Scotland Scuba Ideas?

[Dive Tigger]

I am contemplating a trip to Scotland and I have heard that Scotland has some great diving. I am a newer diver (under 50 dives) and I am wondering:

1. Is there any diving tour companies in Scotland?
2. What are some good sites to go to?

Incidentally, I'm a cold-water diver (use a drysuit), so the temp of the water is no biggie for me.

Thanks for any insight you can provide!

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Scapa Flow! But you might need a little more experience and training. Adv nitrox and deco perhaps to really enjoy it.

 

[Gilldiver]

I have looked at Puffin Dive center for a while. I have not dove them, but from emails etc. they seem to have their act together.

http://www.puffin.org.uk/framehome.html

 

[MarkUK]

Scapa Flow is great, and you really don't need adv nitrox and deco to get the most out of it. Scapa has this deep, dark and dangerous rep, and it is not so. The main wrecks - the four cruisers and three battleships from the German WWI fleet - lie in 12-46m, so using a 15-litre single with a three-litre pony as bailout still gives you plenty of time on the wrecks and you don't even have to go into deco. Using 32% or 36% nitrox gives you longer on the wrecks, but there are no real currents to speak of on the wrecks (only on the blockships in the channels, or sounds), the vis is usually anywhere from five or six metres up, and as you can see, they aren't that deep.

Scapa Scuba is the PADI centre up there and they offer guided dives, so if you are a little daunted about jumping in and dropping on to a 600ft, 36,000 tonne battleship, you can have a guide who will show you all the cool stuff and navigate the dive. Makes sense if you are travelling and diving alone.

I have taken two friends up to Scapa for their first British sea dives, after about 50-60 build-up dives abroad and in local quarries, and it is a top spot, but nowhere near as deep and dangerous as its rep.

The Sound of Mull and Oban area off the West Coast as good, as is the east coast around St Abbs/Eyemouth. The latter, in particular, offers some nice, shallow shore dives.

Mark

 

[budgy]

Scotlands many coastal destinations are not that well connected, travel by road can be slow. We have sites on the west coast central belt in the lochs, that are sheltered enough to dive all the year around in just about any weather. There are quite a few spectacular wrecks all around Scotland and many fine drift dives and good scenic dives. The viz on the east coast is usually better, the water is slightly colder and the diving more weather dependant. The charter boats that work places like the Sound of Mull tend to be booked up well in advance and you will probably need to book in Jan or Feb to get a boat in June July. The vis on the west coast is generally better the further north you go.

 

[Hickdive]

You might find it a little difficult to just 'turn up and dive'. Puffin are about the only place in Scotland to offer that service. Most other boats are chartered by clubs/groups of divers well in advance.

However, if you look on more local forums such as Yorkshire Divers (ignore the name BTW), Finstrokes or Conger Alley you might find some spaces on pre-arranged charters.