SCOTLAND – NORTH WEST COAST
Achiltibuie & The Summer Isles
Achiltibuie and its smaller adjoining hamlets form the parish of Coigach which is a traditional crafting and fishing community of no more than a couple of hundred houses sprinkled between mountain and shore on a peninsula looking over to the Summer Isles. Far from the madding crowd with no hustle and bustle set amidst the rugged splendour of Wester Ross on Scotland’s west coast and is probably an area that remains unknown to a large percentage of divers. Reached by a narrow road running though glens and around a loch lying 25 miles from Ullapool although only 10 miles as the crow flies where long summer day of glorious sunshine can be enjoyed.
Visitors to Achiltibuie come for all sorts of reasons but night clubs and shopping centres is not one of them, but there is plenty for the non-diver provided they enjoy the experience of getting close to nature. However, within easy reach by car are the fishing ports of Ullapool to the South and Lochinver to the north, a return trip to Stornaway can be made within a day and the Assynt Bone Caves lie to the north on the Lochinver road, not far from Britain’s highest waterfall, and on the way to Handa Island. Activities available in addition to diving are cycling, angling, walking/climbing, bird watching and wildlife.
The Summer Isles, which are the diving attraction of the area, are a group of between 20 to 30 islands, rocks and skerries that sit off the peninsula, the nearest being Isle Ristol, which can be reached by foot at low tide and the furthest Eilean a Chleirich (Priest Island) some six miles offshore. The islands are mainly home to otters, seals and seabirds and the occasional whale with only the largest island, Tanera Mhor, being permanently inhabited. Tanera Mhor is some 800 acres and was the centre of a thriving herring fishing industry in the 18th century and many centuries before that its sheltered harbour was home to Vikings. A trip to the Summer Isles is a popular excursion with a local cruise ship landing on both Tanera Mhor and Tanera Beag in the summer months.
The islands can be reached easily by RIB and often are by groups of divers from the surrounding areas, however there is currently only one day boat in operation in this area which will reveal some of the best diving to be found in Scotland. No matter what the weather it is always possible to find a lee shore with more than a hundred dive sites recorded in the ranging from wrecks, huge caverns, spectacular caves and astounding vertical walls all with a multitude of fish life and covered in soft corals and anemones.
There is a wide range of accommodation facilities available in Achiltibuie including camping, self-catering, youth hostel, bed and breakfast and hotels and it is also possible to make arrangements to dive the area from a pick up in Ullapool should the preference be to stay in a less remote area.
DIVE SITES
The waters around the islands are warmed by the Gulf Stream, which in turn creates a thriving marine environment. Given the nature of the islands and their location there is always somewhere with a lee shore and therefore sheltered diving is guaranteed. Visibility is often in excess of 15 metres due to clear pollution free waters, which are also sheltered from the tidal streams, and the maximum current encountered is about ˝ knot. With a wide diversity of astounding dive sites there is something to suit all levels of diver and being hundreds in number, far too many to list in detail, the most popular cannot go without being noted.
FAIRWEATHER V (position LAT 57 56’ 34” LONG 05 21’ 29”)
Sank 4th February 1991 after running aground and whilst being pulled off by tugboat water rushed into an open hatch to engine room. She was a steel fishing trawler now lying in 25-30 metres of water and in excellent condition found off Cairn Dearg headland. To get the best visibility the wreck is best dived on the flood tide and in sheltered conditions. The interior and holds are accessible with the wreck being covered with a wide variety of marine growth and home to several species of fish. Two shot lines mark the wreck.
BOSTON STIRLING (position LAT 57 59’ 99” LONG 05 24’ 27”)
A 33-meter steel fishing trawler that sank in 1983 off the south east side of Tanera Mhor. She lies on her starboard side on a sandy bottom with depths of 6 metres at the bows to 15 metres at the stern. Believed to have sank while her crew cooked chips causing a fire and in the confusion she hit the rocks. The wreckage is in good condition and due to her turning on her side debris can be found on the seabed. The holds are accessible and the wreck very photogenic with an extensive covering of anemones and soft coral together with numerous inquisitive fish. The wreck is marked by a buoy at her stern and is easily found at low water when she protrudes above the surface.
INNISJURA (position LAT 57 56’ 33” LONG 05 21’ 11”)
Sank in 1920 during the World War One and is a 30 meter wooden coastal trader. The wreck is largely in complete and in good condition but the wheelhouse has collapsed. She lies in 30 to 35 metres and conditions can be very silty and is therefore best dived on the incoming tide with torches as a must.
Again covered in anemones and soft coral with an abundance of other marine life and marked with a buoy very close to the Fairweather V off the headland of Cairn Dearg.
ISLE MARTIN
Dramatic underwater topography and an amazing amount of life can be found in the depths off the north face. On approach the cliffs are breathtaking as they rise from the sea making this a dive site in a class of its own. This site can reveal great depths dependant upon where you dive along the north wall with a range of 6 to 70 metres but does allow the diver the ability to pick their depth. There are numerous ledges and boulders and although visibility averages around 15 metres the quality of light can fade underneath the overhanging ledges. The marine life is astounding and more prolific in shallower depths with multi coloured topshells, nudibranchs, long spined scorpion fish, pincushion
starfish, cuckoo wrasse, dragonets sponges, sea urchins and sea fans being examples of some of the marine life which covers the wall.
BOTTLE ISLAND
The furthest island south west of Eilean Dubh and is best dived at high tide so as to take advantage of the numerous shallow caves which can be found on the south west corner. With the southern point of this island being swept by currents the resulting flow of nutrients sustains a diverse amount of marine life and together with the presence of diving sea birds and seals makes this a superb dive site. The seabed is sandy where flounders, huge skate, anglerfish and sometimes rays and dogfish can be found. The gullies and rock faces have a profusion of life including tiny spotted morays mostly found under the seaweed. Steep rocky slopes becoming vertical down to 30 metres and beyond, make it suitable for the more experienced divers. On the western face there are several off lying pinnacles, which can be located by echo sounder and visual disturbances at the surface. The north face has a vertical wall starting at 15 metres dropping to around 35 metres covered in a carpet of marine life.
CONSERVATION CAVE
Although a shallow dive it is a particularly spectacular one with a dome shaped roof and walls covered in anemones, sponges, sea squirts, hydroids and deadmans fingers. Down the eastern side of the walls can be found hundreds of nudibranchs and carpets of cup coral and jewel anemones and divers should ensure that their buoyancy is perfect before entering the cave in order to preserve the pristine marine life found within Alternatively called cathedral cave it can be found on the south west point of Tanera Beag and following an expedition by the MCS it was rated as one of the best sites on the north west of Scotland. Although a superb dive entry to the cave can be difficult at times due to the exposed nature of the site and care should be taken. There is now a voluntary conservation code in force and no collecting of marine life is permitted.
THE KEYHOLE
Formally known as Toll Eilean a’ Chlerich and can be found on Priest Island and consist of two massive caves which cut into the island and when viewing from the sea take on the appearance of a keyhole. One of the caves rises to a platform at 3 metres and drops back down to 20 metres on the other side of the headland. Both caves are encrusted with life on their vertical walls with an abundance of other sea life to be found. Around the rest of Priest Island there are dozens of other good dives with even a couple of fishing boat wrecks. The Silver Reward which sank in 20 metres in 1964 and although broken up attracts a lot of fish life and lies in 20 metres on the northwest face and the Guiding Star which lies to the southwest face and being made of wood only her engine block, prop shaft and steering remain obscured by kelp.
SGEIR DUBH
Commonly known as Black Rock this is the largest skerry located between Tanera Mhor and Glas-leac Mhor being a rather exposed site which drops down a slope and then rapidly down a rock wall to 30 metres which follows on down a sandy slope to around 45 metres. Around the initial slope cuckoo wrasse can be found sharing their space with squat lobsters and feather starfish. This site is known for attracting large shoals of fish, which in turn are interesting to the seals. Further to the west in the shallower regions of the skerry, where there is an abundance of kelp, usually a large colony of seals can be found.
LATTO’S ROCK
Another skerry which can be found between Tanera Mhor and Sgeir Nam Feusgan being sheltered from the worst of the Atlantic swells. This is a flat topped rock pinnacle with small walls with boulder overhangs and steep sandy slopes. The flat top of the pinnacle is covered in kelp providing shelter for many species such as spider crabs, scorpion fish, gobies and blennies with the walls being a haven for swat lobsters, lobsters and octopus. Once on the sandy and muddy bottom scallops are found together with sea pens and crabs.
JAMBO
This is one of the more recent wrecks to be accidentally created in Scotland as she sank on 29th June 2003 after hitting the rocks in the Summer Isles. A Cypriot registered vessel of 61 metres long carrying a cargo of zinc concentrate which has now safely been removed.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Weather & Tides
Northern destinations are always weather dependant but it is possible to dive the Summer Isles all year round although the prevailing westerly winds can cause some difficulties during the winter months. From March to November tend to be the best months however December and January produce the best water clarity. Being warmed by the Gulf Stream the water temperature varies very little but can very from 6-18 degrees celsius dependant of the time of year.
www.bbc.co.uk/weather/ukweather/inshore.shtml UK inshore weather forecasts
Tidal streams of ˝ knot recorded on Tidal Stream Atlas and the islands are sheltered from the Atlantic by the Hebrides and Minch. However there can be groundswell and surge which makes entry and exit from the water difficult but as many of the sites are located on the sheltered eastern side of the islands there is very little problems experienced all year round.
Standard Port Ullapool
Secondary Port Summer Isles Tanera Mhor -0005 to – 0010
Loch Broom as standard port
www.bluemoment.com/tides.html tidal predictions for UK ports covering two weeks ahead
Charts
2501 Summer Isles scale 25,000
2500 Loch Broom, Little Loch Broom & approaches scale 25,000
How to get there
A1 north through Edinburgh, M90 to Perth, A9 to Inverness, A835 to Ullapool. For Achiltibuie continue north for 12 miles on A835, left onto single track road signposted for Achiltibuie and the Summer Isles, follow this road for a further 20 miles.
Accommodation & Eating Facilities
www.coigach.com
www.summer-isles.com
www.achiltibuie.com/links.htm
www.ullapool.com
Launch sites and air/gas stations
There are numerous launching facilities available
Nearest gas filling facility is:
Creag Ard Charters, Dundonnell - Tel: 01854 633380
Atlantic Diving Services, Ullapool - Tel: 01854 622261
Charter Boats
The only day charter boat currently available is the MV Rebecca Ann licensed for 12 divers and operated by Creag Ard Charters. Pickups are from Camusnagaul, Dundonnell on Little Loch Broom but pickups can also be arranged for a small additional charge from Ullapool. They can also arrange accommodation, packed lunches and transport from airport or railway stations. For full details:
www.camusnagaul.com/content/boat1.htm
Tourist Information Board
Achiltibuie Tourist Association
P.O. Box No 1
Achiltibuie
Ullapool
Ross-shire
IV26 2YG
Tel: 01854 612135
Email: information@coigach.com
|
 |
North West Scotland page
A RIB enters a cave on the Summer Isles
A favoured means of transport
Polbain Pier
An anchorage in the Summer Isles
Typical Summer Isles scenery
Summer Isles Majic by Richard Booth
|
