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The water of life - IslayBy Richard BoothOnce popular with divers, the 'whisky island' of Islay is now seldom visited. Richard Booth tells the story of his club's expedition to revisit the main dive sites, in the hope that they would mature as nicely as a single malt. |  | |
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As we descended along the shot-line, signs of wreckage loomed out of the green gloom. Torch beams cut through the water, bringing colour and definition to the mass of man-made debris. Outstretched before us lay
the collapsed and shattered remains of a large steam ship.
Our eyes grew accustomed to the jumble of wreckage, and we could make out the shapes of military vehicle chassis, complete with wheels and tyres still attached to corroding axles. Across this wreckage loomed the framework of a large steam engine lying on its side, recognisable by its large cast engine wheels. The debris of the ship's cargo lay all around: large batteries, tyres and other assorted goods scattered across the sea bed by 60 years of storms and Atlantic swell. It was the first diving day of Tyneside BSAC's club expedition to Islay, and we had descended through the green waters onto the wreck of the SS Floristan.
It was the opportunity to dive such wrecks as the Floristan, combined with Islay's intriguing remoteness, that first planted the seeds of an idea for a club expedition. Islay lies just southwest of Jura, the two islands separated by a fast-flowing tidal channel. Both are situated west of the Mull of Kintyre on the Scottish mainland. Islay's exposed location close to the main shipping routes to Liverpool and Glasgow has inevitably resulted in numerous marine casualties, yet its wrecks are little known.
Prior to the expedition, I knew little
about Islay other than it was noted for its distinctive 'peaty' whiskies, with seven distilleries scattered across the island.
The Islay coastline is also famed for its beautiful beaches and rugged cliffs. It is
a natural stopping point for many species
of birds that migrate south from Arctic climes. The island also enjoys a rich Celtic cultural history. In short, Islay has a lot to offer ashore in addition to its diving - this was important, as some of the expedition team were non-divers.
Today, Islay is seldom dived, but back in the 80s it underwent a mini boom, with two dive centres operating on the island. The Port Charlotte hotel still bears testimony to this period, with an impressive display of portholes and other brass wreck mementos donated by visiting dive guests. Other than visiting these waters by chartering your
own liveaboard, the only other way to
dive Islay is by way of an organised, self-sufficient expedition, complete with dive boats and air compressors.
In this relatively remote location, we had to give careful consideration to backing up our fundamental items of equipment. In our case, this meant bringing two portable compressors. This attention to detail saved the trip when the club's brand-new compressor broke down early in the expedition. We were able to continue
diving because this possibility had been foreseen, and another portable petrol compressor had been hired specifically for the duration of the expedition.
All expeditions need a purpose. Ours
was quite simple: to go and do some good diving. That said, the diving had to meet
the expectations and ability of the varied participants, who ranged from a recently trained ocean diver to a qualified first-class diver. Most wrecks around Islay are situated in water shallower than 20m, making them suitable for divers of all standards.
The wrecks
All the expedition participants wanted to dive some of the 250-plus wrecks that are scattered around the Islay coastline. With a total of only six diving days, combined with unpredictable weather conditions, we managed to dive the following sites listed below.
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| | Related articles:
 | SS Otranto
The loss of the Otranto is perhaps one
of the more tragic episodes in Islay’s shipwreck history.
| |  | MV Wyre Majestic
The Wyre Majestic, a 338-ton trawler, ran aground on the rocks at Rubha a Mhill, close to the Bunnahabhain distillery in the Sound of Islay
| |  | Steam Puffer John Strachan
This wreck of a small steam-powered puffer lies among the treacherous rocks and reefs, just off the Ardbeg distillery on the southeast of the island.
| |  | SS Floristan
The SS Floristan was wrecked on the west coast of Islay while en route from Manchester to Freetown in Sierra Leone.
| |  | Paddle Steamer Islay III
This steamer was wrecked on 15 July 1902 while on the final stage of her regular passage between Glasgow and Port Ellen.
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