A Frames, Finnart, Loch Long
Alternative Name(s): Ocean Terminus; Finnart Pier, Finnart Oil Terminal
Type of dive: Easy slope with reef and wreckage of old pier
Suggested experience: Suitable for trainees and novice divers
Travel directions: From A82 on Loch Lomondside, take the A817 for Garelochhead, through Glen Fruin. Turn right at roundabout onto the A814 and continue north until the obvious carparks by the roadside below the Oil Storage Depot tanks. From Arrochar take the A814 south until the carparks.
Parking directions: There are two carparks separated by a wire fence. The southern carpark has no direct access to sea and has the phonebox. Park at the large compacted dirt carpark to the north, which will hold 10+ cars, on the lochside of the A814.
From Little Chef, Milton: 23 miles, 30 to 45 minutes
OS Map & Grid Ref: OS Map 56; 24112, 95315
Lat & Long: 56:07:045N, 04:49:638W
1: 200 000 Map
1:25 000 Map: Park just past the phone symbol
Site entry/exit: There is a steep bouldery ramp at the back of the carpark onto a shingle beach
Underwater directions: Swim straight out from shore bearing 300/320 degrees. You can aim towards Finnart M1 - a large yellow buoy on opposite shore. Go through a band of kelp at 3 - 5m. There are boulders and metal wreckage at 10 -15m both straight out and to left & right. The main A frames wreckage is to right at 18m. If you head up the loch for about 20 minutes there is said to be an old bottle dump (reported on website below but not tried by me). Going deeper from the entry/exit, there are large concrete blocks from 18 - 26m. Through out there is the usual west of Scotland sea loch sea life.
This description from the South Queensferry SAC website
Seabed:- Soft Silt, easily disturbed.
Features:- Broken Beams and Concrete from Old Pier, at 6m, 10m, 18m, 25m
?Bottle Bank ?at 28m.
Sea Life:- Anemones, Truncates, Sponges, Squat Lobsters, Blennies, Scorpion fish, Congers, Crabs, Etc
Diving :- Head due North (looking at the Light house and beacon on the North Shore) from entry, slopes at 3m to wreckage at 6 ? 10m, down slope to beams at 18m and over beams to ?X frames and large Beams at 25m, at 28m the seabed is littered with Bottles and jars to about 32m, after this the slope evens out not a lot to see just a vast muddy plain. Heading South will bring you back to the entry point. .To the left Diving is prohibted around the Pier complex. To the right you can work along the slope to the moorings 150m away, not a lot to see here, but another Bottle bank can be found at 15m.
Divesite map/sketch: By John Nicolson
From South Queensferry SAC website
Site Hazards: Watch cars on A814, Silt can cut viz to <1m especially if dive site is busy. Police have questioned divers doing late night dives (Allan Woods of Academy of Diving). If diving very late consider ‘phoning or visiting security at DM Glen Douglas/Glenmallon jetty to inform them that you are diving.
Nearest Public phone: Immediately by carpark.
Mobile Network service: Vodaphone, Orange
Pub: Ardencaple Hotel, Helensburgh
Café: Pit Stop Diner, Arrochar
Other comments: The site is an old pier, which was dynamited sometime in the past. It is a busy site which is commonly used for diver training and a favourite evening or night dive from Glasgow.
Thanks to: John Nicolson and Stevie1262 from SQ SAC
http://www.sqsac.ik.com/
Links:
http://www.neptune-divers.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/dive_site_reports_on_the_interne.htm#Finnart
http://www.musac.man.ac.uk/directory/sites/uk.wscot.carrick.finnart.htm
http://www.boness-sac.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/finnart.htm
http://www.pentland-sac.ukdiver.com/Loch%20Long.htm
http://www.musac.co.uk/musac/Loch_Long_Sites/Finnart%20Oil%20Terminal.pdf
Version: 1.0 by alex maclennan July 2006
1.1 by alex maclennan August 2006
1.2 by alex maclennan February 2007
Surface Photos: Carpark
Photomontage of Ardgoil peninsula opposite site entry/exit
Site entry/exit. Note yellow Finnart M1 buoy
Looking north up Loch Long from A Frames shore. Fisherman’s carpark divesite is just past where the vessel is moored at Glenmallon Pier
Underwater Photos: of A Frames divesite by John Nicolson
