UKDIVING
PHOTO : LAUREN SMITH
Mermaid ’ s purse ( shark egg ) in Lochcarron
Scottish Highlands . Introductions complete , we convoyed further north to our first stop – Lochcarron . The core team of seven became acquainted with each other and even more intimately with Culicoides impunctatus , the Highland midge , as we set up camp and settled into our back-to-basics approach to the Great Outdoors . From my converted campervan to Donavan ’ s pop-up tent , we weren ’ t exactly on the five-star trail , but who needs a B & B when you have a circle of camp chairs , a BBQ and a midge net ?
Day one saw us diving around Loch Duich , the sites visited being Ratagan Youth Hostel , the Rubbish Dump and School Bay . We had the benefit of some local experts in BSAC divers Chris Rickard and Lauren Smith , the minds behind Shark and Skate Citizen Science Scotland
They enthused the group with their knowledge of the abundance of life in Scottish seas . From sea cucumbers to Norwegian topknots , their marine life expertise was hugely appreciated . We even found some discarded egg cases that suggested the presence of thornback rays in the area , although the elusive flapper skate wasn ’ t to be seen . For me , the star of the show had to be the eerie vistas of slender and phosphorescent sea pens in School Bay . The naturally low visibility at this site almost added to the mystique . As I hovered around the site with my dive buddy Mike , I couldn ’ t help but think that few other divers were
PHOTO : DONOVAN LEWIS likely to have ticked off this dive , which made it all the more adventurous to me .
Talking of adventure , access to the aptly named Rubbish Dump isn ’ t for the light hearted . Even at high water , the team found themselves clambering down a 10-metre cliff face to get in , quite a challenge for the camera operators in the group . Still , a bit of teamwork goes a long way and we all managed it unscathed .
The site lived up to its name , but one man ’ s rubbish is another ’ s treasure ; I secured myself a china cup and saucer , which came in handy around camp for the remainder of the trip . Having overcome the hardship of the post-dive climb back up in full kit and with Hannah ’ s drone still in the air , the expedition spirit took hold as some , myself included , took the Leap of Faith , plunging back into the dark waters , after de-kitting of course !
Evening activities included an honourseven football match ( Eng 0 - 0 Scot ) thanks to the gods of wi-fi , broadcast live from the comfort of my camper .
An early rise was required to catch slack water at Lochcarron , just after 8am . We dived Conservation Bay and later a drift from Strome Castle to Lochcarron Slip - check out Anita Sherwood ’ s brilliant ‘ Top 100 British Shore Dives ’ for more information on how to dive these sites .
We had an amazing first dive at Conservation Bay . The nudibranchs and flame shells were enough to keep me entertained , but there were also masses of crustaceans , playful butterfish and even a catshark egg case with embryo clearly visible .
Then it was onto Strome Castle , where after a long swim out we were treated to a drift dive across channels of dead men ’ s fingers . Once we emerged from the water , Scottish summer had finally arrived , the beaming sun a welcome opportunity for some topside filming and attempts to dry out some of the more fragile drysuits . The most ‘ northern diver ’ of the clan , Ross McLaren ( of Kilmarnock Sub Aqua Club ) and I compared notes , and photos on previous dive adventures . We concluded that Lochcarron offered some of the best shore diving we ’ d ever experienced ... and
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