Returning from their epic voyage. Left to right: Martin, Ray, Anne & Peter

Circumnavigation

“Almost had a mutiny on my hands when it came to leave Tobermory“, joked Martin “but it was a trip of a lifetime. None of us will ever forget it”. Four of your club members had just completed their first ever circumnavigation of The isle of Mull. Departing from the mainland loch Creran arriving back eleven hours later with 144 miles showing on the log.

Martins plan took us down the Lynn of Lorn turning north at Lady Rock for the Sound of mull. The sea was flat calm, even this notorious point could only manage a few eddies swirling silently as Duart Castle, the guardian to the sound of Mull came into view on the port side. Creaming along at 20 knots we overhauled several hard boats full of waving divers which we guessed were bound for the Hispania. Plan A was to dive the Hispania so switch to Plan B the Shuna. Success! We had it to our selves.

Mobile Phone Overboard

Martin and Peter had a puzzling half hour dive on this relatively recently discovered intact collier. Upon surfacing to rejoin Ray who did not dive due to a buoyancy problem, they both remarked on hearing the sound of a Mobile Phone. “From the Shot line on the bow capstan, I could hear it immediately, held my breath to see if it was my valve, but it kept on” said Peter. Martin remarked “ I could hear it all over, I thought Ann had dropped her mobile phone and searched all around on the bottom “. Later we thought it was perhaps a dive computer some one had lost and it had gone into error mode. Next heading was for Tobermory and sure enough there were dive boats a plenty on the Hispania. The sea was a little rougher as Calve island hove into view upon our port side but soon we were in the crystal clear waters of the Harbor.

Mutiny

Secure and fuel cans at the ready. Martin laid down the law “Quick refuel, eat your butties and back on board”. “Don’t even think about the Mishnish”. Cat o’ Nine Tails in one hand and Wheel in the other our Captain took us north from the harbor and west for the open sea.

The sea conditions had eased to a light swell and we merrily bounced along rounding The most northerly Ardmore point where shortly the Isle of Skye came into view bathed in the sun of a cloud free Atlantic. The vistas were stupendous and visibility was superb, from Glengorm Castle across to Coll and Tiree, north west to Skye and the mainland we had all the majesty of the Western Isles on display. Turning Caliach Point and we were heading south.

Next stop the Aurania a large liner much broken up sunk in the approaches to Calgary Bay , a good place to access it from. In this exposed position the wreck is scattered and subject to strong currents but it has yielded some fine trophies over the years.

Undoing

Three divers left the RIB but only two completed the dive on the wreck. The unlucky one had left his P Zip undone. Sources onboard said he left the water like a Polaris missile. Ray and Peter surfaced to be picked up by a short clad Martin. Commenting “Is it that warm Martin to put your shorts on?”. “Warm, WARM!” replied our goose pimpled hero “I'm’ FREEZING! I left me *$@~# Zip open! Have you any spare clothes?”

Quiet Trip

We now somewhat quietly began the return leg of our journey . The Skippers’ feet in some gloves, lower section a rugby shirt toped of with a T-shirt and Kagul, plus a silly hat on his head. No appropriate comment was needed about learning experiences.

The wind, fortunately, was behind us now which made for a warmer smoother journey. Trenish Point and time to consult the chart, due south from here will take us by Staffa island and on to the isle of Iona. The shape of Mull was now quite evident as we had to leave the coastline for the most direct rout back. The unmistakable silhouette of Bac Mor (Dutchman’s cap) loomed in the distance upon our starboard bow . This was a steady spin past Staffa and with another look at the chart we were rounding Iona and heading East for base. The last leg of our journey underway, the Southerly coast of Mull the first landmark Loch Buie where the clubs own wreck, The Meldon, lies. With the sun dipping behind the cliffs the air was noticeably cooler but the sea conditions were hotting up and we were literally bouncing along a fair pace.

Grumpy Stuck

Our minds were distracted from the cold by Loch Spelve where one time after running there for shelter the club boats had to be recovered from the beach. This ended up with Grumpy’s van stuck in the shingle, was the air blue that day.

We were now in more sheltered water and passing the wreck site of the Young Fisherman, much visited by the “Club Sub”. With the last rays of the sun touching on Lady’s Rock we were round and the familiar site of Listmore was ahead.

Back in the Lynn of Lorne Martin tuned up the wick to get home whilst we still had the light. Through the shallows of Eriska Shoal and back into Loch Creran full chat up the darkening waters and were hove to off Barcaldine Pier. 21:00 hrs.

Boat: Martins 5M RIB        Fuel Used: 28 Gallons        Port of Call: Tobermory        Dives: Shuna & Aurania

One For The Pot, Not Quite But…………..

Ace seafood diver Willie King has been excelling himself in the catch stakes yet again. Sunday of the recent club trip to Oban, Willie and Peter Bassett took out the club boat to dive. Destination: The mouth of Loch Creran a site that was first explored by our club last year, when it was found to look promising on our Echo Sounder. Sundays dive was not very fruitful as the Lobster Willy found was “Buried” and hence realised, but upon returning the Monday morning, the fruits of the sea were to be reaped a plenty. Mr “Lobby” King surfaced with a three quarter kilo and a two and a half kilo monster. Back in the boat he said “I did not think my bag would hold the second one, it was so huge and when I eventually got it in I nabbed this huge crab. I only had one bag and had to let it go”. Shame!

If It was not for Tony Makins’ bad luck Willy may not have been there. The pair were scheduled to be on a two day Marine Archaeology course at the Lochaline Dive Center. However due to an incident which reportedly involved a trip to a Mill Hill pub, a cycle, a young lady, a kerb and six pints of beer, Tony has a broken wrist. This little setback caused their attendance at the course to be postponed until August. Get well soon Tony.

Site details: Shingle slope with some kelp leading to a rocky drop-off with a mud and sand bottom . Ideal territory for Crabs and Lobsters especially as there is sometimes quite a rip which brings a fair amount of food for the crustacea. Note: Caution is required to dive this site as the loch is quite narrow at this point and Boat cover with A flag is a must. Also, crab will attack and kill lobster, even if much bigger, if bagged together. Buried is a hen with eggs under the tail.

Girls just wanna have...

The chalet– our petite and immaculate, Scandinavian-feel residence, looked directly onto the picturesque Loch Creran and the stunning mountainous region beyond. Ah, to wake up in a place such as this! To roll over, look out of the patio doors and forget you ever had a job or mortgage! And to fill the idle hours… one could hurtle along in the ‘rib’ (- a boat, to those of us that wear nail polish), explore islands so tiny they could be termed ‘large pebbles with a beach’ , and watch in sheer delight as, drenched in pure, Scottish sunshine, an otter was slinking about in the bountiful shoreline waters.

What of the nocturnal entertainment on highland weekenders? There always seems to be some fun to be had! Be it in nearby awnings or curry houses, the conversation, exaggeration and vino flow as freely as the otter swims… girls, in a chalet you don’t need a torch to find the loo! Sammie.