Diving in Southern Scotland

[Phil G]

Hey there,

Seems like I'll be going to Glasgow for a week or two at the start of May. I will bring my drysuit and reg and plan on diving a bit.


I heard that Scapa Flow is a great dive spot but hard to get to ( and up north too).

Is there any diving around Glasgow?

Tx,

Phil

 

[baz500]

Hi Phil,

Scapa is too far way if you are just coming for a week but have a look here..


Clyde Diving Charters

 

[Phil G]

Hi Baz500,

Yes, I had guessed Scapa Flow was not possible.

The Clyde Estuary seems pretty close to Glasgow.

Do you know where exactly Clyde diving is situated?

Also, is it possible to rent the heavy stuff ( weights, BC, Cylinders) around there?

and thanks for the quick respond

Phil

 

[baz500]

Don`t think that lot rent equipment.

Try this one and it`s in Glasgow

Splashsports Dive Centre

 

[Phil G]

Sweet, thanks.

Is the diving in the Clyde Estuary any good, especially around May?

If not, where should I go?

Phil

 

[Gilldiver]

I have looked at these guys a few times. Looks like a nice opperation.

Puffin Dive Centre - Scuba Diving, Commercial Diver Training

 

[baz500]

Yep, Puffin are good but 100miles from Glasgow. If you have the time to get there then I would.

They rent all equipment and have daily boat dive trips. Diving in the Sound of Mull where some of the best wrecks in Scotland are.

Diving in the Clyde can be very dark although there are good wrecks there also.


If I had to choose, it would be the Sound of Mull diving the wreck of the Hispania and the infamous wreck of the Rondo which is a wreck that sits almost vertical in the water with its bows at 51M and its stern at 3M.

here is a link to Puffin Puffin Dive Centre - Scuba Diving, Commercial Diver Training

 

[Phil G]

Yep, Puffin are good but 100miles from Glasgow. If you have the time to get there then I would.

They rent all equipment and have daily boat dive trips. Diving in the Sound of Mull where some of the best wrecks in Scotland are.

Diving in the Clyde can be very dark although there are good wrecks there also.


If I had to choose, it would be the Sound of Mull diving the wreck of the Hispania and the infamous wreck of the Rondo which is a wreck that sits almost vertical in the water with its bows at 51M and its stern at 3M.

here is a link to Puffin Puffin Dive Centre - Scuba Diving, Commercial Diver Training

Thanks,

Are all of those boat dives?

I noticed that at the Puffin diving center website, there a section on shore dives, but the site is still in construction.

Also, any good books on dive sites in Scotland?

Phil

 

[baz500]

Puffin are boat dives. There are some shore dives but they are pretty bland.

 

[Hickdive]

Sorry I didn't see this thread earlier.

Unless you want travel to the east coast there are basically three options for diving 'around' Glasgow.

1. The Clyde. There are two charter boats regularly operating in the upper Clyde; The Clutha and the Flying Eagle. In general they are booked by groups of divers well in advance but it is well worth contacting the skippers because often last minute spaces will become available. Be aware that, as is typical in the UK, there are no divemasters so you'll have to sort yourself out with a buddy. The skipper will usually be able to tell you if the group chartering the boat will accept strangers into buddy pairs. Elaine, the skipper on the Clutha can often put you in touch with a group that goes out mid-week evenings in a RIB.

2. The sea lochs; Loch Loch and Loch Fyne. There are dozens of shore diving sites around here, if you look up the Conger Alley or Finstrokes diving forums you'll find lots of guides to them and you might be able to find someone to buddy up with and show you the sites. You can rent cylinders and weights from Splashsports or Aquatron in Glasgow and both shops run day trips to some of the sites.

3. Oban. Only about eighty miles away from Glasgow but in Scotland we cunningly make a tiny country feel huge by making it take ages and cost a fortune to get anywhere, it's about a two hour drive instead of going down the Clyde or to some of the closer sites in Loch Long which only takes an hour. Puffin Dive Centre are probably your best bet and they offer a full turn up and dive service. They run a RIB shuttle up into the Sound of Mull typically twice a day with cylinder rental and weights. However beware that you'll get two dives on each trip of only around 30 minutes duration, the first will typically be a wreck (often the Thesis) and the second will be a 'scenic' dive on the way back to Oban. So a four hour return trip for an hour or so submerged.

HTH