Kinlochbervie 23-29 th August 2026
We travelled north on Saturday to Inverness. Phil and I met Tim and Steve for a meal at La Tortilla Asesina. On Sunday we continued our journey through stunning scenery to our dive lodge in the village of Sheigra. Mark joined us later that evening and Vlad finally arrived on Monday.
The daily routine was to meet Cathy and Chris, plus Jasper the dog, at the harbour at 8.30am with ropes off at 9am. There is a compressor on board Wild Card, therefore once kit is on the boat it stays there for the duration of the trip. We were usually back around 3pm so we had plenty of time to relax at the lodge, cook an evening meal and walk to the beach, providing the midges were not out in full force. We ate out on Thursday and Friday.
The coastline is stunning. To the south of Kinlochbervie, Gneiss rock headlands and cliffs, to the north sandstone cliffs and white sandy bays. Above water we saw the occasional seal, porpoise, pods of White Sided Dolphin, a Sea Eagle being mobbed by gulls, Gannets, Razorbills, Cormorants, Shags and Northern Divers. Sadly, the Puffins and Guillemots had fledged and departed.
We were blessed with perfect weather. There was a slight swell on Monday but from Tuesday – Friday the sea was flat. This enabled us to dive sites that are only possible when there isn’t any surge or swell. The viz was 10-15m and the water
temperature 12C.
Dive sites:
Monday: AM: Roin 1. Rocky reef, huge boulders, coarse shell sandy seabed. PM: Roin 2. Slabs, ledges, cracks and crevices, boulder field. Coarse shell seabed 25m.
Tuesday: AM: Dughaill. Steep Wall to 40m. PM: Handa. Huge underwater rock plus large boulders.
Wednesday: AM: Dogs Bollocks: Wall leading into a wide gully, massive underwater arch, a surge gully culminating in large sink holes. PM: Dogs South and Jaspers Ledge. A wall leading to a ledge and narrow surge gully.
Thursday: AM Crayfish Alley: a very large underwater rock with walls, ledges, cracks and crevices. PM: Sianna Sgurr: underwater pinnacle.
Friday: Whaleback: Pinnacle with steep walls and gullies. PM: Ministers Point. Surge Gully with winch and diesel engine wreckage, chock stones leading to 4m before dropping into a narrow gully exiting onto large sloping slabs.
The kelp line was around 18m hence the gulleys, walls and channels were covered in marine life. The colour on all sites was mainly provided by pink algae, white and orange Dead Mens Fingers, Elephants Hide, encrusting orange and yellow sponges, Feather Stars, feathery hydroids, Dahlia Anemones, small white starfish, Sun Stars and Common Sea Urchins. Walls were covered in Jewel Anemones and Baked Bean Sea Squirts interspersed with White Lace Sponge. Cracks and crevices were full of Squat and Long Clawed Lobster, Pink Shrimp, Velvet Swimming and Edible Crab. We spotted Common Lobster, Scorpion Fish, Red Blennies, Leopard Spotted Gobies, Dragonets, Ballan Wrasse, female cuckoo Wrasse, shoals of juvenile Pollack and a variety of nudibranch.
Best finds: Inquisitive seal, Octopus, Stalked Jellyfish, Gurnard, Rockling, Ling, Conger Eel, Angler Fish, male Cuckoo Wrasse, numerous large Crawfish, John Dory, large Pollock, Catshark, shoal of Mackerel, Sand eels, Lions Mane and Blue Jellyfish.
Once again Phil and I had a fantastic week with Cathy, Chris and Jasper on board Wild Card. Thanks to Tim, Steve, Mark and Vlad for joining us and being great buddies.