Ammunition/Refuelling Barges, Little Cumbrae

Please Note - This is a reported wreck site but I have not spoken to anyone who has dived the barges.

Type of Dive:                       Wreck dive from a boat.

Getting There:                     The Barges are said to lie directly out from the south of the landing strip of the lighthouse on the south west side of Little Cumbrae.  Little Cumbrae is privately owned and landing is discouraged/ forbidden.

Usual RIB launching site is Largs Yacht Haven or the RNLI slip at Largs.  The lighthouse is about 4.5 nautical miles from the Fairway buoy at Largs.  Pass either to east or west of Little Cumbrae.

Lat & Long:                          55:51:278N; 004:58:1132W (approx)

Tides:                                    Reference Port is Greenock.

                                                Flood is northerly, ebb is southerly.

                                                Tidal speed is up to three quarters of a knot

1:200 000 Map

http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=public&X=220000&Y=650000&width=700&height=400&gride=231544.208442022&gridn=654594.255914149&srec=0&coordsys=gb&db=freegaz&addr1=&addr2=&addr3=&pc=&advanced=&local=&localinfosel=&kw=&inmap=&table=&ovtype=&keepicon=true&zm=0&scale=200000&up.x=287&up.y=6

1:25 000 Map:

http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=public&X=215000&Y=652000&width=700&height=400&gride=231544.208442022&gridn=654594.255914149&srec=0h&coordsys=gb&db=freegaz&addr1=&addr2=&addr3=&pc=&advanced=&local=&localinfosel=&kw=&inmap=&table=&ovtype=&keepicon=true&zm=0&scale=25000&down.x=285&down.y=3

1:25 000 Chart:                   Exact site is unknown.  I assume somewhere on the 15m contour between ‘Cumbrae Elbow’ and south of ‘Steadholm Point’

The wrecks                          I have no other information apart from what is written in Gordon Ridley’s ‘Dive West Scotland Vol 1’.

Straight out from the south end of the landing strip under Little Cumbrae lighthouse in 12 to 15m of water lies the wrecks of two 40m RAF ammunition or refuelling barges, best found by going directly out from the disused sewer pipe from the lighthouse.  One lies a little further down the slope than the other.  Both are rather disappointing, though quite good for fish life including congers.  BSAC Wreck Register 53.

Moir & Crawford in ‘Clyde Shipwrecks’ do show a dot for ‘Barge Wreck’ here on their divesite map for the ‘Cuirassier’.

John Teevan of MV Flying Eagle has never dived this site.

Divesite map/sketch:        None.

Version:                                1.0

Created by:                          alex maclennan

Date:                                      March 2007