The North-West Highlands offer diving along Atlantic coastal waters and within the sheltered sea lochs that indent this deeply indented coastline. Sites in our database include pier dives such as Toscaig and Mellon Charles, open bays like Achmelvich, and more exposed reef sites including Cnap An T Siar and Outer Loch Roe. Topography across the sites runs from shallow rocky nooks to deeper reef, with sea lochs providing calm conditions when the open coast is rough. Water is cold year-round, typically sitting around eight degrees in late winter and reaching fourteen degrees at peak summer. Species recorded here include ballan wrasse, gorgonians, squat lobster, and giant jellyfish.
Monthly water temperature across North-West Highlands's sites, from satellite sea-surface data corrected for depth. The band shows the site-to-site spread.
Temperatures remain cold throughout the year, hovering around eight degrees in the coldest months and reaching only fourteen degrees in August. Sea lochs provide options in most weather conditions, and the sheltered sites are particularly useful when open-coast visibility or sea state is poor.
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Water temperature around North-West Highlands ranges from about 8°C in February to 14°C in August, based on satellite sea-temperature data for its dive sites.
In the warm season (about 14°C) a 7mm or semi-dry suit is comfortable in North-West Highlands; in the coldest months (about 8°C) step up to a drysuit.
Fin maps 7 sites in North-West Highlands (4 scuba diving sites and 3 snorkelling spots).
6 more sites to explore
