Brian Miller enjoys a full-throttle dive at Oban’ s premier adrenaline ride
Let it flow!
Brian Miller enjoys a full-throttle dive at Oban’ s premier adrenaline ride
Briefing: Have you ever wondered what it would feel like to be flushed down a toilet? If so, my curious friend, the Falls of Lora is the dive for you. With tidal streams of up to eight knots and fierce eddies that will have you spinning like a spider in a bath plughole, I can guarantee it’ s the most thrilling thing you can do underwater without putting ferrets in your drysuit.
The dive: The Falls of Lora gurgle evilly under the Connel Bridge, about six miles northeast of Oban. The bridge spans a narrow strait where the entire contents of the Atlantic Ocean are trying to force themselves into Loch Etive, creating a phenomenon similar to the one you get when you put your thumb over the end of a hosepipe and squirt cold water at your buddy, you monster.
If you want to play the Falls on‘ difficulty level: easy’ then you can do a shore dive from the car park south of the bridge at slack water. Be aware that‘ slack water’ is a theoretical term around the Falls, so you’ ll want boat cover or at least enough cash in your drysuit to cover the 25-mile bus trip back from wherever you finally wash up.
For the more advanced diver, jumping in off a hard boat when the tide is running is going to provide you with the maximum adrenaline rush. As you reel down you will notice that the visibility at 20m is less gin and more twelve-year-old Speyside malt. Keep close to your buddy at all times – as well as the obvious safety considerations, you’ ll want to see their expression as the roller-coaster ride gets going. Anybody calling this a‘ drift dive’ needs to look up the word‘ drift’ in a dictionary.
The Falls of Lora contain some fascinating and unique wildlife, thanks to the constant flow of nutrient... oh, what’ s the point? Investigating the squidgy stuff in Lora is like doing a safari in a Formula
One car. This is a dive where you literally go with the flow. As you rush towards that rock or feel like a giant hand is pushing you into a 30m gulley, remember that water goes around solid objects, not through them. The tide will take you where it wants to, and won’ t smack you into anything – at least, not very hard.
Don’ t worry too much about where you end up. You might not even make it under the bridge.
Debrief: This is one dive where it’ s not the destination that matters. It’ s the journey, and the friends who laugh at your whirling dSMB along the way. �
Brian makes it back
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