Alternative Names: Appin House layby
Type of Dive: Scenic shore dive suitable for trainees.
Suggested experience: Novice.
Travel directions: As for Oban, but turn to cross Connel Bridge and head North past the Creagan Inn, dive site or follow the coast road South if coming from Glencoe area.
Parking directions: Google
Distance from Oban: 20 Miles 33 Mins
Lat & Long: N56.58918 W-5.373666 Google map Postcode PA38 4BN
Tides: Tide tables
Depth: Best life in the first 10m but mud continues to slope out past to 20m+
Site entry/exit: Enter site half way along the layby, Walk down the concrete over the rocks into the water and exit about 50 yards north of the car park from where you can easily walk back along the cycle path which is on the bed of the old railway line.
Underwater directions: We dived this on the flowing tide so the tide was running up (North) the Sound (Left to right). Walk in on pebbles and straight out over boulders onto the mud. followed mud down to 15m in disappointing vis. When the light ran out finned with the current across the muddy sand. Sea Pens and Thorny skates and hundreds of Gobi's... Gently ascending to the base of a boulder slope at 8m gave some interesting life. Old bottles and electrical ceramic jars scattered around and an impressive piece of ship worm-riddled timber. Swimming at the boundary of the boulder slope and the mud slope we encountered a cable slung across the sound hanging from the boulder slope, covered in life and disappearing into the mud (Note: This is an electrical cable off to Shuna). Ascending just after this brings you up to the concrete slip and an easy egress and short walk back to the car park. Good site for a training dive. Incredibly easy access.
Air & Nitrox: Puffin divers & The underwater centre
Site Hazards: Possible boat traffic, low vis when mud disturbed and possible effects of the tide.
Nearest Public phone: Loch Linnhe Marina just south of this site
Mobile Network service: O2 works to about 3-4bars
Accommodation:
Other comments: This area must have a lot of fish because its famous for dolphins and sea otters. You can also dive the Kentallen wall nearby.
Pub: The Cregan Inn Holy Tree Hotel
Cafe: The cafe overlooking Castle Stalker
Created by: Chris Hine
Date: 24/1/11
Revision: 1
Thanks To: Sawcut, Darryl Mayer.
Links: None I can find.
Surface Photos: To Follow
Underwater Photos: Contact me
Dive Report: Chris Hine and Sawcut 29/9/10 The layby just north of the Shuna Marina provides easy access to Shuna Island Sound. Halfway along this just South of a large boulder and narrow concrete walkway on the foreshore is an easy access path to the shore across glaciated slabs. this marked the start of the dive. The end of the dive is a concrete slip about 50 yards north of the car park from where you can easily walk back along the cycle path which is on the bed of the old railway line.
Dive Report: Comment in the box below.