Argyll Caravan Park, by Inveraray, Loch Fyne
Alternative name: Battlefield park
Type of Dive: Shallow training dive
Experience suggested: Suitable for trainees and novice divers
Travel directions: Take the A82 up Loch Lomondside. At Tarbet take the LH fork onto the A83. Continue through Arrochar, up the Rest and be Thankful and through Inveraray. Continue on A83 from Inveraray towards Lochgilphead. 2.7 miles from the main square in Inveraray is the Argyll Caravan Park on LHS. Signposts read ‘Argyll Holiday Park’ and ‘Park of Argyll’. Turn into the park and introduce yourself/yourselves at the caravan park reception.
Parking directions: Follow signs to the large carpark in front of the concrete slips on the bay.
From Little Chef, Milton: 48.3 miles; 1 ¼ hours
OS Map & Grid Ref: OS Map 55; 07399, 05648
Lat & Long: 56:12:013N; 05:06:287W
1:500 000 Map
1:100 000 Map:
1:25 000 Map: The caravan park is identified by caravan and tent symbols. The bay is ‘Luib Iomaire Mhor’
Site entry/exit: Enter from the shingle shore by concrete slips
Underwater directions: This site is generally used for training dives so the diveplan will depend on the training being undertaken. The divesite is a gently shelving sandy/ mud bottom with lots of moorings and some wreckage of boats and a jeep. The Knotty Ash is buoyed, though it might be difficult to tell from other moorings. There is also the wreck of a speedboat and an old tug in 18m which sits on its bow. The tug is close to the Knotty Ash. The photos below show the buoys that mark the wrecks but the easiest way of finding them is to ask for directions at the Quebec Marine building.
Divesite map/sketch: This is from the EU SAC website below
Site Hazards: Silt reducing viz, entanglement with moorings
Nearest Public phone: At the entrance to the caravan park
Mobile Network service: Vodaphone ,Orange
Pub: George Hotel, Inveraray
Other comments Tents are no longer allowed at the Argyll Caravan Park. There are picnic tables in carpark and a hose for washing kit at the QMS shed. Ribs can be launched from the slip by arrangement with the park reception. There are said to have been a number of tanks sunk in this area - it was heavily used for Combined ops training during the second world war - Paul Bullen says they are thought to be in about 90m. He has also found the jeep but cannot recall how to get back to it.
Air & Nitrox fills: Quebec Marine Services co located at the Argyll Caravan Park is at the RHS of the big carpark
http://www.quebec-marine.co.uk/qms/index.html
Links:
This is where the dive sitemap comes from
http://www.uwscotland.com/diveinfo/lochfyne/index.htm
This is the website of the Argyll Caravan Park
http://www.argyllcaravanpark.com/
A bit of history
http://www.combinedops.com/Training%20No1%20CTC.htm
Thanks to: Paul Bullen of EUSAC for permission to reproduce the divesite map and comments on the divesite description.
Version: 1.0 alex maclennan July 2006
1.1 alex maclennan April 2007
Photos: Carpark with QMS shed in background
Slips from carpark
Photomontage of bay from carpark
Knotty Ash Buoy – photo by Paul Bullen of EUSAC
The Tug buoy. Photo by Paul Bullen of EUSAC. The stumpy grey buoy on the left. Do not confuse with a larger cylindrical grey buoy closer to Inveraray.
