A week before the club truck, some very kind club members and our two club RIBS travelled the 9 hours plus journey up to Oban followed by the 1-hour Caledonian ferry ride for the first week of diving.
For the second week we were based in two lovely cottages with great facilities and very close to the main street in Tobermory. With the RIBS were safety moored for the week in Tobermory harbour.
We started the week with dives in Loch Sunart. The waters of Loch Sunart are great for divers of all skill levels. The fast-flowing currents and sheltered waters create the essential conditions for the development of extensive flame shell beds and other great life.
We then dived one of the most famous Sound of Mull wrecks, the Hispania, 644 tonne Swedish steamship. The Hispania sank beneath the waves in December 1954. The dive is very tidal and catching slack is imperative to avoid the currents on this wreck. The logistics are worth it when you are down. The waters are clear, and the ship is covered in life, making for a fantastic dive!
We also had opportunity to dive the Rondo, A 2363 ton Norwegian steamer, she was wrecked enroute to Oslo in 1935. The Rondo lays almost vertically against the cliff with her stern resting on the bottom at 50 meters & her bow 15 meters from the surface. The currents, which run over her, can be strong & as such she must only be dived on slack water. The hull metal is covered in a colourful (orange, white, red and green) anemones and dead men fingers and many other sea life. The wreck was surrounded by other big shoals of fish including shoals of wrasse and pollock.
The clear waters of Mull meant there was plenty to see on most dives including endless nudibranchs, catsharks, jellyfish, lobsters, and crabs.
The weather was very British (wet wet wet) for the week, but we headed out each day. The coxswain looked very stylish piloting the boat with there scuba mask to prevent lashing of rain in their eyes, but they were mostly successful at getting us to a sheltered site. The geography of Mull means it’s known to be very weatherproof with diving options even in the worst of weather. However, on the last day the waves proved too much, and we could not even dive near the harbour.
Each day as we returned from the dive we were reminded of the whiskey distillery that is in the harbour by the whiff of peat smoke that greeted us. In the evening many headed to the variety of restaurants/ pubs in Tobermory for food and to sample one or two of these whiskeys.
There was plenty to explore above water. From walks along the beautiful Calgary bays, trips up to Duart castle, exploring the waterfalls at Aros Park and spotting the wildlife, especially the otters and eagles.
