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Dive Scotland with Porpoise Diving... |
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Drift Dives
This part of the West Coast of Scotland offers
World-class drift diving. The archipelago of islands forms
numerous tidal channels, with a huge variety from gentle drifts,
which may be suitable for the less experienced, to the most
extreme dives in Britain. The area includes the infamous
Corryvreckan Whirlpool; the dives around the whirlpool are suited
to only a very small number of the most experienced and fit divers
in the Country.
We understand from our customers that people who do most of their
diving on the south coast, may consider scenic and drift dives as
being inferior to wreck diving. In the Firth of Lorne this is
definitely not the case!
The area has been designated a Special Area of Conservation
because of its rocky reefs and porpoises, and surveys show that
the abundance and variety of marine life on these reefs, which are
the envy of Europe and are second only to St. Kilda.
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Dunchonnuil Sound is a channel between two of the islands in
the Garvellachs chain. It has a wall covered in soft corals
which catches the midday sun. At slack water this is a
favourite site for underwater photographers, and with
appropriate care on the timing and weather conditions gives an
opportunity for less experienced divers to enjoy a colourful,
high-energy site in clear water. However, with the tide at its
fastest, this is a very advanced and exciting drift dive. |
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Cuan Sound is an excellent dive site, that owing to its
shelter and ease of access from Balvicar, can be sheltered and
diveable even in weather conditions that would exclude other
sites. It is a tidal channel with every rock surface covered
in a huge variety of colourful, filter-feeding life. Local
specialities include; the vibrant purple anemone, Sargartia
elegans var cuanensis and a very rare species of sponge,
which fills the cracks in the slate walls. Because of the
strong tides in the area some of the dives in Cuan are
suitable only for experienced divers, although there are more
straightforward sites for less experienced divers close by. We
are always happy to work more than one dive site in the
interests of safety. |
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Torsa Sound is in many ways similar to Cuan, but tides are
less extreme here. It is also a good sheltered dive site, that
can be accessible to us even on a windy day. |
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The Grey Dogs, or Little Corryvreckan, is another of the
famous drift dives in this area. A number of dives are
possible around here. In places the bedrock forms a series of
spectacular gullies and as with all high energy sites the
encrusting life on the rocks is colourful and spectacular. |
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There are a number of other drift dives in our area of
operation, which are less known, but are at least the equal of
the better known sites. |
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