Puffin diving

[Xk59D]

Originally Posted by BruceB

I wouldn't worry too much about the locals, I used to be one and wouldn't spit on them if the building was on fire and most of the folk I knew in the area looked at them either the same way or as a necessary evil to get air and servicing.

This could run and run, the number of "customer service" stories about their attitude could go on and on. If I told you some of the stories that I either witnessed, was part of or were told to me by folk that they happened to, and I believe you would think I was making it all up.
However I am not going to add to this as you can read all this on various diving forums written by a multitude of folk if you are really interested.

Funnily enough the cylinder fuelling story above could be me talking from years ago except I didn't get policy quoted at me, I got threats from the owner from questioning his panel not working, which I actually hadn't as I just wanted to check the pressure due to the short time they filled.

So rather than tell lots of stories I will say one thing which illustrates the place perfectly as far as I see.
I was told by the owner, face to face, that they have a lawyer that watches the diving forums to see if anybody is saying anything that is negative. They will then pursue legal action against that person if they can be traced.
You might think this is a bit far fetched but I once said on a dive forum about 10 years ago that I thought they must be quieter as the boats weren't seen out as much as they were and was subsequently personally threatened by the owner in the shop and my employer, at that time, called to try and trace me to take action.
This was the last straw after previous incidents and have never set foot or used them since, despite them being my local shop for most of the last ten years until moving away.

If they want to make an issue of the above they are perfectly welcome to try!

thankfully in life you live and learn and people can choose to go elsewhere if need be.

i will go back up there soon (weeks) and explore the place on my own and find out what works well for me.

i need to launch/recover on my own and i'm not used to it yet with this bigger boat so i was taking the safe option of a quiet bay and a place i assumed i could get help.

if anyone does need to use puffin then buy a dinghy and take it with you, make life so much easier and in hindsight i should have done exactly that. i'll be taking one with me whenever away from now on.....just need to buy one first!

anyways, i really enjoyed the friday and it hasn't put me off going back, gorgeous place.

cheers

[jambo]

Originally Posted by willk

I wonder how his Legal Beagles got on with TripAdvisor?

You all want to read their page on Tripadvisor very interesting indeed


Sent from my iPhone using RIB Net

[Last Tango]

Have you looked at Melfort Harbour? Good accom. and good slip into a small private harbour with pontoon mooring...... straight run out Loch Melfort to the Cuan sound.
Couple of years since I've been, but we were "blown away" with the place.

[Poly]

Xk59D,

If you go next year you will find launching a boat your size at Easdale is quite feasible - and during ERR there are plenty of people around who will help if needed. Certainly during the ERR Tony's team run a pretty slick operation around the harbour so you'll have no issue launching putting the boat in the harbour and getting back ashore without a tender. And nobody on Easdale/Seil are ever in a great rush so don't worry about inexperience or lack of hands slowing you down.

There may not be as much help on normal days - but you'd probably still manage. If you are looking to launch singlehanded in that rough part of the world in the future without a dinghy then I recommend Linnhe Marine near Appin. Very helpful people, you can tie up to their pontoon whilst you get your self sorted and if you need their moorings they will get you back ashore. I've never launched at Dunstaffnage/Craobh Haven but as commercial marinas they should be well set up for this scenario. Further south Tayvallich/Carsaig provides options into Loch Sween or direct into the Sound of Jura with a jetty or pontoon (the jetty at Carsaig is probably only suitable for the physically fit and short term storage).

However as you say for total flexibility a wee tender is the solution.

EDIT - Oh and Ardoran Marine might be worth a look too.

[paddlers]

[ADMIN EDIT

I'm sure that one of you more technical types can get the Working at Puffin Dive Centre thread Glassdoor on here....

I assume this is what he was trying to link to: http://www.glassdoor.co.uk/Overview/...7288.11,29.htm ]


.... Sounds a great place to work !!

[paddlers]

I'm a technical wasteland when it comes to my tinternet use, cheers anonymous ribnet facilitator

I thought that the ex employee gave a good insight into the place !!

[Poly]

Originally Posted by paddlers

I'm a technical wasteland when it comes to my tinternet use, cheers anonymous ribnet facilitator

I thought that the ex employee gave a good insight into the place !!

You just paste the link in - the forum magic does the rest!

[ian parr]

On a plus note for puffin,I dived ther many years ago on ther big yellow boat,the urchin,,,,wow what a boat!!! Some of the easiest diving I've ever done and a lovely part of the country


Sent from my iPad using RIB Net

[BruceB]

None of the trip advisor and ratings surprise me, you have to know the guy and his family, then you realise that it isn't actually made up.
The job rating is pretty much how it looked from outside and tallies with what was seen and heard by a lot of folk around the town.
Anyway the best slip in the whole immediate area is actually in Oban. Its steep and concrete, useable at anything bar spring lows and usually quiet. It just behind the life boat station at the south pier.
Its a public slip and the only drawback is the very limited parking. However there is parking 20-300 yards out of town along the coast road towards Puffin.

[BruceB]

Originally Posted by ian parr

On a plus note for puffin,I dived ther many years ago on ther big yellow boat,the urchin,,,,wow what a boat!!! Some of the easiest diving I've ever done and a lovely part of the country


Sent from my iPad using RIB Net

The Urchin was brilliant, probably the best day boat on the west coast. Unfortunately the guys that built it retired and puffin bought it. It sat on the pier most of the time since and hardly ever was used. It was a shame.

[paddlers]

Poly, I was once shown how to paste a link but I could never repeat the process

[Ovey]

I've only ever used Puffin for diving from Urchin - great boat! But I was a bit perplexed by their giving divers a very short maximum dive time for a dive rather than ask how long you are going to be down like most other places. I didn't even use half my air on either dive (but not enough left to start a second dive) so wasted 2 air fills. I didn't argue on the boat as skipper is king but I questioned it on my return to be told if you don't like it go elsewhere!


Sent from my iPhone using RIB Net

[Xk59D]

Originally Posted by Poly

Xk59D,

If you go next year you will find launching a boat your size at Easdale is quite feasible - and during ERR there are plenty of people around who will help if needed. Certainly during the ERR Tony's team run a pretty slick operation around the harbour so you'll have no issue launching putting the boat in the harbour and getting back ashore without a tender. And nobody on Easdale/Seil are ever in a great rush so don't worry about inexperience or lack of hands slowing you down.

There may not be as much help on normal days - but you'd probably still manage. If you are looking to launch singlehanded in that rough part of the world in the future without a dinghy then I recommend Linnhe Marine near Appin. Very helpful people, you can tie up to their pontoon whilst you get your self sorted and if you need their moorings they will get you back ashore. I've never launched at Dunstaffnage/Craobh Haven but as commercial marinas they should be well set up for this scenario. Further south Tayvallich/Carsaig provides options into Loch Sween or direct into the Sound of Jura with a jetty or pontoon (the jetty at Carsaig is probably only suitable for the physically fit and short term storage).

However as you say for total flexibility a wee tender is the solution.

EDIT - Oh and Ardoran Marine might be worth a look too.

i'll check them out, thanks for the info.

if anyone is in the area in the next couple of weeks then i'm planning to basically do the run that easdale should have been if the weather had been better.

cheers

[Dan Gurney]

Originally Posted by Poly

EDIT - Oh and Ardoran Marine might be worth a look too.

Linnhe Marine (a bit further north than Ardoran but have the advantage of not being in a loch) were very good to us last year. He'll launch you with his JCB, let you a mooring, and there's free use of a tender to go out and get your boat. Fairly rough and ready but cheap and a really nice bloke.

[Tony Hill]

Easdale needs tourists and the sea is one of our greatest assets.
There is a very safe harbour on the island. We are proceeding with the community pontoon - aim is in by Whitsun.
There are 3 pubs serving food
B&B try Garragh Mhor or Tin Church both are excellent
Plenty of self catering accommodation.
Large Car Parks
Seafari will offer local knowledge.

The disadvantages is the boat moored at the island but once you have the ferry sorted in your head its relatively straight forwards from 0715 in the morning to 2100 at night. slight differences Fri/Sat when the ferry runs till 2300 and Sunday 0900 to 1815.
The launch site could be better but if you have 4WD its straight forwards with the steeper gradients at high and low tides. Do you need 4WD? At ERR one RIB a Delta was recovered by a Vito van - not the best off road vehicle.

Easdale to Colonsay is about 50 minutes at 25 knots.

Tony

[Bigmuz7]

There is/has been an attitude in the West Highlands with some, that the tourist industry 'owes them a living' fortunately i've not seen it for years, because most know better now, but some of those posts including trip adviser,... are really bad ! Just because a place looks pretty doesent mean the people that work there day in day out keep on thinking so... cleary ! Even the comment on the web site about £50 of petrol ? fk off you scummy tourist .. there's Tesco for the like of you !!

[willk]

Bank Holiday Sunday we were on Easdale. The Puffer stops meals at 1500. The last return ferry from Seil is at 1815 (unless you book a 1900 Special a day in advance). The Oyster on Seil starts food at 1800. Do the math! How lucky were we that Alan1 and Jambo had left us a Game Terrine, brown bread etc. Mrs willk had a bottle of wine stashed in her dunnage so we were marooned in relative luxury.

[dougcrock]

Originally Posted by Xk59D

i'll check them out, thanks for the info.

if anyone is in the area in the next couple of weeks then i'm planning to basically do the run that easdale should have been if the weather had been better.

cheers

hi
were up at Dunstaffange from 23rd May to 28th cruising every day
welcome to join in for 1 or more days
what dates and plans do you have and i will send you details
doug

[Dan Gurney]

Originally Posted by dougcrock

hi
were up at Dunstaffange from 23rd May to 28th cruising every day
welcome to join in for 1 or more days
what dates and plans do you have and i will send you details
doug

I can heartily recommended a cruise in company with Doug. Best boating experience we had last year! (apologies to all our chums at Caernarfon)

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Dan Gurney

I can heartily recommended a cruise in company with Doug. Best boating experience we had last year! (apologies to all our chums at Caernarfon)

Top man that Dougal😎👍


.....sh1t happens.......