View Full Version : Loch Sunart/Coast Around Mallaig Shore Diving
Lizardland
30-10-06, 00:29
Anyone done any shore diving around there?
I spent last week at Loch Sunnart doing some freediving and a bit of spearing all along the coastline. The vis was fantastic, 10m+, and some of the places I dived along Loch Sunnart and the coast road to Mallaig looked like they would be very good shore diving sites. I might sling some dive kit in when I go back in a few weeks.
Cheers,
Stuart
yeah - it's really beautiful there. I've also done a bit of snorkling and bivvying up there. Best bit was right out by Ardnamurchan point - i was able to lift big scallops of the seabed at 10m or so ... didn't have a tank with me though
Nederlander
30-10-06, 15:06
I dived up round Loch Sunart Loch Nevis and Loch Nan Umah Beg (think thats how you spell it!!) this summer and the diving was great. Did some deep walls in Sunart-one of the walls went well beyond safe air depth as I was at 55metres and it continued away below me!!:eek: Think you really need a boat tho-we took up my mates 5m RIB and launched from the beach at the campsite at Arisaig where we also camped. Viz was about 15m and Scallops...Fook me-the size of dinner plates...:D Wouldnt mind going up for a weekend shore diving if anyone has any info on shore access.
Lizardland
30-10-06, 16:04
I dived up round Loch Sunart Loch Nevis and Loch Nan Umah Beg (think thats how you spell it!!) this summer and the diving was great. Did some deep walls in Sunart-one of the walls went well beyond safe air depth as I was at 55metres and it continued away below me!!:eek: Think you really need a boat tho-we took up my mates 5m RIB and launched from the beach at the campsite at Arisaig where we also camped. Viz was about 15m and Scallops...Fook me-the size of dinner plates...:D Wouldnt mind going up for a weekend shore diving if anyone has any info on shore access.
It was the possibility of some nice walls that got me thinking. The pub in Strontian has an old chart of Loch Sunart on the wall which showed some quite sharp drops near the shore (terrible beer, the only heavy they sell is John Smith's bitter :mad: ). It was marked in fathoms, sea bed at 45fathoms right next to the beach, so must be like a 80-90m wall. I was thinking of buying a more modern chart of the area.
Further north I've dived in Loch Nevis and Loch Duich, they both get very deep very quick (I think Loch Duich is the deepest sea loch in Scotland). Lovely diving though.
I'm probably going to head back in a few weeks for a weekend trip if anyone fancies it.
Cheers,
Stuart
Nederlander
30-10-06, 18:21
Hi Stuart. If you are planning to head up there in a few weeks I would be interested in coming. I have a fairly large car to carry two kits and two people easily. I also know where to get air fills. If your going send me a message and we can tee something up.
dive granny
30-10-06, 22:47
Could this be a possibility for Eastwood Summer Solstice next year?
ps was it the beer or the loch that was measured in fathoms? Only kidding. It made me laugh;)
Lizardland
31-10-06, 00:38
Could this be a possibility for Eastwood Summer Solstice next year?
ps was it the beer or the loch that was measured in fathoms? Only kidding. It made me laugh;)
It's a very nice part of the world, probably a good summer venue. It's not that long a trek, it's only 80 miles or so to the Corran Ferry and then maybe another 1/2hr from there on the other side of Loch Linnhe (and a fiver per car for the crossing). There's a big campsite on the road between Strontian and Salen, Salen has a very nice pub at the Salen Inn -- they sell Tennents Ember and roast venison so I'm happy :)
The whole shore line on both sides of the loch looks like it has lots of potential for diving. Water temp was alright as well last week, I was doing a couple of hours at a time in a 5mm wetsuit, never really felt cold at all. Loads of life: seals, loads of fish, big spider crabs, scallops, quite a few native oysters as well. Lochaline isn't that far for air or a dip off the pier either.
Couldn't believe I spent the week in a place where my only local pub sold English beer. Fastest pint I've ever drank, it was minging :)
The more I think about it, I'm off to order a chart and eye up some potential dive sites.
Cheers,
Stuart
It's a very nice part of the world, probably a good summer venue. It's not that long a trek, it's only 80 miles or so to the Corran Ferry and then maybe another 1/2hr from there on the other side of Loch Linnhe (and a fiver per car for the crossing). There's a big campsite on the road between Strontian and Salen, Salen has a very nice pub at the Salen Inn -- they sell Tennents Ember and roast venison so I'm happy :)
The whole shore line on both sides of the loch looks like it has lots of potential for diving. Water temp was alright as well last week, I was doing a couple of hours at a time in a 5mm wetsuit, never really felt cold at all. Loads of life: seals, loads of fish, big spider crabs, scallops, quite a few native oysters as well. Lochaline isn't that far for air or a dip off the pier either.
Couldn't believe I spent the week in a place where my only local pub sold English beer. Fastest pint I've ever drank, it was minging :)
The more I think about it, I'm off to order a chart and eye up some potential dive sites.
Cheers,
Stuart
Hi Lizardland I was looking at the sunart chart and I couldn't find the cliffs u r talking about. Can u remember where in the loch it was?
Nederlander
31-10-06, 12:39
When we dived the really deep cliff it was on the south shore and quite near where the loch opens up to the sea. The other cliff was in Loch Nevis. Like I said I think you really need a boat as I didnt really see how you could get shore access to either. Having said that I have been told of a shore site just off the Mallaig Rd into the top of the loch which gives a stepped wall to 40 odd metres but I havent tried that yet. I am up for going up in two or three weekends and trying shore access armed with the O.S. maps and the Hydro chart for the area if anyone else fancies it???
Lizardland
31-10-06, 15:24
There are forestry tracks along the south shore, you can get to the water with a bit of offroading.
I might be up for it in a few weeks time.