Alternative Names: None
Type of Dive: Gentle shore dive on Ardnadam pier on the south of the holy loch on the other side of the Clyde from Gourock.
Suggested Experience: Novice and upwards
Travel directions: Google From Glasgow 1hr 38mins Ferry timetable and prices Head west on the M8 onto the A8 to through Greenock and Gourock on the A770 to McInroy's point where you get the ferry to Hunter's Quay. From Hunter's quay head west for 1.7 miles to Ardnadam pier.
Parking directions: The car park to the west of the pier which has enough space for over 20 cars
Lat & Long: 55.982601, -4.939915 Postcode PA23 8QE Google map
Tides: Tide tables
Depth: 17m
Site entry/exit: At HW you can enter at either side of the pier easily.
Underwater directions: As you swim down either side of the pier you will only be in a few metres of water but even at that depth, there is something really cool about swimming in and out between the pier legs. As you continue out you will start to pass some little bits of the metal structure before the gravel/rocky seabed ends and the mud/silt starts to slope away. At the end of the pier is a sunken degaussing barge and pontoon, only sitting in around 6m of water. There is a good variety of marine life around this area and lots of little areas to look into. As a dive you can take this in 2 ways, you can either follow the structure around and simply make you way back up the pier to the shore, or continue down the slope. Down here there is certainly not the amount of marine life here you would see on other dives, but every rock, every mooring tyre is covered in life. The most interesting aspect of this dive is the number of old jars and bottles found here, from when the American Naval base was here, and also marmalade jars dating back to 1900s. When we dived, we entered the east side of the pier, descended to around 17m, and followed the slope around, keeping the slope on your left, and then heading south to get back to shore.
Air & Nitrox: Wreckspeditions Glasgow Aquatron Splashsports
Site Hazards: Some small boating activity in the area so good shore cover essential/DSMB on the ascent.
Nearest Public phone: The nearest public phone is outside the sandbank convenience store.
Mobile Network service: Most phone signals are fine here, Vodafone EE 3 all work.
Accommodation: Self-catering and Hotels
Other comments: Public toilets are just up from. Holy Loch Marina, though the marina may allow the use of theirs. The pier used to service the puffers and paddle steamers of the Clyde, and you will find large chunks of boiler coal and cool little artefacts.
Pub: Holy Loch Inn & Oakbank Hotel
Cafe: Holy Loch coffee shop in the marina.
Version: 1
Thanks To:
Links: None I can find.
Created by: Jason Coles
Date: 2/4/20
Surface Photos: Jason Coles
Underwater Photos: Contact me
Dive sitemap: Contact me
Dive Report: Comment in the box below.