alexmaclennan
09-04-07, 09:32
Visited here with Dumbarton Scot SAC. They have been here several times before.
Drive through Tarbert along front/harbour and follow coast road round a bay that lies just south of the harbour. There are about 8 houses strung along this road looking out to Portavadie. Park at the end of the road just beyond houses. Parking for at least 4/5 cars. In front of the last house is a break in a low wall that borders the road. Through the break is a big slab which is naturally stepped. Enter here. Fin right towards the headland
The UW topography is a rocky boulder slope to about 10m then flatter mixed sand/shingle/small rocks. You can follow the boulder slope round into the next bay or head straight out to eventually get to 25m. There is the usual small sea life including some brittlestar carpets and very pretty weed and dead mans fingers on the shallower rocks. Lots of manmade debris - tyres/ bottles/ old lobster pots/ rope/ metal bits and spars/ pipes. Occasional scallops and a few golfballs.
Two dives of 40 mins each first to 14m and second to 11m. Viz up to 7m, tho' poorer on second dive and also poorer on rounding headland into the southern bay. Temp 8/9/10 degrees.
Easy diving. It would be a good trainee site as plenty ambient light which is amplified by the sandy bottom, and not too deep. Only problem is the wash from big powerboats that enter/exit the harbour. This would make exit very uncomfortable if you were unfortunate to be caught by the wash on the stepped slab. The town centre of Tarbert is just a two minute drive or ten minute walk away.
alex
Drive through Tarbert along front/harbour and follow coast road round a bay that lies just south of the harbour. There are about 8 houses strung along this road looking out to Portavadie. Park at the end of the road just beyond houses. Parking for at least 4/5 cars. In front of the last house is a break in a low wall that borders the road. Through the break is a big slab which is naturally stepped. Enter here. Fin right towards the headland
The UW topography is a rocky boulder slope to about 10m then flatter mixed sand/shingle/small rocks. You can follow the boulder slope round into the next bay or head straight out to eventually get to 25m. There is the usual small sea life including some brittlestar carpets and very pretty weed and dead mans fingers on the shallower rocks. Lots of manmade debris - tyres/ bottles/ old lobster pots/ rope/ metal bits and spars/ pipes. Occasional scallops and a few golfballs.
Two dives of 40 mins each first to 14m and second to 11m. Viz up to 7m, tho' poorer on second dive and also poorer on rounding headland into the southern bay. Temp 8/9/10 degrees.
Easy diving. It would be a good trainee site as plenty ambient light which is amplified by the sandy bottom, and not too deep. Only problem is the wash from big powerboats that enter/exit the harbour. This would make exit very uncomfortable if you were unfortunate to be caught by the wash on the stepped slab. The town centre of Tarbert is just a two minute drive or ten minute walk away.
alex