Charlie’s Choice, by Otter Ferry, Loch Fyne

Type of Dive:                       Shallow featureless sand

Experience suggested:    Suitable for all. Good training site if boring.

Travel directions:               Take the A82 up Loch Lomondside.  At Tarbet take the LH fork onto the A83.  Continue through Arrochar, up the Rest and be Thankful.  Turn left onto the A815 in Glen Kinglas (34.5 miles from Little Chef, Milton) and drive through St Catherines and onto Strachur.  Drive through Strachur and take the right turn onto A886 to continue along the lochside and then the right turn along the B8000.  Continue till you see a large woolden pier behind a private house.  Otter Ferry and the Oitir Spit are less than a mile away.  As you head towards them you come to a gravel track with a wide mouth that leads up a hillside.

Parking directions:            Park at the side of the track.  There is parking for several cars without impeding access.

From Little Chef, Milton:   59 miles, 1 hour 45 mins

OS Map & Grid Ref:           OS Map 55 93659; 85754

Lat & Long:                          56:00:963N; 005:18:643W

1:200 000 Map:

http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=public&X=220000.11103526&Y=700000.167589999&width=700&height=400&gride=248061.11103526&gridn=664111.167589999&srec=0&coordsys=gb&db=freegaz&addr1=&addr2=&addr3=&pc=&advanced=&local=&localinfosel=&kw=&inmap=&table=&ovtype=&keepicon=true&zm=0&scale=200000&downleft.x=2&downleft.y=2

1:25 000 Map:                      The Parking spot is close to ‘MP’

http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=public&X=194000&Y=686000&width=700&height=400&gride=248061.11103526&gridn=664111.167589999&srec=0&coordsys=gb&db=freegaz&addr1=&addr2=&addr3=&pc=&advanced=&local=&localinfosel=&kw=&inmap=&table=&ovtype=&keepicon=true&zm=0&scale=25000&down.x=288&down.y=4

Site entry/exit:                     Cross the B8000 and over some large flattish boulders that form a seawall (easily crossed).  Entry and exit is on a shingle beach.

Underwater directions:    The site is featureless sand/shingle heavily coated with brittlestars and old razorfish shells.  Single group of boulders found but no reef or wall.  Occasional scallops.  No divesite map.

Site Hazards:                      Navigation is tricky because site is so featureless.

Nearest Public phone:      Otter Ferry

Mobile Network service:  Orange and Vodaphone

Pub:                                       Otter Ferry or Strachur

Other comments                 I called the site ‘Charlie’s Choice’ as he had found the parking site and persuaded us to try diving there.

Version:                                1.0

Created by:                          alex maclennan

Date:                                      February 2007

Photos:                                 Parking

Divesite entry/exit

Looking down to Otter Ferry