Scotland

United Kingdom

Bow of this wreck lies at 30m and stern at 50m. There is usually a lot of life on the wreck although diving it from shore you need to watch your depth and time closely.

Shore access: From A78 at Wemyss Bay Hotel turn down Wemyss Bay Road (private road). Park up in the lay-by near the grassy square with a brown wooden fence. Kit up and hop over the fence, down to the rocky shore and access where there are steps cut into the rockface. From the surface you need to drop down to 10m and find the pipe. Follow the pipe down to the fitting (tee into elbow into blank flange) and follow the rope to the bow of the Kintyre.

Boat access: The wreck has a permanent shot line on the bow.

SS Kintyre is also known as Kintyre.

SS Kintyre

"History

The Akka was built in Gothenburg, Sweden, in July 1942. Registered in Stockholm, measuring 133 metres

in length with a beam of 17 metres and a draught of 7.75 metres.

She was a cargo ship with six large holds covered by eight hatches. Her main deck was steel plated with a shelter deck beneath She was capable of speeds up to 12.5 knots, driven by 85 lbs. of pressure from two six cylinder oil engines. Her net weight was 3,053 tons with a gross weight of 5,409 tons.

Amidships was her main superstructure above the engine room, this consisted of the galley, crew's mess rooms, hospital room. Behind these were the 1st and 2nd Engineers and Chief Engineers cabins.

Flights of stairs on either side of the hull, led up to the lounge and saloon, to the sides around the funnel housing were officers cabins. Her main mast rose up from the rear of this.

The next deck up being the boat deck where two lifeboats were swung from davits either side of the funnel, for'ard were the Captains quarters, above which the bridge deck was situated.

The Akka came to grief after the steering failed following a course change, the engines were stopped, but the momentum carried her well on to the Gantock Rocks in the Firth of Clyde. The rocks ripped open her hull from hold No.2. The Captain tried to go astern, this only compounded the damage by increasing the hole to include the engine room. Within 3 or 4 minutes she heeled over and sank. Lifeboats did not have time to clear the suction, and the waves helped by the explosions from the boilers, sunk a number of them.

Three crew went down with her, three later died and there were 27 survivors

Diving

The Akka lies in the position 55 56 43.0N 04 54 20.0W. On an even keel to the Northwest side of Dunoon Bank, she lies on a muddy slope facing down river. The Cardinal navigation buoy marking the main shipping channel is about 50 metres Southwest of the Akka's stern. At low water the depth to the bow is about 16 metres and the stern 24 metres.

In 1962 a two boat drag wire cleared the waters above the Akka to a depth of approximately 14 metres.

The best time to dive the Akka is at high water slack on a neap tide. In mid run the tidal stream can reach up to 2 knots around Dunoon Bank.

Visibility can be as good as 10 metres, but still a little gloomy, so a good torch is essential. The holds do not carry anything of interest as she was transporting iron ore at the time of the sinking. The gunwales rise up about three metres from the main deck of the Akka, which affords you some protection against the current. The broken derrick stumps, now covered with sea life, indicate their position before the clearance sweep. Ropes and cables are strewn over the side supporting more sea life.

The accommodation quarters amidships are left as a skeleton frame work, as much of the plating and the decking has rotted away. Great care must be taken as the frame work is now rotting and can easily collapse.

It is possible to drop down into the hold in front of the bridge and exit through the hole which brought about her demise.

One of the derricks has fallen across forward holds numbers two and three, this can be used as a good guide to lead the way to shallower water.

Silt can cause a problem inside the wreck, so great care should be taken by properly equipped divers. Many dives can be made due to the size of the wreck."

Source: http://www.admiral.org.uk/the_akka.htm

Northwest side of Dunoon Bank

Akka Wreck

Dive into the current, and follow the sea bed out,  the further out the deeper you go.

Some good Scallop Beds around here

Park up next to road on parking bay, the entry point is about 2 meters away.

Isle of Cumbrae is also known as Cumbrae.

Isle of Cumbrae

Easy shallow dive, with plenty of marine life to see.  Enter the water and dive to the left along the reef wall.

Park up on grass verge, then walk over a few rocks into the sea

Millport Bay is also known as Millport.

Millport Bay

From the shore head up the loch a bit, used to be an old pontoon which you could use as a reference and lining up with a big buoy on the far shore drop down to 10m and head out from shore to hopefully hit the wreck.

To yachts are wrecked here, connected by a rope from the bow of the deepest one. Otherwise it's a sandy bottom with not much to see.

Visibility is generally poor but enough to take a look around the wrecks if/when you find them.

Fishing line is a hazard in this area as shore fishing is popular at this beach. 

Due to it's proximity to Faslane Naval Facility the MOD Police will pay a visit to ask a few questions. Keep on their good side by telephoning ahead and letting them know where you are diving. 

Beach at the side of the road with some parking at the railing which overlooks the beach.

Twin Wrecks is also known as Five Wrecks.

Twin Wrecks



Loch Long

Finnart is also known as Finnart Oil Terminal.

Finnart

Depth Junkie dive-site. Not as much to see, the occasional outcrop of rocks and boulders hosts the usual Sea Loch life and you might be lucky to meet the local Grey Seal (affectionately known as Beryl). 

Park on Glen Douglas Road and kit up. Climb the crash barrier at the bottom of the road and head to the shore on the right.

Glen Douglas Road End is also known as GDRE.

Glen Douglas Road End

Almost a wall dive with large outcrops of rock. Tops of the rocks are generally covered with Plumrose Anemones.

Enter the water and head left along the wall. Max depth around 35m with a sandy bottom and a few Fireworks Anemones. Popular site for Edible Crabs and some fish.

Shore fishing is popular at this site and nearby so keep an eye out for fishing line. A good pair of shears come in handy when releasing the Edible Crabs who often get tangled in the fishing line.

Parking either side of the little bridge. Kit up and head under the road through the culvert and down the rocks to the shore. Not an easy access but the addition of some ropes through the culvert and some cemented steps on the rocks does help.

The Caves

Probably the best scenic dive in the Clyde and its Sea Lochs.

Loch Fyne.
Leaving Glasgow on the A82 turn left at Tarbet onto the A83, through Arrocher and over the rest and be thankfull and through Inveraray turn left into furnace. Double back up the Loch in a northerly direction, taking the old road that runs through / past the quarry and heads back up in the direction of Inverary again. Follow the track for approximately 1-2 miles until you see a little road running off down to your right. This is steep and ill-maintained and about 20 yards long, terminating in a small car park area suitable for about 4 vehicles. Walk down through the trees to the shore (about 60 meters ). This is a steep, muddy, rocky path. It can be treacherous. Be wary if you are not dive-fit. At the shoreline in all but high water you should be able to see Stallion Rock breaking the surface just out in front of you. There is a little rocky area where you enter the water. Swim out and slightly to the left about 5m over the shallow shelf until you reach the drop-off. The cliff is straight down and drops to about 35-40m. Or by boat using GPS and echo sounder. Beware as pinnacle just breaks the surface at low tide.

Stallion Rock

A boat wreck at this site, Not much Life on or around it though.



Creggans Pier

Usual Loch sealife of squat lobsters, anemones, small wrasse, dogfish, blennies, edible crabs etc. Lots of decaying crap like a car roof, washing machine, corrugated metal. Big gnome collection midway through dive. All upright and in good nick. Finish dive when wall ends and you are in a gently sloping bay to the south (to the right) of the houses. Easy exit through kelp onto a shingle beach. Obviously, you could do the dive from south to north - hence the THERE AND BACK name sometimes given to this dive.

Loch Fyne. Park at the space on the right looking down towards Kenmore village there is space for 5 cars. Before the houses turn left down to the bay. Kit up on the rocks on the right and head out to the left. Underwater, turn left and head out to 16 meters, this is the top of the cliff face.

SS Kintyre

Snorkeling and Scuba Diving at SS Kintyre