Location: Dunoon, Firth of Clyde, Scotland
Dive dates: 23–25 September 2026
Dive operator: Wreckspeditions
Skipper: Jason
Attendees: Martin, Rob, Ben, Joe and Marc (Marlin), and Sarah (LUEC)

Introduction

The aim of this trip was to explore some of the wrecks of the Firth of Clyde, several of which were still on Marlin members’ to-do lists. The Clyde offers a fantastic variety of wreck diving, from large cargo vessels and historic landing craft to smaller boats and fascinating remnants of Second World War military operations.

The trip had originally been planned for late March, with the hope that the sheltered nature of some of the sites would provide an opportunity for early-season UK diving. Unfortunately, the weather prevented us from diving, and the trip had to be rearranged.

This experience was a useful reminder that, despite the Clyde’s reputation for offering sheltered diving opportunities, conditions can still prevent diving altogether. Based on this experience, I would recommend sticking to the usual UK sea-diving season of May to October rather than relying on the Clyde as an early-season alternative. Weather can cause disruption at any time of year, but travelling during the main diving season should help reduce the risk of disappointment.

Dive Conditions and Suitability

The water temperature during the trip was approximately 14°C, so suitable exposure protection for cold-water UK diving was essential.

This trip was intended for experienced sports divers undertaking dives requiring the 40m depth progression and, where applicable, the Accelerated Decompression Procedures skills development course. Several of the sites involve deeper diving, and the combination of depth, cold water, wreck orientation and potential decompression requirements means that divers should be comfortable with their equipment, buoyancy control and dive planning. The appropriate qualifications, experience and equipment should always be confirmed with the skipper before booking.

As with all UK wreck diving, the planned depth and dive profile should remain within each diver’s training and personal limits, with appropriate gas planning and decompression procedures where required.

Getting There

The drive from Nuneaton to Dunoon takes approximately six and a half hours, including a ferry crossing. Those of us with any sense therefore decided to set off around lunchtime on Tuesday 22 September 2026. This gave us plenty of time to make the journey, cross to Dunoon and settle into our accommodation before diving began the following morning.

It is possible to drive all the way to Dunoon without using a ferry, although this adds considerable time and distance to the journey. If you fancy exploring this alternative, speak to Joe, who can provide further details.

Ferry Crossing

The recommended route is to use Western Ferries, travelling from Gourock (McInroy’s Point) to Dunoon (Hunters Quay).

Be careful not to confuse this with the Caledonian MacBrayne service operating in the same general area. For this journey, Western Ferries is the recommended option.

Another useful tip is to check ticket prices before purchasing them at the ferry terminal, as buying in advance through other outlets may be cheaper. One option is to purchase tickets from a Co-op store in Greenock, where there are several shops along the route. Simply ask for the appropriate return crossing ticket for your vehicle and the number of passengers.

I have deliberately omitted ferry timetables and prices from this report, as these can change. Check the current arrangements and fares before travelling.

Accommodation

There are plenty of accommodation options in and around Dunoon, including B&Bs and Airbnb properties.

One particularly useful discovery was that Jason, our skipper, can arrange an Airbnb property capable of accommodating up to eight people at a competitive rate. This is certainly worth investigating for future club trips, as it could provide a convenient base for the group and help keep costs down.

Martin, Ben and I stayed at the Royal Marine Hotel. Unfortunately, based on our experience, I would not recommend staying there. At the time of our visit, the operation appeared unreliable, and I would have been reluctant to leave a deposit. There are other options in the area, so I would suggest exploring these before making a booking.

Food and Drink

There are several decent options around Dunoon for evening meals, with something to suit different budgets and tastes.

  • Hunters Bar & Grill: Located within Hunters Quay Holiday Village, this is a convenient option for straightforward pub-style food at a reasonable price.
  • The 51st State: Situated in Dunoon, this restaurant offers American-style cuisine and is a good alternative if you fancy something different.
  • The Lorne: Another option in Dunoon, serving very good food and drinks. Cocktails are also available if that is how you choose to live your life! The quality is reflected in the price, making this the most expensive of the options mentioned.

For lunch, there is a café at Holy Loch Marina, which is particularly convenient as this is generally where the dive boat launches. It provides an easy option for grabbing something to eat without having to travel far between dives.

Dive Operator – Wreckspeditions

All diving was undertaken with Wreckspeditions, run by Jason.

Jason operates a single rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RIB), capable of accommodating up to eight recreational divers or six technical divers, depending on equipment and configuration. Despite operating from a RIB rather than a larger hard boat, he has an efficient system for loading equipment and getting divers into and out of the water.

The operation was well organised, and the boat was perfectly suited to accessing the range of sites we wanted to visit.

There were also some important additional benefits to diving with Jason: his hot chocolate is excellent, and the home-baked treats are fantastic! These are always welcome additions to a day of UK diving, particularly when the Scottish weather reminds you that you are not in the Mediterranean.

Overall, Wreckspeditions provided a convenient way to access the Clyde’s wrecks, and I would recommend considering Jason for future trips to the area.

Day 1 – Wednesday 23 September

Dive 1: MV Akka

The first dive of the trip was on the MV Akka, one of the best-known and most impressive wrecks in the Firth of Clyde.

The Akka was a Swedish cargo vessel carrying iron ore when she ran aground on the Gantock Rocks in April 1956. Following the damage sustained during the grounding, she sank, resulting in the loss of six crew members. The upper sections of her bridge and other structures were subsequently removed to reduce the hazard to shipping.

Today, the wreck lies upright on the seabed and remains a major attraction for Clyde wreck divers. The seabed slopes from approximately 30m at the bow to around 40m at the stern. Much of the vessel remains recognisable, and the wreck is well known for its extensive marine growth, including anemones and brittlestars.

The combination of its size, history and marine life makes the Akka an excellent introduction to the area’s wreck diving and a fitting start to the trip.

Further information: Scottish Shipwrecks – Akka

Dive 2: Aurelia, Loch Goil

Our second dive took us to the Aurelia, located towards the upper end of Loch Goil.

Loch Goil is a sheltered sea loch branching off Loch Long, offering a very different setting from the more exposed wreck sites in the Firth of Clyde.

The Aurelia is a small wooden-hulled boat that was reportedly partway through conversion into a birdwatching liveaboard when she sank. The wreck is mostly intact, and its layout is similar to that of the Honeydew, making it an interesting site for divers who enjoy exploring smaller vessels rather than the larger steel wrecks commonly associated with the Clyde.

We descended on a shotline positioned to the north of the rudder and explored the wreck, encountering horse mussels and firework anemones along the way. With a maximum depth of approximately 25m, the Aurelia provided a different style of wreck dive from the Akka and a good opportunity to appreciate the marine life found around the Clyde’s smaller wrecks.

Day 2 – Thursday 24 September

Dive 3: Greenock Dredger, Firth of Clyde

The first dive of day two was on the Greenock Dredger, another interesting wreck in the Firth of Clyde.

The Greenock was an iron steam dredger built in 1876. She sank following a collision on 18 November 1902, west of Cloch Point. The wreck is approximately 55m long and lies in around 27m of water, making it a substantial site in its own right.

Unlike a conventional cargo ship, a dredger is designed to remove sediment from the seabed to maintain navigable channels and harbour approaches. The wreck is therefore a particularly interesting example of the working vessels that helped keep Scotland’s busy ports and waterways operational.

The Greenock provides a glimpse into the industrial and maritime history of the Clyde and offers something different from the cargo ships and military wrecks visited elsewhere on the trip.

Dive 4: Second World War American Landing Craft, Holy Loch

Our second dive of the day was on a Second World War American landing craft located outside Holy Loch.

Landing craft played a vital role in Allied amphibious operations during the Second World War, transporting troops, vehicles and equipment between ships and shore. Their relatively shallow draught and practical construction allowed them to operate close to beaches and other landing points where larger vessels could not go.

The presence of this wreck is a reminder of the Clyde’s importance during the war. The wider area was heavily involved in naval activity, military transport, and the movement of Allied personnel and equipment.

Compared with the larger cargo wrecks, a landing craft offers a different perspective on wartime maritime history, focusing on the smaller vessels that supported military operations rather than the ships that carried cargo across the oceans.

Day 3 – Friday 25 September

Dive 5: Unknown Motor Torpedo Boat, Loch Striven

For the final day, we headed into Loch Striven to dive an unidentified motor torpedo boat.

To meet Jason, we drove around to the parking area at Finnart Point, where there is a slipway. This provided a different launch arrangement from the previous days and allowed us to access the sites in Loch Striven.

Motor torpedo boats were small, fast military craft designed for coastal operations. Armed with torpedoes, they were intended to attack larger enemy vessels, relying on speed and manoeuvrability rather than heavy armour.

Their compact construction and military purpose make them particularly interesting subjects for wreck divers. Unfortunately, the identity and precise history of this wooden-hulled boat remain unconfirmed, so it is best treated as an unidentified military wreck rather than assigning it a specific wartime role or history.

The wreck has scalloped torpedo launchers on the hull, and a considerable amount of brass pipework remains.

The dive reached a maximum depth of 44m, making this one of the deeper dives of the trip and highlighting the importance of appropriate qualifications, experience and dive planning.

Dive 6: Highball Bombs, Anchor and Chain, Loch Striven

The final dive of the trip took us to one of the Clyde’s most unusual historical sites: the Highball bouncing bombs in Loch Striven, along with the associated anchor and chain.

During the Second World War, Loch Striven was used to test the Highball bouncing bomb, a weapon developed by Barnes Wallis. Highball was a smaller, spherical version of the bouncing-bomb concept associated with the famous Dambusters raid. Unlike the larger Upkeep bomb used against dams, Highball was designed primarily for use against ships.

Trials were carried out in Scottish waters during the war, with aircraft testing the weapon against target vessels to investigate its performance. The remains associated with these trials make Loch Striven a particularly unusual dive site, combining military history with the experience of exploring the seabed.

The site starts at a side charge, believed to be associated with an X-Craft-type submarine, and includes surviving Highball bombs, together with a lost anchor and chain that divers can use as reference points when exploring the area.

Martin and I relaid the diver trail line from the side charge to a group of three Highballs and repositioned a rope from the chain to a further two. The bombs are a fascinating reminder of the experimental work undertaken during the war and the role Scotland played in developing new weapons technology.

Two Highball bombs were recovered from Loch Striven in 2017 by Royal Navy clearance divers working with BSAC divers, adding another chapter to the story of this unusual site.

The dive reached a maximum depth of 37m. It was a fitting dive with which to finish the trip, offering something very different from the conventional shipwrecks visited over the previous two days.

Further information:

  • Royal Navy – Highball bombs recovered from Loch Striven
  • BSAC Project Highball Report 2017

Summary and Recommendations

The trip provided an excellent opportunity to explore a selection of wrecks around the Firth of Clyde and its surrounding sea lochs. From the substantial cargo vessel Akka and the smaller wooden-hulled Aurelia to the Greenock Dredger, wartime landing craft and unusual military sites in Loch Striven, the area offers a diverse range of diving for clubs looking to explore something different from their usual UK coastal sites.

The water temperature of 14°C was a reminder of the cold-water conditions divers should prepare for when visiting Scottish wreck sites. The depth range across the trip, including dives to 44m, makes this a destination best suited to experienced sports divers with the appropriate depth progression, qualifications, equipment and experience for their planned dives.

The main lesson from the planning process is that, although the Clyde has some sheltered locations, it should not be considered immune to poor weather. Our unsuccessful attempt in March demonstrated that early-season diving is not guaranteed, so I would recommend planning trips between May and October wherever possible.

For anyone considering a similar trip, my main recommendations are:

  • Allow plenty of time for the journey. Travelling up the day before diving makes the first morning far more relaxed.
  • Plan the ferry crossing in advance. Use Western Ferries from Gourock to Dunoon, and check current prices and arrangements before setting off.
  • Investigate group accommodation. Jason may be able to arrange an Airbnb property suitable for a larger group, potentially simplifying logistics and reducing costs.
  • Use a local skipper. Wreckspeditions offers access to a varied selection of Clyde wrecks and a well-organised RIB operation.
  • Keep the weather in mind. Even relatively sheltered sites can be affected by conditions, so retain some flexibility in the schedule.
  • Make sure the trip suits your experience. Confirm the planned depths and qualification requirements with the skipper before booking.

Overall, the Clyde is well worth considering for a club wreck-diving trip. Its combination of maritime history, varied wrecks and unusual wartime sites makes it a rewarding destination, particularly for members looking to broaden their UK diving experience.

Many thanks to Jason at Wreckspeditions for the boat operation and hospitality, and to everyone who attended for making the trip possible.