Tiree Winter Windsurfing
February 24, 2009 on 6:35 pm | In Windsurfing | No Comments
Having just got back from 10 weeks in South Africa it is hard not to be cynical of the watersports conditions in Scotland…. Or is it?
Tiree in February equals air temperatures in single figures, occasionally touching 10 degrees and water temperature that requires all of the 6mm of your wetsuit to be doing its job. However I can’t get away from the feeling that I am desperate to get back in the water….
Cape Town has 20 degrees plus on a daily basis and certainly more consistant wind and waves generally over our winter (their summer) but there is something missing. Maybe it is the sense of achievement felt by braving the elements in one of the most remote parts of Scotland and being warm and active while most of the other inhabitants of the island are freezing in their houses but there is definitely something magnetic about the windsurfing on Tiree at this inhospitable time of year.
We have been back for two weeks now and the lack of wind throughout that period has only made my withdrawal symptoms worse and left me vowing to ‘ get in no matter what the temperature the next windy day’.
We will see if I put my money where my mouth is the next day we have force 5!
William MacLean
http://www.tireewatersports.co.uk
Windsurfer/Kitesurfer running Wild Diamond Watersports in Tiree
DYOD - Dive your own dinner
February 12, 2009 on 10:02 pm | In Diving | No Comments
Like any other outdoor sport, diving makes you hungry. And while chocolate biscuits may be a great way to fight that initial ravenous feeling, there are more sophisticated and adventurous ways to come by your dinner – diving for your own scallops is one of them.
I had the chance to dive for scallops last autumn during a weekend trip to the Sound of Mull of Scotland’s west coast. The Sound of Mull is one of Scotland’s prime dive sites with a range of wrecks to explore as well as a selection of scenic dives all of which are relatively easy to reach from the village of Lochaline.
You’ll want an experienced skipper to help you judge the tides and weather and Lochaline Dive Centre (www.lochalinedivecentre.co.uk) is a good place to start. The village is actually on the mainland and serves as one of the gateways to the Isle of Mull.
But back to the scallops: conditions in the water weren’t going to be ideal on this Sunday as the previous day had witnessed one of the worst storms in the area for decades. It’s not me saying that, it was our skipper at breakfast time calling off any diving for the rest of the day. Sunday dawned and the weather had calmed down considerably although we would still be limited in our choice of dive sites.
Luckily, though, we managed to do a fantastic dive exploring the wreck of the Thesis in the morning. It’s one of the best kept wrecks in the area, giving divers plenty of nooks and crannies to explore as wella s the chance to swim through the ribs that remain of the ship.Come lunchtime, we were ready to get back into the 10 degree water. Apart from the usual scuba equipment, we took large nets and descended to up to 20 metres to hover just above the sandy ground.
The current was strong and made for an effortless dive taking us past squat lobsters and small scallops at first. Looking out for large, fully grown ones we actually had to hurry up and grab them before the current swept us further. While the dive itself was completely effortless, there was many a scallop I simply was too slow to grab and collect.
After about 30 minutes, the net was full and we slowly ascended, planting a signal buoy to make it easier for the boat to pick us up. “This was more like acrobatics”, instructor Paul joked after we were back on the boat.
Back on board, the scallops were shucked and divided evenly among everyone on the trip. And dinner that night tasted more delicious than ever before.
Yvonne Press
http://
Has been diving for six years, most of it in warm water. She started exploring Scotland's waters in 2008.
