Black Jock, Carrick, Loch Goil

Type of Dive:                       Shallow shore dive for clabby-doos

Suggested experience:    Suitable for trainees and novice divers if fit.

Travel directions:               Take the A82 up Loch Lomondside to Tarbet.  Take LH fork onto A83 and go up the ‘Rest and be Thankful’.  Turn Left onto B828 Lochgoilhead.  Just before Lochgoilhead turn right onto west Loch Goil towards the village of Carrick Castle.  Once you have passed a few houses on your RHS look for a new sandy/shingle laybye just before the Carrick Bridge.

Parking directions:            Park on the shingle/sand laybye, before the bridge over the Carrick Burn, half a mile before Carrick Castle and Pier.  There is an obvious beacon in front of the burn.  This is ‘Black Jock’.

From Little Chef, Milton    40 miles; 1 ¼ hours

OS Map & Grid Ref:           OS Map 56; 194953

Lat & Long:                          56:06:912N; 004:54:278W

1:200 000 Map

http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=public&X=220000&Y=710000&width=700&height=400&gride=248061.11103526&gridn=664111.167589999&srec=0&coordsys=gb&db=freegaz&addr1=&addr2=&addr3=&pc=&advanced=&local=&localinfosel=&kw=&inmap=&table=&ovtype=&keepicon=true&zm=0&scale=200000&down.x=287&down.y=5

1: 25 000 Map:                     Parking and divesite by Carrick burn

http://www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?client=public&X=220000&Y=696000&width=700&height=400&gride=248061.11103526&gridn=664111.167589999&srec=0&coordsys=gb&db=freegaz&addr1=&addr2=&addr3=&pc=&advanced=&local=&localinfosel=&kw=&inmap=&table=&ovtype=&keepicon=true&zm=0&scale=25000&down.x=288&down.y=5

Site entry/exit:                     Easy short walk over muddy grass onto shingle beach.  You may have to wade out a fair distance, then fin straight out  towards Black Jock.

Underwater directions:    Black Jock is between 150 and 300 m away depending on the tide.  The rock that Black Jock marks can dry with very low tides.  This is a shallow and sheltered dive around Black Jock, if there is no swell.  There are lots of clabby doos for about a 100m radius.

Nearest Public phone:      At Carrick Castle in front of the MOD Pier/ Castle.

Mobile Network service:  Not checked

Pub & Cafe:                         Lochgoilhead

Other comments                 Air fills are possible by arrangement with operator of compressor at Darroch Mhor Watersports and Chalets, Carrick Castle.  Tel 01301 703249.  Expect to drop tanks off in the evening and pick up refilled in the morning.

Thanks to:                            Charlie Ramage and Dumbarton Scot SAC for divesite information.

Version:                                1.0 alex maclennan         February 2007

                                                1.1 alex maclennan         March 2007

Surface Photos:                 Parking

Black Jock from Laybye

Black Jock close to High Water