NORTH EAST SCOTLAND
An introduction
Montrose to Duncansby Head
From Montrose in Angus through to the top of Scotland at Wick and Thurso, the north east of Scotland is mainly made up of a huge triangle of land which juts defiantly into the harsh North Sea. The two archipelagos of Orkney and Shetland lay off the remote north coast of mainland Scotland, to many just distant specks of land peppering the wild north Atlantic. The region may lack the sheer majesty of the northwest but the coast and countryside have their own subtle charm and sometimes better weather. This is a hard working region based on agriculture with many fishing villages along the coastline nestled in between storm battered cliffs.
Due to the relatively straight path of the east coast of Scotland it only perhaps represents the smallest percentage of the Scottish coastline and is a mixture of rocky headlands and long stretches of apricot coloured beaches together with several large towns near the sea. However there are many areas offering rewarding and sometimes challenging diving and, with storms taking their toll on shipping over the years, wrecks can be found in abundance. The marine life is fascinating and colourful with staggering underwater topography, a diverse landscape including inter-tidal sea caves, islands and submarine reefs where marine growth and life is very profuse.
The weather is much milder than the west coast but is very exposed and susceptible to the prevailing wind which to a large extent determines the visibility in some areas. Visibility can range from murky to some 30 metres on occasions dependant on the area. Most of the coastline is exposed to winds from the northeast through to south although diving throughout the year is possible there is a better chance of success during the summer months.
There are several operations from which to obtain cylinder fills and hire day boats but these are more concentrated around the more popular diving areas and fishing villages and are not always dedicated dive boats.
Further up the coast running from Fife Ness to Rattray Head is another stretch of rocky headlands and huge sweeping beaches with the depths close to shore being very shallow and the water rather low on visibility. Further offshore several wrecks are charted with those nearer shore being very broken up and scattered. Stonehaven reveals some rocky foreshore providing shore diving on fingers of reefs running for several miles where in Strathlethan Bay the wrecks of the Echo and Isa Fiord can be found and is also the ideal launching area for the wreck of the Taurus (III). Aberdeen being an industrial port has seen its fair share of shipwrecks and during settled weather there are some rocky outcrops away from the harbour, which can be very good, but more scenic diving can be found with clearer visibility and excellent marine life around St Catharine's Dub, North Haven and Buchan Ness.
The Moray Firth is a large area of sea bounded by Rattray Head on the north and Duncansby Head to the north and is the great bight of the North Sea leading down to Inverness. The south coastline is blessed with spectacular cliffs intermingled with fishing villages and sandy beaches. Access to the water is possible in a number of places and tidal streams are not a major problem except around the major headlands though strong Northerly or Easterly winds can cause large swells. The wrecks of the Moray Firth are many and interesting the major ones being the Fram, the submarine Tantivy and the tanker San Tiburcio. The numerous wrecks in this area could engage the enthusiastic wreck diver for a very long time.
At the eastern end of the north coast lays the Pentland Firth which is affected by very strong tidal streams - in fact the highest recorded at around 11- 14 knots however the islands and skerries of Stroma, Swona and the Pentland Skerries do have rewarding diving on them. At Dunnet Head steep underwater drops over rocky topography can be experienced as these are just out of the main Pentland Firth tidal streams. Duncansby Head can offer good visibility in the various narrow inlets with marine life abound on sandstone walls displaying extreme colours and beauty with these not being in the tidal stream although the journey to them can be somewhat exhilarating.
Lying 5 miles across the Pentland Firth are the Orkney Islands offering a wide variety of diving opportunities the most popular being the sunken German fleet in the landlocked natural harbour of Scapa Flow which contains the greatest concentration of sunken warships. Recorded is some seven major German WW1 warships, five minor ones, a German WW2 destroyer, two German submarines, the remnants of 27 German warships, 16 British wrecks, 32 blockships and two large British battleships. The remainder of the diving in Orkney is somewhat overshadowed by the Flow but should not be overlooked as there is much to see amongst the 90 islands that make up the group.
The Shetland Island group are the most northerly in Britain covering an area of around 54 by 22 miles with no part being more than three miles from the sea consisting of over 100 islands some 20 of which are uninhabited. Diving in Shetland is varied with scenic dives abound in rich life due to the influence of the Gulf Stream and warmer water. Many of the wrecks have broken up due to colliding with the shoreline with many also found in deeper water. Some notable wrecks are the Strathtay, the St Sunniva, the Samba and a Russian spy trawler to name just a few.
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UK DIVE GUIDES
Books and guides to help you plan, and to take with you - buy on-line.
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The Orkneys & Scapa Flow
Scapa Flow by Gordon Mackie
Scapa Flow by Helen Lear
Scapa Flow by Neil Smitham
Scapa Flow by Steve Jones
Scapa Flow by Newbury SAC
Escapa 2003 by Alan Fitch
Scapa Flow by Richard Booth
Scapa Flow by Richard Booth
Scotland's Secret, the Moray Firth by Scott Laddiman
Scapa Flow - An Internet Odyssey by Alan Ewart
The Brummer, Scapa Flow
Dolphins, Moray Firth
Typical Scapa Liveaboard
Colourful Orkneys
Wreck Diver's Paradise
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