Sound of Mull – November 2025
Ten members of the club made their way up to Loch Aline to meet up with the Gaelic Rose for a long weekend diving around the island of Mull. At this time of the year, more than any other time, it’s pot luck with the weather and what opportunities will avail themselves.
The weather on the Friday for a road trip along Loch Lomond and through the Scottish Highlands was wet and misty however as we got closer to Loch Aline everything changed.
Despite most of the rest of the country experiencing gales and heavy rain over the weekend we experienced blue skies, sunshine and flat calm conditions and were able to complete four wall dives and a wreck dive on the Hispania. All went well and highlighted the diverse beauty of area and the reason we go back there again and again.
Saturday, dawning fair, we headed out into the Sound to Glas Eileanan, where the Rondo wreck could be found. Rather than the wreck this time, for the first dive of the weekend we dived on almost the opposite side of the island to the wreck though on what turned out to be an amazingly colourful reef full.
After that we headed off into loch Sunart to consider options. Given some of the members present were looking for some experience / training dives we chose a nice shallow dive on the southern coast of the loch. Those that remained on board had the pleasure of watching sea otters playing and a sea eagle overhead.
Tobermory was the port of call for Saturday and Sunday nights where a traditional folk music weekend was being hosted at the Western Isles Hotel on top of the hill A visit to the Mishnish was of course also compulsory which was particularly rowdy as Scotland were playing France on the telly..
Sunday we wanted to do one of the famous wreck dives locally perhaps the Hispania which meant careful planning to avoid strong tidal currents that flow there. Our first dive of the day was just outside Tobermory Bay at the southern end of Calve Island. Once again so much colour and sea life to witness.
After that dive we headed south down the Sound towards the Hispania.
I think we were all aware of the history of the Hispania which struck a rock whilst seeking shelter from a storm in December 1954 and how despite the crew all being saved, captain Dahn had gone down with the ship. Always a sobering thought.
Conditions were prefect for the dive – almost a flat calm sea and no current running at all. The wreck is marked by a buoy and descending the shot line is like being swallowed by the abyss as darkness descends. Soon however the wreck emerges and glows yellow and white in the lights of our torches due to the density of the sponges living on it. Visibility was good and we finned around the wreck accompanied by many large pollock
The weather caught up with us Sadly on the Monday with some light winds and very wetting rain. Leaving Tobermory we had another dive off Calve Island and decided to head back to loch Aline and begin the long journey home
