Day 24 – Gortein Point, Loch Fyne

25 November

Today we dived in Loch Fyne, Scotland’s second-largest sea loch. It’s a long, narrow stretch of water framed by dramatic scenery, rolling hills, steep mountains, and dense green forests. Sometimes it’s called the “silver ribbon”, and standing on its shore this afternoon, it was easy to see why. Rugged, peaceful, and unmistakably Scottish.

We were blessed with a perfect winter’s day. Ice still lined the roadside as we drove, and the sky was a clear, brilliant blue. Sunshine danced on the surface of the loch, and light bounced off the surrounding hills, a scene so still and bright that it almost didn’t feel real.

When we arrived at the dive site and stepped out of the car, the silence was striking. Rico observed, “Can you hear the serenity?” and that summed it up perfectly. The only sounds were running water and distant birdsong.

Not surprisingly, we were the only divers at Gortein Point today, not many others are tempted by a weekday dive in November in Scotland! We imagine that it’s a much busier spot in summer. Although the air was crisp, the water was relatively mild: about 10°C at the surface and 12°C at depth.

We entered from a sloping rock ledge that dropped gently to around three metres. Almost immediately, we were surrounded by life: velvet swimming crabs, common sea urchins, barnacles, limpets, and shore crabs. As we reached the sand and gravel loch bed, the colours deepened and the magic really began.

All around us was a sea of red: long-clawed squat lobsters, common feather stars, and red sea squirts scattered across the bottom. We even spotted a giant hermit crab the largest either of us had ever seen. The visibility was excellent, around 12–15 metres, and every movement revealed something new.

We swam slowly, heading north-northwest against a gentle current. Sophie kept stopping to photograph the incredible marine life while Rico focused on navigation, guiding us with steady precision. We dropped down to around 20 metres and followed a submerged cable that led us to the edge of an underwater cliff. The wall dropped away steeply, reportedly to about 50 metres, but we stayed at the top, content to look down into the abyss.

During our safety stop, the water around us suddenly turned a shimmering orange and gold. At first, we thought we’d disturbed silt, but when we surfaced, the reason became clear. The sun was setting, casting deep golden light across the mountains and turning the loch into liquid gold. It was one of those special moments that we won’t forget.

This dive was one of our favourites of the trip. It was a dive that nourished the soul as much as it thrilled the senses. The rich and varied marine life, the stillness, the setting, and the magic of that golden sunset made it an experience that we’ll never forget.