Day 23 – Scotland

24 November

Today we traversed Scotland from the east coast to the west, where we’ll spend the next few days exploring the lochs and sea dives in this region. It was a glorious winter’s day, crisp, chilly, and bathed in blue skies, perfect driving weather.

We made a stop at Loch Lomond, where Rico sampled his first Scottish breakfast, complete with square sausage and tattie scones. Suitably fuelled, we made a quick detour to the Sea Life Loch Lomond Aquarium to stretch our legs and take a look around.

The exhibits were fascinating, sharks, rays, otters, and seahorses, but the standout for us was April the turtle. April is an Olive Ridley turtle who was rescued in the Maldives after becoming entangled in a ghost net. She had already lost her left front flipper in a previous encounter with another net and was also found with a plastic bag around her neck. During treatment, it was discovered that she suffered from a lung infection and buoyancy issues, which meant she could never return to the wild.

So April was flown all the way to Scotland, where she was famously given a bagpipe welcome, something that made us smile whilst hoping that it didn’t frighten her too much! Now, April serves as an ambassador for marine conservation and the fight against ocean plastic pollution, a fitting symbol for resilience and recovery.

Yesterday had been a full day. In the morning we enjoyed our wonderful gully dive at Eyemouth, and in the afternoon, we visited the St Abbs Marine Station, where we met Petra Harsanyi, the Marine Station Manager. We were so inspired by what we learned that we wanted to give the centre proper attention and not condense our report in yesterday’s blog.

We learned that the St Abbs Marine Station was founded by a group of donors and supporters who shared a deep concern about the growing threats to our oceans, from global warming and acidification to pollution and overfishing. Their mission is to understand these complex, interconnected issues through scientific research, while also engaging the local community in conservation efforts. The centre partners with Edinburgh University and runs educational programmes to help local people, especially children, understand how environmental changes affect marine life.

One of the major research projects underway at the moment focuses on the impact of electronics on marine life, particularly relevant as Scotland hosts the world’s largest offshore wind farm. Using tools like genetic analysis, the centre studies how environmental shifts are influencing species diversity and the health of the local ecosystem.

We were shown around the aquarium, which houses a range of native marine species including some enormous spiny lobsters. Petra told us about the increase in sightings of whales, orcas, and dolphins in the area over the summer, evidence of change within the marine environment, similar to our octopus bloom in Cornwall this summer.

As divers, we were particularly excited to hear about the centre’s plans to develop as a dive hub. Thanks to the unique meeting point of the Gulf Stream (bringing warmer water) and the Arctic Tidal Stream (bringing colder water), the St Abbs area enjoys exceptional biodiversity and, interestingly, often better visibility than surrounding sites. There’s potential for both boat and shore diving, including right outside the research centre itself.

We left St Abbs inspired and full of admiration for the team’s dedication. Their blend of science, education, and community involvement is making a real difference. It’s also a reminder that diving and marine research go hand in hand both fuelled by curiosity, respect for the ocean, and a desire to protect it for the future.

The last few days has captured two sides of why we love this journey: the joy of exploration and the inspiration that comes from meeting people who care deeply about the sea. From the story of April the turtle to the incredible work being done at St Abbs, it was a day that reminded us how connected everything is from the smallest creatures to global conservation efforts.The more we travel, the more we realise that The Great Scuba Drive isn’t just about diving, it’s about understanding our relationship with the ocean and the people working tirelessly to protect it.