{"id":14080,"date":"2025-11-02T18:56:50","date_gmt":"2025-11-02T18:56:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ecsac.org.uk\/?p=14080"},"modified":"2025-11-02T18:56:55","modified_gmt":"2025-11-02T18:56:55","slug":"dive-snorkel-trip-to-skye-13th-19th-september-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ecsac.org.uk\/?p=14080","title":{"rendered":"Dive & Snorkel Trip to Skye – 13th – 19th September 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Dive & Snorkel trip to Isle of Skye - 13th - 19th September 2025<\/h4>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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We all made our way up to the Isle of Skye, enjoying spectacular views on the journey, and arrived at our accommodation in Lochbay, Stein on the Waternish peninsula, on the Saturday evening. Loz met Gordon, our skipper, at the slip on arrival as he was preparing the boat for us. The sun was shining and the loch looked flat calm and we had high hopes for the coming week. We got settled into our house and Gordon and Aileen called in later that evening to discuss plans for the next day and introduce us to the all important concept of \u201cSkye time\u201d.<\/p>

The Diving<\/strong><\/h4>

On the Sunday morning, we got our kit sorted out and drove the short journey down the road to the slip. After loading our kit onto the boat and donning our dry suits, we headed out of the loch to the tip of the Waternish peninsula, past the lighthouse, and onwards to our first dive site. We kitted up and then Aileen instructed us in how to enter the water, in pairs, using a backwards roll. It was a long drop into the water but once we were the right way round, the diving was wonderful. The visibility was generally good and there was no current. We just relaxed and enjoyed exploring the rocks and pinnacles. Getting out of the water involved a climb up a well-designed ladder.<\/p>

The dive sites were generally rocky pinnacles and walls and were teeming with fish. We saw Ballen wrasse, Cuckoo wrasse, pollock, bib, scallops, Velvet swimming crabs, edible crabs, hermit crabs, lobster, long-clawed squat lobsters, crawfish, leopard spotted gobies, Devonshire cup corals, sea urchins, lots of different starfish, Snakelocks, Plumrose, beadlet and burrowing anemone, eyelash and bootlace worms, sea squirts and sea oranges.<\/p>

The weather was very changeable with strong winds forecast. We were lucky enough to get our planned four days diving in, although Aileen said we did not see the best dive sites that Skye has to offer. There were no complaints from the divers, however, as we thought the dive sites were wonderful. Gordon\u2019s mastery as a skipper ensured we were always in the lee of an island and we always had fairly slack water. We saw dolphins, seals, cormorants and eagles from the boat and enjoyed the dramatic landscape of this area.<\/p>

Dive Sites:<\/h5>

Sunday 14th September<\/strong>\u00a0– \u00a0Waternish Point & Clett Island<\/p>

Monday 15th September<\/strong>\u00a0– Isay South and Sgeir A Chuain (Rock in the Ocean)<\/p>

Tuesday 16th September<\/strong>\u00a0– \u00a0Sithean & North Pinnacle<\/p>

Wednesday 17th September<\/strong>\u00a0– Isay North West & Lochbay Pinnacle<\/p>

The Snorkelling<\/h4>

As this was a combined dive and snorkel trip, the snorkelers joined us on the boat each day to enjoy a snorkel at a sheltered, shallow location. The timing of each day\u2019s snorkel varied according to the site, tide, and weather conditions. In their wetsuits, the snorkellers were far more vulnerable to the elements than the divers, so frequently boarded the boat in normal clothes and didn\u2019t change into their wetsuits until a few moments before entering the water.<\/p>

Some of the divers also got in the water for a snorkel and discovered how easy the ladder was without a cylinder on your back! As an Open Circuit diver, it was also quite interesting to experience how quiet it was in the water when snorkelling without the sound of your regulators. I understand why people switch to rebreathers now!<\/p>

The snorkel sites provided wonderful opportunities to see younger fish and fry sheltering in the seaweed near shore, flashes of a brilliant variety of red little anemone hiding between rocks, barnacles, shore crabs, harbour crabs, and jelly fish. In the shallower water you could also observe the unusual visual disturbances of fresh water meeting the sea water. It was interesting to experience our dives from a different perspective, with Clett Island a particular highlight when the snorkellers were on the same site as the divers. We could excitedly chat about the common sights we had seen, from entirely different vantage points!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Snorkel Sites:<\/h4>

Sunday 14th September<\/strong>\u00a0– Clett Island<\/p>

Monday 15th September<\/strong>\u00a0– Carnach Beag<\/p>

Tuesday 16th September\u00a0<\/strong>– Ardmore Bay<\/p>

Wednesday 17th September<\/strong>\u00a0– Lavaig Bay<\/p><\/div>

We finished our final dive and snorkel on the Wednesday afternoon in the Loch opposite the slip just as the forecasted winds really picked up. We unloaded quickly and then made our way back to the house to dry our kit off before the storm hit and to prepare for our final meal at the historic Stein Inn. \u00a0<\/p>

On Thursday, we had planned a sight-seeing day and five of us travelled around the Trotternish peninsula to see the Quiraing, the Old Man of Storr and Portree. Clemmie, Dave and Stu started their journeys home. The rest of us left Stein on Friday 19th September, in beautiful sunshine, and drove to Carbost and on to the spectacular Fairy Pools with the backdrop of the Cuillin Hills. We then left Skye on the turntable ferry, inspired by Dave and Clemmie\u2019s journey to Skye that way.<\/p>

Thanks to Loz for planning this trip and many thanks to our buddies and friends who joined us: Dave M, Clemmie, Stuart, Rob, Sue and David H.<\/p>

This trip was thoroughly enjoyable and we would like to thank all the team for their help with cooking and clearing up and support for one another on the dive boat. Thanks to the chefs (Alison, Dave & Clemmie, Rob and Sue) for our wonderful evening meals and to Loz, Stu and David for the clearing up!<\/p>

Want to Know More? Key Facts:<\/h5>

We went with the wonderful\u00a0Dive & Sea The Hebrides<\/strong><\/em>, operated by Gordon and Aileen MacKay. A fantastic setup, they provided morning briefs on the weather and day\u2019s plans, and evening debriefs on how the day had panned out and our experience. Dive and snorkel site briefs were thorough and accurate, with plenty of time at all sites to enjoy the spectacular scenery of our location.<\/p>

The dive boat, MV Elena C, is an Aquastar 33, licensed and insured for 12 passengers and 2 crew. She has a wheelhouse to shelter from the wind, small galley and toilet. Entry is a roll entry and exit via a ladder. Twinsets are discouraged due to the exit method, but there is no problem taking stages, as these can be simply handed up prior to climbing the ladder.<\/p>

Air fills are provided by Dive & Sea The Hebrides and included in your dive fees.<\/p>

Visit their website to book your next club trip:
https:\/\/dive-and-sea-the-hebrides.co.uk\/<\/a><\/p>

Trip report\u00a0 – Alison\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>

Photos – Alison & Clemmie<\/strong><\/p><\/div>

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