Dacorum Scuba has had a long history of diving Scotland’s superb coastline, and following a successful trip to Eyemouth last year plans were laid to revisit the Isle of Skye after an eight-year absence. Members old and new made the long journey up to Stein on the northwestern tip of Skye to enjoy five days of diving in this uniquely remote location.
Diving and accommodation were provided by Gordon and Aileen from Dive and Sea the Hebrides, who have been in operation long enough to recall when DSAC used to bring up the club RIB for long weekends in the late 1980s.
All diving was conducted from a hard boat, and due to the sheltered nature of the sea lochs in Skye it was possible to get a dive in no matter what the weather (which as it turned out was just as well). The underwater landscape is punctuated by all sorts of pinnacles and reefs that provide a haven for a variety of sea life, with the usual crabs and lobsters tucked into crevices and sea urchins and stars wandering the plains. Scallops were in abundance and it was open season for divers with goody bags at select sites. By sheer chance a small octopus was sighted clinging onto a rock in the current, its distinctive suckers giving it away.
Water temperature was a constant 11°C, so not too cold but definitely not warm. Cold was the limiting factor on the dives and hot drinks from the galley were certainly appreciated. The weather remained unpredictable throughout the week and one moment it would be blazing sunshine and the next it would be wet and windy. One day was so inclement that we all crammed into the wheelhouse post-dive, thus shattering the ‘hard-man’ image the club had won in decades past. Underwater navigation was made difficult by the unpredictable currents that swirl around the lochs, with divers being hurled around at random and sometimes in circles around the reef.
There are a number of semi-intact wrecks along the coast of Skye, most having been fouled on the rocks in bad weather. Once such casualty was the SS Chadwick, an iron-hulled collier, which is still in relatively good condition for her age (sank on Christmas Eve 1896). The boilers and plates of this vessel serve as good cover for a variety of marine life, with the wreck being a local hotspot for pollack. Other marine life seen during the week included plumose anemones, nudibranchs, spiny star fish, cushion stars, elegant sea slugs, cuckoo wrasse, porpoises and white sided dolphins.
By the end of the week the group had mastered entering the water via a backward roll off the gunwales and climbing back in via the hooped ladder. Those carrying extra weight (diving equipment of course) were often helped back aboard by Gordon’s son Calumn looping a rope around a convenient piece of dive kit and hauling us back on deck.
The accommodation had been recently refurbished and we enjoyed making use of the new facilities and taking turns to cook the evening meal for the group. The Scallop and Haggis starter prepared by Chris and Brian certainly got the judges votes. We also enjoyed the Stein Inn for an evening meal on a couple of occasions, just a two-minute walk from the accommodation.
Gordon also kindly gave up his time in the evening to brief our prospective Dive Managers (Brian and Graham) on the sites planned for the next day, to help them with their Dive Leader dive management training modules (and thanks to Rich and Geoff too as instructors).
As well as the underwater marine creatures there was plenty of bird life to see. The group were lucky to have a number of sightings of white-tailed eagle, a pair of golden eagles soaring over the 200 metre high cliffs, and various auks including black guillemots which we don’t usually see ‘down south’. A small population of endangered corncrakes survives on the Waternish Peninsular and were very vocal at a nearby headland, and with a bit of persistence were seen in the tall grass of the meadows.
The group thoroughly enjoyed the week’s diving. Let’s hope we make another return visit in the coming years to this beautiful and rugged landscape, and whatever the weather, the warm welcome from Gordon and Aileen.
Check out the full gallery of photos from the trip
