MISTY ISLE

Protected Area

Ascrib, Isay and Dunvegan

Why dive here

With 112+ marine species recorded in the area - including blue whales, dolphins, dwarf minke whales, humpback whales and ocean sunfish (mola mola) - MISTY ISLE offers some of Scottish West Coast's richest wreck diving.

Marine lifeBlue Whales, Dolphins, Dwarf Minke Whales, Humpback Whales and Ocean Sunfish (Mola Mola) · 112+ species recorded

CharacterWreck dive · max 4m

StandoutRich in charismatic marine life

The Misty Isle off the Scottish West Coast is one of our favourite little dives when the weather plays ball. This isn't a deep dive, sitting at a maximum of four metres, which makes it an ideal second dip or a great spot for newer divers to experience a wreck without the chill or the pressure. She’s an 8.5-metre fishing vessel that grounded on a reef edge back in 1980 before slipping below the surface. We love how accessible she is; you can spend a good chunk of time poking around the superstructure, which is now totally encrusted in plumose anemones, their white tentacles swaying gently in the surge. You'll spot plenty of blennies darting in and out of the cracks, and often we've seen juvenile pollock schooling just above the deck. The visibility here can be truly surprising on a good day, allowing the sunlight to filter through the kelp forest that surrounds the wreck, creating an almost ethereal glow. Our tip: aim for a high slack tide, as the currents can pick up, and it makes negotiating the kelp much easier. It's a genuinely charming little wreck, full of character and life, a proper slice of Scottish diving without needing to go deep.