Craobh Haven is a small purpose-built village and sailing port on the west coast of Argyll and Bute, Scotland. This article is about the council area For the constituencies see either Argyll and Bute (UK Parliament constituency or Argyll and Bute (Scottish Parliament constituency Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. It is situated on the Craignish peninsula, one mile to the west of the A816, and approximately 22 miles south of Oban. Craignish is a peninsula in Argyll, on the west coast of Scotland. Oban ( An t-Òban in Scottish Gaelic meaning The Little Bay) is a Resort Town within the Argyll and Bute council area Craobh Haven is between Arduaine and Kilmartin, and around 17 miles north of Lochgilphead. Arduaine ( Gaelic: An Aird Uaine) is a village in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. Kilmartin ( Scottish Gaelic: Cille Mhàrtainn) is a small Village in Argyll and Bute, western Scotland. Lochgilphead ( Scottish Gaelic Ceann Loch Gilb kʲan̴̪ ɫ̪ɔx ˈg̊ilib̥ is a town and former Burgh in Scotland, with a population

Craobh Haven Village and Marina

Craobh Haven was built in 1983 as a holiday resort village and marina. Glasgow based architects Gillespie, Kidd & Coia were involved in the early stages of the project, but were replaced before the construction of the buildings. Gillespie Kidd & Coia were a Scottish architectural firm famous for their application of Modernism in churches and universities as well as at The large, safe water marina was formed by the building of causeways and a large breakwater between a small group of tidal saltwater islands. The village has one public house, called "The Lord of The Isles", a village store, as well as a harbourmaster and marina office. A harbourmaster (or harbormaster, see spelling differences) is an official responsible for enforcing the regulations of a particular Harbour or A watersports centre, together with holiday accommodation, is located on Eilean Buidhe, one of the small islands surrounding the marina. Within the village, there are two small terraces of houses, a group of small cottages, the majority of which are used as holiday rentals, and several small cottages and larger houses scattered around the outer edges and the hillside above the village.

The enclosed marina is very popular with private boat owners, but does not have anchorage for larger passenger vessels. There are occasional visits to the village by small cruise ships, touring the nearby islands, which land passengers by their ships boats to awaiting coaches, for sight-seeing trips ashore.

The waters to the north of Craobh Haven are part of the Firth of Lorne, and the village overlooks the Slate Islands, with Shuna being the closest. The Slate Islands are an Island group in the Inner Hebrides, lying immediately off the west coast of Scotland, north of Jura and southwest Shuna ( Gaelic Siuna) is one of the Slate Islands lying east of Luing on the west coast of Scotland. Beyond the Slate Islands are the Garvellachs, and to the southwest are the islands of Colonsay, Oronsay, Jura and Islay. The Garvellachs ( Scottish Gaelic: Garbh Eileaich) or Isles of the Sea form a small Archipelago in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland Colonsay ( Gaelic: Colbhasa is an Island in the Scottish Inner Hebrides, located north of Islay and south of Mull Oronsay ( Scottish Gaelic: Orasaigh) also sometimes spelt and pronounced Oransay by the local community is a small Tidal island Jura ( Scottish Gaelic Diùra) is an Island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland, situated adjacent and to the north-east of Islay Islay (ˈaɪlə Ìle, ˈiːʎə a Scottish Island, known as "The Queen of the Hebrides" ( Banrìgh nan Eilean) is the southernmost

Sailing

The waters surrounding the islands are extensively used for leisure sailing areas. A good knowledge of the area is required, with weather conditions likely to change very quickly. Due to the array of separate tidal races produced by the underwater topography there are some treacherous stretches of water. These include the 'Grey Dogs' and the Gulf of Corryvreckan, in which is located the infamous Corryvreckan whirlpool, which is the third largest whirlpool in the world. The Gulf of Corryvreckan (from the Gaelic Coirebhreacain meaning "cauldron of the speckled seas" or "cauldron of the plaid" also called It surrounds a pyramid-shaped basalt pinnacle, rising from a depth of 70 metres to 29 metres below sea level, at its rounded top. Basalt (bəˈsɔːlt ˈbeisɔːlt ˈbæsɔːlt is a common Extrusive Volcanic rock. It is not unusual to find 9 metre high waves passing between the island at high tide.

Craobh Haven Marina

The Garvellachs

The Grey Dogs

Garvellachs Tidal Flow

Recreational diving

Divers aboard the Farsain, from Craobh Haven

The Garvellachs are particularly well known to divers, with boats from Oban also taking groups down to the area. Recreational diving or sport diving is a type of diving that uses SCUBA equipment for the purpose of leisure and enjoyment Increasingly many divers are basing their activities from Craobh Haven itself. The waters, though somewhat devoid of fish, offer some very clear waters and an extensive array of corals, Seastars, Anemone, Shellfish and underwater topographical features. Corals are Marine organisms from the class Anthozoa and exist as small Sea anemone –like Polyps typically in colonies of many Starfish (also called sea stars) are any Echinoderms belonging to the class Asteroidea. Anemone ( A-ne-mó-ne, from the Gr Άνεμος wind is a Genus of about 120 Species of flowering plants in the Shellfish is a Culinary and Fisheries term for those aquatic Invertebrate animals that are used as Food: various species of molluscs The trips out to the dive sites also offer the opportunities to see Golden Eagles, Sea Eagles and porpoises. The Golden Eagle ( Aquila chrysaetos) is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere Porpoises are Small Cetaceans of the Family Phocoenidae; they are related to Whales and Dolphins They are distinct from dolphins Due to the fast flowing waters in the Firth of Lorne Minke Whales may also be viewed occasionally. Minke Whale ( or Lesser Rorqual is a name given to two species of Marine mammal belonging to a Clade within the suborder of Baleen whales The

References

• Walker, Frank Arneil The Buildings of Scotland: Argyll and Bute, Penguin, 2000

External links

• Watson, Jeremy, "Sink or swim for whirlpool daredevils" Scotland On Sunday, 24 Aug 2003 [1]