Day 26 – Drishaig Reef, Loch Fyne

27 November

Today we dived at Drishaig Reef on Loch Fyne, the longest sea loch in Scotland. Our dive site was near the top end of the loch, close to where the saltwater meets the freshwater river. As we drove there, the steep hills rising sharply on either side reminded us of fjords, dramatic, green, and with a huge sense of grandeur.

We entered the water through a patch thick with bladderwrack, the familiar brown seaweed that thrives along rocky shorelines. Because of the recent heavy rain and the composition of the surrounding soil, the river water flowing into the loch was a deep peaty red, colouring the surface layers of the loch. As the fresh and saltwater mixed, the visibility became slightly blurred and shimmery, but once we descended past 3–4 metres, the water cleared, and the light shifted to a different tone.

There was a gentle wind on the surface of the loch, creating a bit of chop, but below the waterline it was calm and still. We headed southwest until we reached about 10 metres, then turned southeast to follow the 10-metre reef. The reef was busy with life; dogfish, Dublin Bay prawns, hermit crabs, long-clawed spiny lobsters, velvet swimming crabs, and shore crabs all darting around.

When we reached the end of the 10-metre reef, we decided to head east and drop down to the 22-metre reef, which extends down to 30 metres. We stayed near the top, where the reef was alive with activity. There were blennies and a wonderful collection of catsharks tucked under the kelp, some were out in the open, others half- buried and dozing. Seeing so many in one dive was amazing, from small juveniles to full-grown adults.

We followed the 22-metre reef westward, looping back toward the shallows for our safety stop. There, we spotted a beautiful moon whelk gliding slowly across the sand a lovely end to the dive.

This was a 50-minute dive, with visibility around 8 metres. The water temperature wasn’t any colder than our recent dives at around 11 degrees, but it somehow felt colder, perhaps the combination of depth and stillness. The fine sediment on the loch bed stirred easily with the slightest movement, catching the light like glitter. Later research told us this sparkle was likely caused by manganese carbonate crystals that are tiny mineral formations whose structure reflects light in a silvery shimmer.

At depth, the tide disappeared entirely, leaving only that calm, suspended feeling that comes from diving deep. It was a strange and wonderful environment, dark, red- brown water at the surface giving way to clearer, dark green-blue depths below.

As we surfaced and began to pack up, the rain stopped, and a breathtaking sunset painted the heather-covered hills in shades of red and gold. It was one of those

quiet, perfect endings to a lovely dive.