Photograph © Dennis Champ
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St Kilda: The essential guide
In April 2009, the Triton Oceanic team revisited the amazing St Kilda archipelago to research material for an 'Essential Dive Guide' to the Islands, the first major work for 20 years..
Abstract
The volcanic archipelago of St Kilda is an amazing place. Plunging cliffs, towering sea stacs and rocky shores have been battered by centuries of wind and sea’s to form some of the UK’s most stunning underwater landscapes of caves, arches and passageways. The clear, oceanic water supports a spectacularly diverse and stunning range of animals and plants.
Objective
Triton Oceanic Sub Aqua Club undertook their second expedition to the Scottish islands to explore the remote beauty of the islands underwater world to the full, pioneering previously identified virgin dive sites and visiting some of the old favourites. This expedition will form the basis of the 'Essential Guide to St Kilda', a brand new publication featuring the 'top 20' sites across the islands.
Travel
The expedition diving platform was the MV Elizabeth G, a 22.85m ice-class Norwegian rescue ship, and one of the best live-aboard expedition ships in the UK. All our possible needs were catered for: good food, good humour, oxygen, comfortable bunks and more food.
Having been to Kilda over 120 times over the last few years, Skipper Rob Barlow is very experienced. This depth of knowledge dictated the time of the year to conduct the expedition. We left from Malaig on the evening of Friday April 10th (Good Friday) and returned two weeks later on Saturday April 25. People thought we were mad it being too early!
The trip up to St Kilda is dreaded by some and feared by most, but the ship can take almost anything that can be thrown at it providing the team can... Fortunately the weather was amazing, managing to dive seven days in near perfect conditions. As we returned however, we ended up punching through head seas around the East of Skye in a SouthEasterly force nine!
The water temperature was between 9/11C off the archipelago but a slightly chilly 7/8C around Skye. Horizontal visibility around St Kilda varied between 15/35m.
The team
The team consisted of: Rob Barlow (Skipper), Simon Campbell (Expedition leader and #2 Skipper), Jackie Dixon (Dive/Project Manager), Helen Rickets (Crew), Angela Campbell (Cook), O-Ring King (aka Brian Cooper, technician), Justin Owen, Teresa Darbyshire and Jim Donbavand.
The guide
We now have a raft of information from the three expeditions that will take a few months to collate. The guide will feature a fully rounded and documented understanding of the sites; their beauty, dangers, must do’s and don’t do’s from the prospective of the diver and skipper.
We will be blogging a few of the stories written by members of the team but as far as the actual site information goes you will have to wait for the publication
What next?
Simon Campbell will be setting out again in August to tie up some loose ends. Simon will also need a buddy, so you fancy yourself as an 'explorer') please contact him directly for a chat... If possible another rebreather diver and someone who is experienced; some of the dives are pretty challenging!
For further background, read about our first St Kilda expedition. and to see some of the photographs from this trip have a look at Simon's Flickr stream.
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