Alternative Names: None
Type of Dive: Alisary slip is an easy shore dive in Loch Ailort.
Suggested experience: Novice
Distance from Fort William: 29 Miles 40 Mins. Take the A830 out towards Mallaig. Straight after passing through Loch Ailort turn left onto the A861. The site is about 2.4 miles from the junction.
Parking directions: There are three mooring blocks on the verge, drive between these to pull off the road onto the hard standing above the slip
Lat & Long: 56.855654 -5.705646 Google
Tides: Tide tables
Depth: 40m+
Site entry/exit: From the slip
Underwater directions: Swim straight out from the slip towards the other side of the loch (about 5 mins) Initially the seabed is silty covered in tube anemones and eyelash worms, various different sea stars and white philine aperta (white oval shaped creatures, these belong to the mollusc family). In the shallows, there are small scattered stones around which are home to hundreds of small sea squirts. The seabed only slopes very gradually and is very flat but there are the occasional large rocks. These seem to be a little oasis of life and are home to many different species. I found 12 squat lobsters living on one (the brown galathea ones) and a small flatfish, a scorpion fish, not to mention various squirts and sponges! There is also a lot of queenies and some very large king scallops (guess it doesn’t get dived often here). At around 8/9m it starts to drop in large steps or ledges leaving vertical faces and small cliffs for loch anemones to grow on and also large worm tubes protruding from the rocks on which loch anemones were growing making them look like decorative candelabra. The rocks were also covered with common and black brittlestars and many small crabs
Air & Nitrox: Loch Aline dive centre
Site Hazards: None known, but I would avoid doing this mid tide because it is quite far out into the loch and I don’t know whether there is any current this far up.
Nearest Public phone: None close to here.
Mobile Network service: Contact me
Accommodation: There are places for wild camping around the loch.
Other comments:
Pub: Lochaline social club
Cafe: None here.
Created By: Jane Wilkinson
Date: 7/10/12
Revision: 1
Thanks To:
Links: Contact me
Surface Photos: By Jane Wilkinson
Underwater Photos: By Jane Wilkinson
Dive Map: Contact me
Dive Report: Comment in the box below.