the village is good for rinsing your kit in afterwards. It's the biggest difference in temperature in two sites that I've ever felt. 17deg at the slip last time I dived it and then 5deg in the quarry which is only 200m away.
Yep sounds like the same one. We used to go up there to dive the cliff face at kentallen, The drift under the Ballachulish bridge and the slates. Its famous for fisherman cos of the big fish cought here.
I got some nice fish myself
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j62/johnnicolson/Scotland/32CuckooRassF.jpg
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j62/johnnicolson/Scotland/33CuckooRassM.jpg
Male and female cuckoo rass
Thanks for the dive guide, Dingo.
The rest of you, check it out at http://www.congeralley.com/links/showlink.php?do=showdetails&l=56
Great map!
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/MarionMcNeill/The%20Slates/BestCrab.jpg
This is a velet swimming crab
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/MarionMcNeill/The%20Slates/SeaLochAnemone1.jpg
ASea Loch Anemone
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/MarionMcNeill/The%20Slates/DeadMensFingers.jpg
Dead Men's Fingers
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n212/MarionMcNeill/The%20Slates/NorwegianTopknot1.jpg
A very rare Norwegian topknot
Fantastic dive site guide & photos!
Many thanks to you both.
Will have to check this site out. :)
alexmaclennan
05-09-06, 16:02
Maybe we should have a poll?
Mermaid vs Ding photos
Lovely pics
Alex
Airmonster
05-09-06, 19:04
As usual Ding's photo's are of the highest standard. Well Done.
The last time I dived this site there was a large carpet of Brittlestars on the left side of the point, just at the large boat mooring. (don't know if the boat is still there as it's been a while since I dived this site)
A good all-round site, The technical divers can get some depth off the end of the point and the trainees, can get some experience in the bay, protected from the current and worst of the weather by the point itself.
You used to be able to park right on the point beside the bench, until the fence was put up. I think the fence was erected to stop "travellers" from setting up.
This is a good site! Give it a go. But it can be a bit exposed if the weather is foul.
/Colin:D
dive granny
05-09-06, 20:57
Lovely pics Mermaid. Poll sounds like a good idea:D
Hi Mermaid
I really like the picture of the deadmens fingers its so crisp and colourfull
Well done;)
bubblemaker
07-09-06, 01:16
A very rare Norwegian topknot
A norwegian topknot i would agree, but not very rare!! they are apparently very common, but their superb camoflage makes them difficult to find.
however, all very nice photos.. well done.. I love the Velvet swimming crab... it has the most bizare markings, like it's shell has been worn away, or perhaps it is shedding or something... it's pretty cool either way.
A norwegian topknot i would agree, but not very rare!! they are apparently very common, but their superb camoflage makes them difficult to find.
however, all very nice photos.. well done.. I love the Velvet swimming crab... it has the most bizare markings, like it's shell has been worn away, or perhaps it is shedding or something... it's pretty cool either way.
Thanks for your comments. OK it might not be 'very' rare but hey it's the first one I've seen. The pic's are quite good even though I say so myself. :)
It says Norwegian topnot ar rare in my new book of fishes and its the first one I have seen not in a book!!!:)
bubblemaker
08-09-06, 03:05
It says Norwegian topnot ar rare in my new book of fishes and its the first one I have seen not in a book!!!:)
there is thousands of gen on them online and the opinion seems to be that they are common, just bloody hard to see most of the time.
Did a google search easy compared to an underwater search yep the consensus seem to be hard to find.... So they could be rare!!!!
Come on bubblemaker where r u?;)
I think this is a great spider crab
I removed the pic it was to big
Anybody agree with me!!!
Has anybody seen the calafornian kelp forests on the telly? this is the closest I have seen to it in scotland
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j62/johnnicolson/Temp%20folder/Seaweed.jpg
Took lots of pictures here....clean clear water...
This is a hard shot to get right but they can be good
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j62/johnnicolson/Temp%20folder/Theslates.jpg
This is not very good but u get the Idea. There is to much wasted water in the middle of the picture..
and I should have found a place with something beter to see on the land..
dive granny
24-09-06, 20:51
Has anybody seen the calafonian kelp forests on the telly? this is the closest I have seen to it in scotland
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j62/johnnicolson/Temp%20folder/Seaweed.jpg
Took lots of pictures here....clean clear water...
Would that be Californian kelp forest? Pictures are good though:)
I think I'l need to go back to the slates, Its great for pictures and the pubs around the ballahulish bridge are great. The Holroyd hotel is Ideally located to drink and dive.....:D a great place for a dive weekend...
Quality fotos and sounds like a good site.
Quality fotos and sounds like a good site.
Think I should organise a dip there ? 2 dives sat, camp or B+B on the sat night 2 dives sun and down the road. Jack holroyd could give me good advice on other dives up there... I remember doing a drift under the Ballachulish bridge and a dive at the kings Island.
Think I should organise a dip there ? 2 dives sat, camp or B+B on the sat night 2 dives sun and down the road. Jack holroyd could give me good advice on other dives up there... I remember doing a drift under the Ballachulish bridge and a dive at the kings Island.
OK nobody wants to go to the Slates for the weekend......:eek:
dive granny
03-10-06, 22:38
This weekend is the Atlantic Divers 24 hour charity dive!!
This weekend is the Atlantic Divers 24 hour charity dive!!
Not this weekend.... some weekend in the future...;)
dive granny
05-10-06, 20:07
Not this weekend.... some weekend in the future...;)
Just thought as you said "no one wants to go". I can't get into the Atlantic divers 24hr forum. It just leaves Conger when I click on iut so could you update me please. Even a PM. I really want to go to Furnace on Saturday and/or Sunday. Anyone going 'just for the ride'? :( I think it will be a great atmosphere:)
Does anybody fancy a day or a weekend at the slates. As can be seen by the pictures its a good site...
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j62/johnnicolson/Scotland/P8276899a.jpg
I'm definitely keen to dive this site. :)
Lizardland
06-10-06, 14:51
Think I should organise a dip there ? 2 dives sat, camp or B+B on the sat night 2 dives sun and down the road. Jack holroyd could give me good advice on other dives up there... I remember doing a drift under the Ballachulish bridge and a dive at the kings Island.
There's a rocky point to the east of the bridge on the other side of the narrows which is a really nice dive. Not sure if I could find it again as it was an "oh that looks promising" moment while driving along the road.
If the weather has been alright then drifting along the River Etive with mask & fins is a right laugh. I did it in spate and thought I was going to die:D It's worth doing... once...
There are some good dives along the road to Oban from Ballachulish, been years since I've shore dived there though. I remember some kind of old railway pier being good. It's a bit further on but the wall of the old quarry at Bonawe was an excellent dive, goes very deep, 80-odd metres or so.
The dive at Ballachulish is one of my favourites, there's usually tonnes of life on it. Let me know when you're going, if it's November I'll come. I don't mind camping at that time of year if anyone else is up for it.
Cheers,
Stuart
[QUOTE=Lizardland; There are some good dives along the road to Oban from Ballachulish, been years since I've shore dived there though. I remember some kind of old railway pier being good. [/QUOTE]
This dive is called kentallen pier. Swim straight out from the pier and there is a cliff face with tons of life...(At Jack Holroyds old house) There is another dive site 2-300m towards oban with a small wreck. And the drift under the bridge, not as wild as the falls of lora but still a thrill....
Have not dived this site over the winter, is it as good as the summer? I suppose I will have to check it out......;)
If the weather has been alright then drifting along the River Etive with mask & fins is a right laugh. I did it in spate and thought I was going to die:D It's worth doing... once...
Yes, the River Etive is an exciting dive, I first heard about it after reading an article by Gordon Ridley, one of his dive guides which was actually accurate :) . Our club dived it many years ago. I remember getting pulled down to 10m into one big pool and slowing down then the gradually build up of speed as you get pulled up to 2m and over the shallows into the next deep pool. My logbook shows 30m vis and 14m depth. Brilliant
alexmaclennan
11-11-06, 11:01
Also in Lawson Woods book on Dive W Scotland. I'm keen to give it a go but not today - river will be furiously in spate.
alex
Lizardland
12-11-06, 22:21
Also in Lawson Woods book on Dive W Scotland. I'm keen to give it a go but not today - river will be furiously in spate.
alex
A buoyancy aid, a helmet and a bit of body armour... you'll be fine. Just make sure you have a landmark for getting out before the falls :)
Nederlander
14-11-06, 08:01
It would seem that a few bodies who frequent this site would be afficicados of Loch Leven.Having dived there once or twice in my humble career and having found it piss poor, is there any chance we could have some dive sites and directions to the place that you are diving??? Either these places are great but unknown or you have a low boredom threshold and are easily impressed by small squashy marine life.:D Would love to know more about Loch Leven.... Like I said in a previous post,my understanding was that Loch Leven had an unsustainably low level of salt water which made it more or less brackish water with virtually no sea life and therefor crap. It would seem that I am perhaps wrong and maybe some guidance should be sought from others in the know.... Answers on a postcard please:D
Like I said in a previous post,my understanding was that Loch Leven had an unsustainably low level of salt water which made it more or less brackish water with virtually no sea life and therefor crap. It would seem that I am perhaps wrong and maybe some guidance should be sought from others in the know.... Answers on a postcard please:D
You have obviously not dived the slates, there is lots of life. Look at the divesite description pictures....
You have obviously not dived the slates, there is lots of life. Look at the divesite description pictures....
I got brilliant pictures here, Any body who does not see things here should open their eyes or use a diff gas...;)