More West Coast Shore Diving Sites
THE TEA ROOMS, FURNACE N56°:07?:58? W05°: A nice little site for Training, it has a sheltered bay with a rocky inner breakwater reef, and a deeper outer breakwater reef. With easy access to the water, car parking and a very Diver friendly Tea Room with Toilets, it doesn?t get much better. On the North side of Loch Fyne, it is two miles West of Furnace Village and one mile east of Entry to the water is from a small metal walkway into the water at a large boulder, or anywhere across the rocky shore, you can also access the Inner or Outer Reefs from several points on the Breakwater. In the Bay seaweed and rocks give way to a sandy bottom at 4-5m, then it drops down a steep bank which is formed around a large cast iron Boiler onto an easily stirred up silty seabed, at 8-13m. If you navigate due North you will come to the inner reef at about 14m with rocks and boulders hiding lots of Sea life, keeping the wall on your left takes you around the bay and out into the Loch, passing a large chain on the point, following the wall on your left it drops away to around 18m at the bottom of the rocks. Lots of life here, large Wrasse, Pollack, and lots of Crabs and Squat Lobsters, and several large Conger Eels which has been seen in the rocks near the point. To return to your entry point follow the reef round to your right and when you are facing North you can follow this bearing back to the entry point, or you can exit at any of several access points on the Breakwater or the Shore. ST CATHERINES NO 3 REEF N56:12?:40? W05: N56: St Catherines Village on the South side of Loch Fyne has at least 3 reefs, and the easiest way to remember them is by numbering them from the Village, East to West. The No1 Reef is at the Councils yard as you come into the Village, then you have St Catherines Pier, 2 miles further along the road turn right down a small side road and you are at No2 Reef, see other Site Guide, 600 metres further on from the No2 Reef along the same little road is this site. You head along the road until you come to a large clipped Rhododendron Hedge on the This Reef is triangular in shape with the narrowest part at a depth of about 10-12m and the widest part at a depth of 40m+, it is easy to miss as I can confirm, the best way to get on this reef is to swim out on a bearing of 310/320° from the point to a depth of 16-20m then turn right, 2-3 minutes and you will be on the reef. It consists of large boulders on a slope, which drops away quite steeply at 30m to a depth of about 40m then seemingly gets shallower. As you work back up the reef it gets narrower and then becomes a sand/gravel seabed at about 8m. If you take a bearing of 180° you will end up back at the entry point, or stay at 6-8m and swim round the point to find an old bottle bank which will make a good deco stop rummage, a bit further round seals have been regularly seen. There is a report of a Landing Craft at the base of this reef, but I cant find any firm position or confirmation of this although we did find a large odd looking anchor in about 16m just east of the reef which was once obviously attached to something. During the last war this area was used to practice for the D-day Landings, and there are lots of vehicles and equipment which have been lost or abandoned strewn up and down the 
The next Four Dives are all on the North Side of Loch Long, just outside/opposite Arrochar and seem to be accessed from same entry point.
The 29 steps Reef
Finart, Loch Long
8-10m
*** Dived by SQSAC in April 2007***
Old Torpedo Test Station
Arrochar, North Side of Loch Long
Depth 10m+ ?
Again I have not yet dived this site so cant confirm details
Park in large lay-by, opposite loch, or if you can get in, in the road leading to the old torpedo test station. From lay-by enter via steep path onto beach near the old pier, and walk along to the left to find a suitable point to enter (more walking less finning!) swim directly out to find a clear line of sight with the old MOD station, take a bearing drop then go! (If you have parked in the road to the station, step over the fence then down the embankment (carefull it is a swamp!) then enter the water as above.)
The site has loads of 'dumpage' from years of use as a base/testing station.
I have heard there is a torpedo minus warhead (i hope) standing vertically in about 15m
Small reef
Arrochar, North Side of Loch Long
Depth 10m+ ?
Again I have not yet dived this site so cant confirm details
Park in lay-by as above, (or in the small road) and get to the beach as above, entry point is about 1/2 way between the old pier and the headland. Go straight out, in around 12m there is a small reef, - it takes some finding!
Old Pier
Arrochar, North Side of Loch Long
Depth 6-10m+ ?
Again I have not yet dived this site so cant confirm details
Park in lay-by as above, (or in the small road) and get to the beach as above, entry point is at the old pier, straight out, there is some life around the pier supports, in contrast to the one above, you cannot miss this one!
PBY CATALINA , FLYING BOAT
GREAT CUMBRAE, CLYDE.
GPS 55.47.12N 04.53.45W
LYING IN 19M OF WATER OFF GREAT CUMBRAE, THIS AIRCRAFT HAS NOW BEEN DESIGNATED AS A PROTECTED SITE, AND ADOPTED AS AN NAS PROJECT BY THE H20 DIVE CLUB FROM
DURING THE LAST WAR IT WAS ANCHORED UP FOR THE NIGHT, BUT THE DOOR WAS LEFT OPEN, A BIT OF A WIND GOT UP AND IT FILLED WITH WATER AND SANK AT THE MOORING.
CLOSE TO THE FERRY SLIP, EASY TO FIND AND DIVE FROM THE SHORE, IT IS NOW BEGINNING TO SUFFER FROM SHOTLINE AND ANCHOR DAMAGE THE WINGS WHICH WERE ONCE COMPLETE HAVE NOW COLLAPSED AND THE FUSELAGE IS GOING THE SAME WAY
Lying at 19m on a sandy slope just to the left of the ferry slip on Cumbrae.
The easiest way to find it is to swim out directly from the telegraph cable warning pole on shore and find 19 metres