Kyles Scalpay (3)
Marine Life
All you would expect of this area. The sandy areas have edible crabs, velvets and spiders, while in the kelp top, shell, starfish, hermit crab and octopus can be found. The wall is festooned with feather stars, large yellow sponges, plumrose and dahlia anemones, dead men's fingers and purple, red and yellow hard corals. Dogfish can be found on some of the ledges along with both long clawed and spiny lobsters. In deep waters, sea pens, northern sea fans and large fan worms vie for space among a carpet of brittle stars of every conceivable size and colour, all with arms waving in the current.
As for fish - in addition to the abundance of wrasse there are pollocks of all sizes and, in autumn, large shoals of sprat. Among the crevices you will find leopard spot goby, tompot blennie, butterfish and scorpion fish of all colours and sizes. A field guide for northern waters would be a real advantage here. If this dive site appeals to you, you will see most sealife in this guide.
To view some of the wildlife in the sea around the Isle of Scalpay just click on the sea on the "Location Map".
