Our annual pilgrimage to the wrecks of the Sound. Ever hopeful of getting further afield but very conscious of the weather and being lucky to be able to dive in the sea at this time of year.
As usual we were diving with Bob Anderson on MV Halton. Unusually, we ‘lost’ our chef due to injury. Frankie stepped in as an admirable non diving replacement.
Dive 1 Breda – shake down. Good visibility on what can be a very murky wreck. Able to investigate all the topside detail stern to bow.
Dive 2 Lochaline Wall – driven by tidal considerations much to the metal heads chagrin. Still another search for life in a calm environment. Lots of colour some obvious, the urchins and anemones, some hidden like the huge Crabs, Squat Lobsters and Leopard Spotted Gobies.
Dive 3 Hispania – As glorious as ever. Fantastic life and colours. As usual have to find somewhere to ‘tuck in’ out of the current towards the end of the dive.
Dive 4 Shuna – Another great wreck with such detail still evident. A little murky.
Dive 5 Rond0 – Several divers managed to miss the dive due to the surface current but inside and under was peaceful. I still find the vertical wreck disconcerting but a great place to try to identify lumps of metal and underside, on the swim throughs, such a glorious profusion of anenomes in a riot of colours.
Dive 6 Shuna – Another opportunity to explore what you missed first time round.
Dive 7 Breda – Must be on the way home. Decent vis again.
The weather was exceptionally kind. We were in the sun nearly every day. Rained a few evenings but who cares. Some had a great walk round the headland at Tobermory in the sunshine. Of course we visited the Mish Nish for a leisurely one or two.
