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Well, in terms of average dive weekends away, the Atlantic west coast of Shetland is not high on everyone's list of 'to-do's' A few weeks back whilst on a club weekend away in Unst, we considered the possibilities of a weekend based out of Walls, diving the remote sea-stacks and caves along the very exposed coast-line. Mark and Caroline, having recently moved to a half renovated house right next to the pier were persuaded what a really good idea it was going to be if the other 8 of us descended on them for 2 days, among the scaffolding and half finished walls.
The coast here is completely exposed the next shoreline is America 3000 miles away, rugged and always wild, it was to prove mirror calm! Friday, the wind was 2-3 in the NE; it rained but never mind. We trailed the 30 miles or so down the wiggliest roads on the island to Walls, negotiating the show-field for the local agricultural show we'd forgotten was the same weekend (oops) - but this worked in our favor in the long run :)
Saturday morning, it was still raining, but brightening up over the day, the midges were horrendous, but we launched both boats from the boating club, then loaded kit by the Foula Ferry. Out of the sound, then East to Burga Stack, anchoring one boat and leaving the other free, just in case. Kevin and I dropped somewhere near the boat, into about 14m, big boulders covered in life, small remnants of the Avanti Savoyer everywhere, almost nothing recognizable, a 1400t barque she was driven ashore in 1915 with the loss of all crew. We swam down the way, past dozy dogfish, hoaling piltocks. The rocks were covered in dead-mans fingers. Heading gradually back up from 25m or so we found a complex area of rocks, eventually ending up in an archway, pure white sand underneath, plastered with growth and teaming with fish in a strong tidal current stopping us from heading through.
The afternoon, a change of cylinders and this time west onto the eastern corner of Vaila, a privately owned island complete with castle, onto Gaada stacks - this has got to be one of the best scenic dives ever. Approaching from the east, a huge archway in the rocks, John moved the boat through, there at 45 degrees to the first arch was a second even bigger, hidden by a finger of rock. We tucked the boat in. After a while spent climbing the rocks and jumping back in from ever-higher vantage points; our shouts echoing round the rocks...we dropped straight into a pool of boulders about 5m deeper than the surrounding area. Back over the other side we were under the arch, scoured sides covered in dahlia anemones, white, red, purple, orange vying for space, tiny jewel anemones, and single corals. The surge, even on a calm day, pushing us through we turned left round the leg and into the second archway; again filled with colour and life. About 17m or so in depth and about 6m wide, we swam through into a sheltered area, protected by 2 long rocks vertically heading for the surface, dead-mans fingers peachy white all the way up. Here and there a sea-cucumber, sea scorpions, blennies, turbots, more dog-fish, tiny piltocks and a couple of diving birds, silvery-white air trapped in their feathers fishing for lunch. We turned back, the life becoming scarcer back into the Garden of Eden around the arches. Normally a very high energy site, probably only diveable a few days a year.
We lay on our backs, under the archway, the rock clearly visible above, through 17m of water, fish shoaling above us. After a peerie while, we gradually wandered back to the first arch, there half way along, not sure how we'd missed it the first time was a 3rd arch, not quite reaching the surface in the outer leg of the larger arch. It opened out into a bowl, filled with more colour and life than I have ever seen before this far north, tiny corals, pure white deadmen's fingers, we just floated around for 10 minutes or so, until Kevin's gas meant we had to start heading back to the boat.
Once back, we took it in turns to snorkel and free dive among the rocks, the 3rd archway was clearly visible from the outside, only a meter or so beneath the surface. Hours later back than intended, we feasted on barbecue and salads, baked sea-trout courtesy of Vic and followed up by Scott's mum's sticky toffee pudding (orgasmically good!!!) cheesecakes and homebakes acquired from the Show entrants.
After an early night, something to do with all the blood-flow being diverted to stomachs rather than brains, and we were up bright and early for a dive on Da Bak by the Gilltarump. The tide was running south. This was good, as the rocks were sheltered from there and its easy to tell you've ventured out too far as, the tide is more noticeable as soon as you go the wrong side of them. The site was spectacular. We got the boat into one cave, inside it opened out to a chamber perhaps 20m across and 8m high. A second tunnel opening out on the other side of the headland, green light filtering through, a crack invisible to see, but blowing water through with each movement of the waves. Another narrowing into the darkness to one side. The stacks rose sheer out of the water, red sandstone, 100 feet tall, higher in places, a veritable ship-trap.
Tucking into one side, we dropped into a basin of boulders, before heading in towards the rocks. About 15m deep with vertical walls on both sides - again filled with life. The gully narrowed and went to 10m or so and perhaps 2m across, rock steps sheltering every variety of crab, squat lobsters, piltocks and hermit crabs, one area filled with devonshire cup coral, glistening golden in the sun. Gradually heading back down, we reached the end of the rock gully and in 15m of water, it left us in a chimney with a sheer drop down to 28m. Flying down the wall, exhilarating in the clear water, both top and bottom visible we were in a cauldron, completely surrounded by rocks rising to the surface. Must have been 20m across, filled with fish and boulders, an incredible place. We headed back the same way, spending time on the other side of the rocks, playing airplanes in the channels between the rocks where the tide was running. I practiced an open-circuit bailout to the surface, gave Kevin a bit of a fright, he'd forgotten in the hour we'd been in I'd intended to do so!
Quick lunch of more home-bakes, from the hotly contested sponge competition, and out to the Western edge. Rushna Stacks was the intention, however the tide was boiling, whirlpools round the rocks, I hadn't realized it was quite as strong just there. We moved further back about 200m into the channel, the tide still running, but fine. The shot-line was on a ledge; we fell 20m down yet another sheer wall, this time yellow deadmen's fingers, crabs and more dahlia anemones. We moved downwards to around 25m, onto white sand, prawns jumping around, a monkfish tempting small fish, more dogfish, still sleepy. In a narrow gully a rock had fallen to make a natural bridge, Which just had to be swum under - 3 times! We turned and headed back towards the boat. One gully headed inshore, stepped upwards to 9m or so, each step filled with kelp on the top outer edges. As we swam back down into the blue garden-like before one last look at the last gully, a few practice somersaults off the edge (has to be done!) before a final ascent.
Off loading the boat, the sun bright above us, one happy bunch of divers headed back home across the island, already planning our next weekend venture, Yell Sound.
Many thanks to Fiona Watson, BDO of Shetland branch, for this brilliant article on scenic diving in Shetland. If this didnt stir your interest you need to check your pulse! For those with weakness for wrecks Fiona has also written a piece on the E49 and the Gwladmena
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