SHETLANDSPECIAL
The NorthLink ferry service to Shetland had been closed to all but residents and important workers up until July . Thankfully COVIDsecure sailings resumed just prior to our trip . The Clasina employs a comprehensive COVID checklist that you complete online before boarding .
With Storm Ellen spinning its life out at sea , our trip was looking promising . We wisely decided to add a few days ahead of boarding Clasina . It ’ s a 550-mile hack to Shetland from the Midlands , though the last 210 miles are spent relaxing overnight on the ferry . You ’ re actually closer to Oslo than London when you finally reach port in Lerwick .
We fitted in a cheeky dive in Eyemouth at Greenend ’ s Gully after the first leg of our journey . Scattered showers in the area gave way to sun , and we enjoyed an amazing rainbow over St Abbs head , which I considered to be a good omen .
Our route took us up the A9 through the Cairngorms , which if you have not experienced is really worth a look . Cruising through silent valleys carpeted with heather was quite an epiphany for me . Yet more amazing scenery in Scotland ! We overnighted in luxury , in Charles ’ VW campervan , and enjoyed the sunset over the River Dee . The next morning found us en-route for Aberdeen . We just happened to call in at a few whiskey distilleries leaving my wallet a little lighter than it had been !
Aberdeen was in lockdown when we arrived and eerily dormant . The ferry staff ensured that everyone maintained social distancing while onboard . After dinner we met the group who would join us on Clasina . Albeit all donning facemasks , meeting folks you ’ re going to share a live-aboard with is a nice icebreaker , and a welcome start to our trip . Most of the group we met were from Cheshire Sub-Aqua Club ( CSAC ). They waxed lyrical about previous dive trips to Shetland , spurring our anticipation .
Cloudy skies welcomed us to Lerwick . The club spirit was pervasive , with our new dive buddies lending a hand with our equipment down the pier to our home for the next week . Prior to boarding Clasina the crew walk you through their onboard COVID protocol ; a sensible one-way system , several handcleaning stations , the wearing of masks , leaving you feeling safe , and secure . All very professional and well-organised .
The briefings each day started with the skipper and his whiteboard . They all began the same , with Bob scribbling www . mvhalton . co . uk , a cheeky soft-sell , which prompted a chuckle from me every time . The briefings were excellent with Bob explaining the shipwreck ’ s history , the bits of interest to wreck aficionados , the marine life often seen , and – crucial knowledge for photographers – where the ‘ money shot ’ was to be had . The pre-dive excitement started to well up , with our first site only a few miles from port .
Day 1 – The Gift
MV Clasina in her debut season
The Fraoch Ban ( Gaelic for white heather ) a 15-metre fishing vessel lies on its port side at a depth of 32m , on a bed of white sand . It sank in 1999 after its cargo of sand eels shifted , causing it to capsize . The wreck is intact , perfect for a shakedown dive , with little tide and a straightforward descent down the shotline .
I loved that you could see the entire wreck encircled by schooling fish . ‘ A gift ’, as the skipper put it in his briefing , were the plaice on the bottom that came right up to you in numbers , attracted by the sand we were trying not to kick up . We also spied an angler fish off the bow , an octopus on the deck , and an interesting species of spiny spider crab we ’ d not seen previously . Certainly , a dive that had something for everyone .
The second dive found us at Noss Head . The dive takes place below a dramatic cliff face scarred with deep clefts , home to the largest colony of gannets in the UK , which are said to buzz divers on the surface when SMBs are up . Following the cliff face down , you end up in a field of large boulders , with healthy numbers of juvenile cod hugging their outlines . Some are scoured clean in places from centuries of swell , while others are festooned with purple encrusting sponges , dotted with dead man ’ s fingers , sun stars , and dahlia anemones .
A couple of grey seals flew by on the dive , but retreated into the privacy of a cave , not to be seen again . Dramatic views up the gullies were obscured that day by less-than-perfect visibility , owing in part to the swell . A dive worth repeating in calmer conditions .
Giant plaice at Bura Ness
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