Anchor Point, Loch Fyne
Travel directions: Head over the Rest and Be Thankful on the A83 from Tarbet towards Inverary. Before you get to Loch Fyne, take the left-turn sign-posted Strachur / Dunoon on the A815. Follow this road for about 10 miles or so, until you see a right turn onto the A886 towards Otter Ferry. This is just after Strachur. Further down, there is another turn to the right onto the B8000 signed Otter Ferry (there is also a little sign for an art company with a picture of an artists pallet). This is a very narrow road with passing places which stays mostly close to the loch side. It seems to go on forever. After you pass a chapel on your left hand side (Lephinmore Chapel), keep your eyes open for the Anchor Point lay-by just a couple of miles further on the right. The lay-by can be recognised by the clear path through trees down to the stony beach (about 5m from lay-by to beach). Sorry these directions aren’t very sharp – I’ll try to improve on them with exact mileages between turning points next time I go there.
Parking directions: About 4-5 cars can fit in the lay-by, at a squeeze. If you get there and it’s full, continue on about 4 miles and try Gortein Point which has a similar space.
Distance from Little Chef, Milton: 55 miles
Map
The lay-by is about half-way between Lephinchapel and Gortein, about 2 miles after Lephinmore.
Site entry/exit: Follow the path down through the trees to the pebble beach. There is a rock formation to your right hand side. This is the formation which continues underwater to form the reef. Enter the water just to the left of the rocks. On the surface take a bearing on the forested peninsula at the head of loch gair opposite (approx. due West / 270 degrees).
Underwater directions:
Follow the sandy bottom on a bearing of 270 degrees down to about 8-10m, then turn right, and contour north at that depth for about 1 minute until you reach the south side of the reef. You can’t miss it.
Follow the reef down to where it ends at about 29m. Take your time and enjoy the life in all the gulleys and cracks. At depth, the reef almost forms a small drop-off, which can be really quite dramatic if you use your imagination.
The line of the reef turns north between 25 and 29m, so that when it peters out at its max depth, you will be heading north. At this point you will probably be about 15 minutes into your dive.
Take care not to just hurry back to the entry point the way you came. There is lots to enjoy on this reef, which is really quite extensive. The way I like to enjoy it is to contour back up in a zigzag manner. That is, at 29m, heading north, cut up to 25m and swim back south until you reach the south side of the reef again. Then turn back north and ascend to 20m, staying at that depth until you reach the north side again, etc. You should get at least 3 or 4 good long zigs and zags before you hit the plateau at around 17m. By this stage you will be about 35 minutes into your dive. From this point on, just mosey on back (remember to zigzag) to the entry point.
Check out all the cracks and gulleys you find for conger, cod, wrasse and other life.
Site Hazards: Slippery rocks at entry point. Very tempting depth for trainees and novice divers (the reef below 20m looks beautiful and very tempting).
Suggested experience: Suitable for depth limited trainees. All divers can enjoy this site.
Nearest Public phone: Otter Ferry.
Mobile Network service: None
Other comments: 50 minutes of pure relaxation.
Pub: Strachur (although it’s a bit dismal these days and we prefer to go back to the Inverbeg).
Created by: Gord
Date: 06.08.06
Land photos:
Small Parking Bay with path down to shingle beach
Path Down to Beach
View South-West from Beach
Entry Point to Left of Rock Formation
Underwater photos:
Underwater map/ Sketch:
