Trip Report : Oban 2002

Two boat weekend, October 2002 by Neil Smitham
Neil Smitham.

With a few drop outs a week or so before the trip, it meant that Jane R was full but Gaelic Rose was down to ten divers. This was still the most divers TSAC had had on a weekend away for quite a few years though.

Friday comes round and all the planning comes into place. Various people finish work early, some have the day off and by tea-time all have set off for the 320 mile journey to Oban from Manchester. Those that had set off earlier were lucky, the road works and hold ups at various stages of the trip meant some people would not arrive until after midnight.

The forecast before going had not been best for alot of parts of Britain. High gale force winds caused havoc and damage in most places. In Oban we seemed to have it just right, and although abit chilly and wet both boats set off on Saturday morning to cross to the Sound of Mull.

To take advantage of the flat sea and lack of rain, Gaelic Rose first went round Kerrera and we dived a wall, south of Glensanda harbour in Loch Linnie (56 32.7 N, 5 34W). Mainly shale and rock it did slope down to 120 meters with plenty of squat lobsters and some edible crabs to look at. Meanwhile, Jane R had sailed up the sound for their first dive and did The Rondo wreck in the Sound of Mull. It sank on 25th January 1935 a few weeks after running aground in a storm on Dearg Sgier reef, bow first, and now lies almost vertical in 53m of water with stern at 6 to 8 m. A good dive was had by all, apart from Rick who wasn't diving this weekend due to pending nasal surgery ! At least it meant there was someone else to steer the boat.

Dave Godson kits up

The afternoon dives saw us at different locations again. We on Gaelic Rose, after our morning dive, had sailed up the sound to get slack water on The Hispania. We made it just at the start of slack, and beat a few other boats that were merging, to the shotline. This 1337 tonne Swedish cargo steamer, lies in approx 30 meters, sank 18th December 1954 after hitting Sgeir More reef in the sound during a storm. She lies slightly to starboard but has plenty of holds and the deck house swim round. Its covered in anenomes. Ian Brown and I dropped down onto the deck house, swam stern over the holds and passed the spare prop to the stern, back along the port side, past the wheelhouse, over the forward holds and to the bow. Quick look inside a vent shaft, bumped me head, swore, (he must have heard it!), and then back to the shot for ascent, along with lots other divers.

The Jane R dived The Shuna, a 1426 tonne heavily laden steamer, in the afternoon. It sank after striking Grey Rocks in a storm, 8th may 1913. It's quite close to shore, and at one point the Captain (Elsper) anchored the bow to shore using a long line as they abandoned the ship in lifeboats, the next day, they turned up in Tobermory. Alas for them, it sank ! And now lies in about 33 meters of water on a silty bed. By all accounts this afternoon dive was a good dive though viz was rather dark.

On then to Tobermory for the night times entertainment. Gaelic Rose was in the harbour first of the six or seven dive boats that would moor up there that evening. Alongside the wall would give us some protection from the expected overnight wind. A quick obligatory walk round the harbour and to report the dolphins we had seen earlier that day was followed by the even more obligatory tea-time drink in The Mishnish . Walking back to the boat later for dinner we were passed by the Jane R divers going the other way having not been moored long. Not bad timing as its only a 100 meter walk ! Late dinner for them it would appear.

Frank, Rachael, Mick and Jeff in The Mish Nish

By the time we had dined, all showered and were heading back to The Mishnish, the others were just heading back for dinner - all not well in the galley on Jane R ? Still, it didn't take them long to join us and took even less time for them to catch up on a few beers. The disco eventually started and the dancers did abit of dancing whilst the drinkers carried on drinking. The other clubs that were there were soon as lively, including one of our old members, Gavin Walker, up on a trip with his club from Sheffield.

Back on board the boat for hot drinks and cheese, it was time for bed for some, chat for others, and singing (badly Colm!) for others. The wind was picking up and even four boats in we were getting knocked around a little.

Sunday morning. Clocks had gone back an hour, that was a bonus ! Wind was up and Bob the skipper advised us to tie everything down. Going from the harbour round Calve island into the Sound of Mull was going to be choppy. And it was.

Jane R

Not as bad as it could have been though. First dive for us was going to be the a wall west of the pier at Loch Ailine. There was a bit of shelter from the wind here and it gave the opportunity for those that wanted to to do a 50 meter bounce. Gradual to start with the wall got steeper (and darker) down to depth. Some edible crabs and squat lobsters and a nice cuckoo wrasse. Slow ascent back up the face to the kelp covered rocks for pick-up. Jane R had followed us down the Sound and nine divers did the same dive.

We moored up on Bobs mooring in Loch Ailine, joined shortly alongside by Jane R to plan the afternoon dive. The idea was to go and dive The Thesis for ourselves. But by the time we got down to it the wind had picked up and blowing to shore, with some current also, wouldn't have left much scope for recovering divers from the water. Plan B. We dived another scenic dive round the corner at Lynn of Morvern (56 30 N, 5 40 W). Quite flat and sandy, seemed a good site for scalloping, think someone must have beaten us to it though. Depth seemed to gradually slip away past the 18 meters we got to, cold enough where we were thanks.

Gaelic Rose returning to Loch Ailine

Back on board it was time for dinner, change of clothing and packing gear. Divvy up of the scallops that would be making the trip back to Manchester with us and then a choppy crossing back into Oban with Dave Godson collecting the money. Unloading at the pier wasn't too bad, height of the boat was about height of the pier so with a few ropes all the gear was unloaded ready for Bob to set off back to Loch Ailine before the weather got too bad. Four of us then had to wait for our drivers, they were on Jane R and about 25 mins behind us. Luckily the rain kept off until just after they had unloaded and the cars were loaded up.

Another good trip for TSAC, Jane R organised by Jeff Pillay and Gaelic Rose by Dave Godson.