Ashton Slip, Gourock, Inverclyde

Type of Dive:                       Gentle mud slope

Experience suggested:    Suitable for trainee and novice divers

Travel directions:               From St James Interchange take M8 and A8 westwards through Port Glasgow, Greenock and into Gourock.  Follow signs for A770 and follow Albert Road past Calmac Ferry terminal at Keppock Point, until you approach the Royal Gourock Yacht Club.  The Yacht Club lies at the far end of an esplanade with an obvious white mast and boom above it.  From the south on the A770, the Club is 0.8 miles past the Western Ferries terminal at McInroy’s Point.

Parking directions:            Park immediately beside a concrete slip and flat concrete square area, 50m to north of the Royal Gourock Yacht club.

From St James I’change: 19.4 miles; 30 minutes

OS Map & Grid Ref:           Map 63; 23073, 77626

Lat & Long:                          55:57:291N; 04:50:033W

1:200 000 Map

http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=public&X=220000.900018733&Y=670000.2080754&width=700&height=400&gride=275025.900018733&gridn=657257.2080754&srec=0&coordsys=gb&db=freegaz&addr1=&addr2=&addr3=&pc=&advanced=&local=&localinfosel=&kw=&inmap=&table=&ovtype=&keepicon=true&zm=0&scale=200000&right.x=6&right.y=144

1:25 000 Map:          Slip is at ‘Ashton’ on map

http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=public&X=223000&Y=676000&width=700&height=400&gride=275025.900018733&gridn=657257.2080754&srec=0&coordsys=gb&db=freegaz&addr1=&addr2=&addr3=&pc=&advanced=&local=&localinfosel=&kw=&inmap=&table=&ovtype=&keepicon=true&zm=0&scale=25000&up.x=287&up.y=7

Site entry/exit:                     Easy walk from car down concrete ramps onto the slip.  Easy entry and exit from shingle shore by the slip.

Underwater directions:    In front of the slip are numerous yacht mooring buoy from 60 to 350m away.  The divesite is a gentle sand/mud/small boulder slope to 25m.  Pick a depth and direction and swim around.  Generally swim to 10/15m turn left and work your way along looking for prawns/ small life.  There is a rock/boulder slope about 3 to 6m where much of the small life lives.  There are no particular underwater features on this divesite other than detritus from yachts/ moorings.

Divesite map/sketch:        To be added

Site Hazards:                      Swell from north during rough weather.  Wash from boat traffic.  Boat traffic can be busy in the summer.  Take a dive flag.  Viz can be poor

Nearest Public phone:      Immediately adjacent to Yacht Club

Mobile Network service:  All major networks.

Café:                                      Coffee shop 100m to north on Esplanade

Other comments                 Take a dive flag during the summer.  Boat traffic tends to be quiet in the winter as yachts are slipped.  Good night dive for the winter.

Links:

Johnstone SAC website description

http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/JOHNSTONE_SUBAQUA/clyde.htm

Thanks to:                            Iona Anthony of Johnstone SAC for divesite information.

Version:                                1.0

Created by:                          alex maclennan

Date:                                      October 2006

Surface Photos:                 Royal Gourock Yacht Club

Slips in front of Yacht Club.  No obvious way to get to them unless you’re a club member.

Ashton Slip from Yacht club looking up Esplanade

Ashton Slip.  Buoys are from 60m.