Isle of Gigha (Geea)
The Island
• Community-owned since 2002
• most southerly and one of the most
beautiful of the Hebridean Islands
• Seven miles long by a mile and a
half wide
• three miles west of the Kintyre
peninsular
• Sandy beaches, clear green seas, a
host of wildlife and Achamore
Gardens to explore
• Hotel, self-catering cottages and
many B&B options to choose from
• low lying and influenced by the North
Atlantic Drift the climate is drier and
warmer
The Island (continued) ...
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Named by the Vikings 'Gudey' The
Good Isle or God's Isle
20 minute roll-on roll-off ferry
journey from Tayinloan on the
mainland
Beautiful bays, stunning views and
breathtaking sunsets
lochs and gently sloping hillsides
plentiful variety of wild and birdlife
Achamore Gardens - over 50
acres of rare and unusual plants
surrounded by picturesque
woodland
Nine-hole golf course a short stroll
from the ferry and hotel
watching seals and otters along
the shores
Getting there ...
• Follow directions to Glasgow then
directions for Tayinloan, Argyle off the A83
• Bury to Ferry 327.2 miles (6 hours)
• Ferry well signposted from the main road
• Caledonian MacBrayne runs a car and
passenger ferry to Gigha all year round
Accommodation
Hotel and holiday cottages are owned and run by the Gigha
Heritage Trust:
• South Lodge close to South Pier - sleeps eight
• Achamore House - 4 star B&B
• 9 Ardminish - 3 bedroomed holiday let in Ardminish
village 1 mile from the ferry slip
• 5 Ardminish - Self-catering accomodation in the village
• Springbank - B&B with stunning views over to Islay
• Drumeonbeg
• Camping also available
Diving
• The waters around Argyll and its islands are renowned in
the UK for the rich and varied experiences they offer
divers – wrecks, walls, sealife and scenic
• The area’s underwater landscape is a museum of
shipping history
• Complex tidal flows around the islands, prevailing
southwest winds pushing shipping close to rocky shores
are part of the story
• Harvested a vast collection of ships from the times of the
Vikings to the dispersed Spanish Armada through the
Jacobite rebellions and two world wars to the present
day
Previous Expedition 2009
“Operation Sunrise”
• 12 members from 3 branches (Midlancs., Salford
Uni., Manchester Uni.) sites included drift dives
and reef dives on rarely dived sites
• locating and surveying wrecks HMS Riant,
Ospray II, Moncousu, Karlti and U482 for those
suitably qualified (trimix)
• Site remote so need own RIB and compressor
• Dedicated website
http://www.operationsunrise.co.uk.
http://www.bsac.com/page.asp?section=2714
Wreck – HMS Riant (Green Sea)
REQUISITIONED STEAM DRIFTER (20TH CENTURY)
Canmore ID 222296
Datum Datum not recorded
NGR Desc NR c. 584 481
Form Casualty
Latitude N 55 40
Longitude W 5 50.5
• NR54NE 8002 c. 584 481
N55 40 W5 50.5
(Former name cited as Green Sea and classified as steam drifter:
date of loss cited as 27 January 1940). This vessel was reported
damaged and sinking off Gigha (Location cited as N55 40.5 W5
50.5: no stated authority).
Wreck – Isle of Gigha
• Material reported under RoW amnesty
(2001): A1464 2 soup plates, 1 clock: from
seabed.
(No accurate location cited).
NMRS, MS/829/35.
• http://www.plimsoll.org/images/90039_tcm
4-332874.pdf
Wreck - Barque
• Alternative Names Lein Point; Gigulm;
Gigalum Island; Isle Of Gigha; Gigha
Island; North Channel; Challenge
Site Type BARQUE (19TH CENTURY)
Canmore ID 114924
Datum Datum not recorded
NGR Desc NR c. 633 455
Form Casualty
Latitude N 55 38.7
Longitude W 5 45.7
Wreck - Aska
• LINER, STEAMSHIP (20TH CENTURY)
Canmore ID 102680
Datum WGS84 - Lat/Long
Latitude N 55 38.2128
Longitude W 5 45.6462
• NW of Cara Isle
• Lat (N)55 38' 11 Long (W)05 45' 37
• Max Depth10.00
• Vessel Type Steel Steamship
• Year Sank 1940 - Attacked by German bomber
• Scattered wreckage
• very exposed
Wreck - Staffa
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SE tip Cath Sgeir Rocks
Lat (N)55 39' 37 Long (W)05 47' 18
Max Depth 15.00
Vessel Type Iron Steamship
Year Sank 1886 - Hit rocks
Well broken but interesting
Subject to swell
Wreck - Moncousu
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NE Gigha
Lat (N)55 42' 38 Long (W)05 39' 49
Max Depth 9.00
Vessel Type Steel Steamship
Year Sank 1943 - Used for bombing practice
First Sank in 1941
Refloated 1943 and re-sunk
Sea life and wrasse
Alternative
North Carolina
East Coast of America
Dive the Graveyard of the Atlantic
with Discovery Diving
http://www.discoverydiving.com/
Dive Centre
• Discovery Diving Co.Inc.414 Orange St,
Beaufort , NC 28516 www.discoverydiving.com
• 6 or more people $105 (£69.58) per person per
day
• one place free with every eight paid
• Rent Aluminum 80’s and 100’s with standard
yoke connections cost (as at 6th March 2013)
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Air 80 - $5 (£3.31)
Air 100 - $10 (£6.63)
Nitrox (30%) 80 - $12 (£7.95)
Nitrox (30%) 100 - $18 (£11.93)
Best time to go
• Season May-October
• visibility often reaching 100 feet
• Wetsuits:
– Summer 3mm
– Spring or Autumn 5-7mm
• Located on North Carolina's
Crystal Coast, Beaufort is a
quaint historic fishing town with
beaches, golf, fishing and a
host of other activities located
nearby
How to get there
• Closest airport is Coastal
Carolina Regional Airport
(EWN) New Bern
• Serviced by Delta
(through Atlanta and
Philadelphia) and US
Airways (through
Charlotte)
• pickup at New Bern
Airport $350 roundtrip
(£231.93)
Accommodation
• House let - Prices for mid-July 2014 (11 days)
$2499.50 (£1656.29)- 5 Beds/4 Baths (sleeps
10)
• Core Creek Lodge Beaufort prices start at $49.
95 (£33.10) per day
• Beaufort Harbour Suites, Cedar St. Beaufort Rates (6th March 2013) May-October:
– $125.00(£82.83) Sunday-Thursday
– $145.00(£96.08) Friday-Saturday
Diving
• North Carolina diving is best known for its
collection of shipwrecks
• In addition there are offshore ledges and
shore diving locations