MV Rebecca Ann
12/13 June, 2004

 

The Dives - click below to be forwarded to the dive details and more.
  1. Friday afternoon
    2.
  2. Saturday morning
    3.
  3. Saturday afternoon
    4.
  4. Sunday Morning
    5.
  5. Sunday afternoon
    6.
Friday 11 June
Big Al and Jim A arrived early in the afternoon and had a try out dive at Badluchrach Jetty, Little Loch Broom. An easy entry off the concrete slip leads onto a flat sandy and coralline algae bottom. After finning due north, straight out, for 25 minutes we managed to get to 17 metres. The highlights (for Jim A) were the Highland Dancers, Pleurobranchus membranaceus, and spawn - for Big Al, it was getting back to the jetty.
Saturday 12 June
Morning Dive - Leuim an Fheid, Coigach
A superb scenic dive at the waterfall on the sandstone cliffs of the mainland. These cliffs descend vertically underwater in a series of shelves to beyond 40 metres. Splendid visibility of approx. 15 metres. Not much life at depth except some Cuckoo Wrasse.
The Aurelia jellyfish were among the largest seen, many exceeding 350 mm in diameter.
While some of us rested after lunch the others indulged in a bit of bird watching.
The Great Skua, left, lurked about waiting for food.
Afternoon Dive - Carn nan Sgeir, Summer Isles
We dropped in to the south of the skerries and zigzagged into the shallows to meet the seals that regularly bask out on the rocks. On the sand bottom with rocky outcrops were hundreds of Highland Dancers, Sea Hares, Aplysia punctata, and this strange little crab only 25 mm across the back.
The seals remained out of sight!
Sunday 13 June
Morning Dive - Cadha nam Muc, Little Loch Broom
Overnight the weather broke and the previous day's good conditions changed to strong NW winds preventing us getting out to dive Priest Island as planned. Instead the Skipper took us to another dramatic vertical cliff on the north shore of Little Loch Broom.
The cliffs dropped to way beyond 40 metres in places and with shear drops from ledges. At one point this invert covered float hovered at 17 metres, attached by a line to a pot somewhere below.
In the shallows at the end of the dives we found 10 metre high boulders with sharp edges sitting on a sandy shelf before the drop-off. These were covered in small invert life including ascidians, nudibranchs and sponges.
Afternoon Dive - Conger Stack, Little Loch Broom
This site lies near to the head of the loch and is a rocky pinnacle rising from depth to 7 metres with kelp on top. Lots of rocky ledges and little gulleys, particularly to the north west side lead down to a bouldery slope at 25 metes. Reported to be a home of octopus and of course congers, but none were seen along with cushion stars including an unusual 6 armed specimen.
Thanks to all at Creag Ard Charters for a great weekend, especially to Skipper Richard Ross, far right, and the helpful crew Phillip and to Mrs Ross the Skipper's mum who runs the comfortable B&B. Contact them by e-mail at the link above or telephone 01854 633380 or 07715 075460 or write to
Creag Ard 2,
Camusnagaul,
Dundonnell By Garve,
Ross-shire.
All photographs by Jim Anderson