Day 1
The first day of the tour! I packed all my gear and checked out of Dunmore House. They were kind enough to let me store my backpack there for the day while I went out on the boat. It was a bit drizzly, but nothing too disheartening.
I found a nice café that does decent coffee and made my way to the North Pier. The other members of the group were already gathered, and we were met by our guide for the day, Evan. He directed the ten of us to the boat, where we had a quick safety brief with the captain, Shane.
We set off south to the Slate Islands, where we’d be doing our first dive. On the way, we passed the Corryvreckan Whirlpool — the third largest in the world. We’d come at the right time; at a different tide it could be very dangerous. Still, it was quite choppy. Pretty cool.
We arrived at one of the Slate Islands, which used to be a quarry that exported slate all over the world. It was abandoned after WWI and is now completely submerged in fresh water. The group suited up and swam to shore — a slippery walk up the bank and over into the quarry.
My 7mm wetsuit was a little big on me, except for the hood which didn’t fit my big noggin, but after the initial shock of the cold water it was fine swimming. The quarry was peaceful, and we spotted an old submerged mine cart, still full of slate. There were old ruins too, left behind from when miners and their families lived on the island.
We had a good look around before swimming back to the boat. We saw two seals swimming in the distance, but they were too far away to get a decent photo.
Back in Oban, I picked up my backpack and checked into the Airbnb that would be my home for the next week — a cosy apartment just two minutes from the pier. I did a grocery shop and cooked my first meal since I began travelling: spag bol! With enough leftovers for a few more meals.
Exhausted, I went to bed — super keen for Day 2.
Day 2
An early start today as we were travelling a fair distance out to the Isle of Coll. Shane took the boat out west with our alternate guide, Ben. We passed Duart Castle of Clan Maclean — very impressive perched overlooking the water. Apparently, it still gets used in TV shows and films.
After quite a ride, we finally made it to Coll. We suited up and dove in. The weather was amazing — blue skies and sunshine — giving us great visibility in the water. The area we snorkelled was called The Lagoon, and it was full of sea life. A few curious but cautious seals were nearby, plus plenty of jellyfish, sand eels, crabs and more. It was very peaceful swimming amongst the seaweed and watching the underwater life.
I had a close encounter with a seal but wasn’t able to get the camera out in time. It had been following me quite closely and gave me a proper startle when I turned around — I think I startled it too, because it quickly vanished into the blue.
On the way back to Oban, we stopped at Tobermory on the Isle of Mull. I visited the distillery and bought a small bottle of Ledaig 12-year-old single malt — very nice drop. I also managed to squeeze in an ice cream from the locally made ice creamery, and then we were back on the boat to Oban.
Back in town, I strolled up to McCaig’s Tower — a big, colosseum-looking structure overlooking Oban. Apparently, it was an unfinished project from many decades ago.
A great day — but Day 3 would be the real standout.
Day 3
A huge day today — we would be circumnavigating the Isle of Mull. We set off early with Evan as our guide. It was partly cloudy and a bit chilly, but I had a big smile on my face because we were heading to Fingal’s Cave. This was the main reason I booked the tour — a real bucket list item.
Ever since I heard the piece by Mendelssohn, I’ve been fascinated by the cave and its columns of rock. After a long journey, we finally sailed up to the island of Staffa and the cave itself. We suited up and hurried in. Shane had beaten all the tour boats to the area, and out of consideration we had to be in the cave before the tourists arrived so they could get their photos. Fine by me — I was having the greatest time just being in the cave, taking in the amazing natural formations.
The tide was strong — at times I was lifted a full body length up the cave wall. It was such a magical experience; I couldn’t help but feel awestruck.
The swim back was like navigating a jellyfish minefield, but we all managed to make it safely.
Shane then took us further north to a seal feeding area where we snorkelled again. We saw plenty of seal heads poking up out of the water — always alert. I swam off on my own towards some shallows and had several close underwater encounters. They seemed to enjoy chasing me when I swam — I often turned to find one right on my fins. Thankfully, I managed to catch a few on camera.
After that, we headed to a nearby island named Lunga. We changed out of our wetsuits and Shane rowed us to shore on a dinghy. A short, muddy climb led us to the cliffs, where we came face-to-face with puffins! Never thought I’d get so close.
This colony was quite happy with humans walking around their nests, as we scare off predatory birds. It was amazing to watch them go about their business — flying into burrows with sand eels for their pufflings, or just waddling around. Very cute birds. I even heard a corncrake — a very rare and elusive bird, but with a distinct call.
Once we were all back on the boat, we returned to Oban. What a day — so many unique experiences. Absolutely stoked.
Day 4
The weather had taken a turn and it was a very rainy day. Shane took us to a small area near Tobermory for a short snorkel, then off to a waterfall that emptied into the sea — which was cool. Never thought I’d swim under a waterfall.
We had another stop in Tobermory, got changed, I grabbed another ice cream, and then it was back to Oban. I was completely knackered — not just from the snorkelling, but from the very choppy boat ride back. Wild waters.
Day 5
Another dismal day. Shane had to change the original plan — we were supposed to snorkel near a castle on the Isle of Mull, but it wasn’t safe with the wind and swell. Instead, we snorkelled a wreck about 1km from Oban. Four members of the group didn’t show up due to the weather, but six of us persevered.
It was amazing how calm things were underwater, even with the chop above. The wreck was pretty cool, and we saw more sea life — starfish, anemones, crabs.
As there were no spots left on the pontoons, Shane didn’t take the boat back to Oban. Instead, we all caught a water taxi to shore and were finished by midday.
What an amazing tour with an awesome group of people. A big shout-out to Kate, Linda, Suzie, Kevin, Marianne, Aiden, Rebecca, Lubo, and Hanka. Also to guides Evan and Ben, and of course skipper Shane. I’ll have the fondest memories of Oban and the snorkelling adventure.
Weekend in Oban
The weekend was a rainy one, I stayed indoors, did laundry and mostly relaxed. Things cleared up by Sunday afternoon, and I headed down to the Tartan Tavern for a few pints before making sure all my gear was packed and ready. Fish and chips for dinner and readied to move on to the next adventure:
Fort William and Ben Nevis.
