MV Mary Doune
12/13 April 03

Another fabulous weekends diving on the Mary Doune with Skipper Andy Tibbets at the helm.

We arrived at Mallaig on the Friday evening after a leisurely drive and a wee shore dive in Loch Ailort. The Mary Doune ferried us across to the accommodation at Doune on Knoydart. A shower of rain first thing on the Saturday morning as we breakfasted, settled the dust and soon the sky cleared to a glorious blue and we set off at 9 for the day.

The first dive was back to a favorite on the east coast of Hyskeir. A wall drops down from the rocky shore to 15 metres and then shelves in layers down into the depths. This early in the season the fish life is not prolific in the 9 deg C water but this is more than compensated by the abundant invert life in the 20+ metres visibility.

After lunch and a wander round the lighthouse we headed out north east to dive Humla Rock near to Canna.

This dive was enjoyed as a light drift across smooth rocky shelves at 20 metres then up into deep gullies with vertical sides, covered in life.

We arrived back at base and after showering walked the 50 metres along the foreshore for another lovely meal in the restaurant - venison pie - superb!

 

The second days diving was around the island of Muck. On the morning dive on Godag Reef the visibility was easily 25+ metres and we drifted with the tide past sheets of jewel anemones and amazing 'fields' of cup corals for 40 minutes.

After lunch we went ashore to stretch our legs with a walk across Muck accompanied there and back by this little dog, who seemed intent on coming back on board with us.

We motored round to the north west tip of the island to an offshore rock called Eagamol. This site can rarely be dived due to its exposed condition but the weather was kind and we dropped in. This was easily the best dive of the trip starting in gullies 14 metres deep between house sized rocks covered in life. Out further and down to 25 metres we drifted across smooth rock sheets covered in hydrids and other invert life with giant yellow boring sponges. When the current petered out we headed back up into yet more boulder gullies bigger than those at the entry point. There were a few big ballan wrasse here with more invert life than any of the previous dives we were all reluctant to come back to the surface from this marvelous underwater scenery.

Finally we motored back to Mallaig and the 3 hour drive back home.

Everyone agreed that Liz, Andy Tibbets and the Mary Doune had exceeded our expectations yet again, with great diving, great company and lovely food - we look forward to returning.