Drishaig Reef, Loch Fyne

Type of Dive:                       Reef

Experience suggested:    Trainee to Sport Diver

Travel &Parking 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 and round the head of Loch Fyne past the Loch Fyne Oyster Bar.  The parking spot is in the FOURTH large laybye (fourth that is marked with ‘P’ sign) that will hold 5 or 6 cars exactly 2.7 miles beyond the Oyster Bar.

From Little Chef, Milton:   40 miles, 1 hour

OS Map & Grid Ref:           Map 56; 159 106

Lat & Long:                          56:15:117N, 004:58:417W

1:500 000 Map

http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=public&X=250000.53987192&Y=700000.52517718&width=700&height=400&gride=249746.53987192&gridn=670045.52517718&srec=0&coordsys=gb&db=freegaz&addr1=&addr2=&addr3=&pc=&advanced=&local=&localinfosel=&kw=&inmap=&table=&ovtype=&keepicon=true&zm=0&scale=500000&left.x=6&left.y=144

1:100 000 Map

http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=public&X=220000.53987192&Y=710000.52517718&width=700&height=400&gride=249746.53987192&gridn=670045.52517718&srec=0&coordsys=gb&db=freegaz&addr1=&addr2=&addr3=&pc=&advanced=&local=&localinfosel=&kw=&inmap=&table=&ovtype=&keepicon=true&zm=0&scale=100000&left.x=5&left.y=146

1:25 000 Map:

http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=public&X=215000.53987192&Y=710000.52517718&width=700&height=400&gride=249746.53987192&gridn=670045.52517718&srec=0&coordsys=gb&db=freegaz&addr1=&addr2=&addr3=&pc=&advanced=&local=&localinfosel=&kw=&inmap=&table=&ovtype=&keepicon=true&zm=1&scale=25000

Site entry/exit:                     From the end of the carpark nearest to the Oyster Bar, begin walking back towards the Oyster Bar.  There is a grassy path down to the waterside and at the waterside a large black flat stone about 4 feet long.  Enter and exit here.

Underwater directions:    Fin straight out and after going through the usual kelp come to the start of a discontinuous bouldery reef at about 6m.  Follow the reef as it drops and curves round to the left.  It is easy to miss the reef when it is discontinuous and end up on a muddy slope above or below reef.  Maximum depth about 34m.  Continuing to follow reef round will bring you back towards the shore with the reef finishing in about 6m again.  There is a sandy/muddy slope with occasional boulders in the ‘cup’ of the reef.  Follow these boulders through the shallows back to the entry point.  Takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour.  Sea pens and Firework anemones on mud slopes at 30m.

To the right of the entry site is a steeper muddy/sandy slope with occasional boulders

Divesite map/sketch:       

Site Hazards:                      Cars on A83.  Muddy sand between bouldery reefs so viz can become poor unless buoyancy and finning technique is good.

Nearest Public phone:      Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

Mobile Network service:  Vodaphone service poor. O2 is fine.

Pub & Café:                         Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

Thanks to:                            Charlie Ramage of Dumbarton Scot SAC for divesite information

Version:                                1.0

Created by:                          alex maclennan

Date:                                      November 2006

Photos                                  All with rain on lens. Parking at Laybye

Path to shore looking back toward Loch Fyne Oyster Bar

Entry site is marked by the black stone

Looking towards the head of Loch Fyne.  The reef extends to the large black rock in shallow water.