
Strangford Lough · United Kingdom · Reef · Wall
Gun's Island
Sheer walls and swim-throughs around a rock off Ballyhornan
Photo: Eric Jones · CC BY-SA 2.0
A scenic dive around a small rocky outcrop close to the mainland at Ballyhornan on the Lecale coast. Sheer walls, large boulders and the odd swim-through make up the route, and it can be dived at any state of the tide.
Also known as Guns Island, Gun’s Island.
Where it is and how deep
54.3017° N, 5.5539° WApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The route circles the outcrop to a maximum of 16 m, with sheer walls on both sides, large boulders and the odd swim-through. The seabed is made up of small stones, so there is little silt to kick up and the visibility can be quite good.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair |
Season follows Strangford Lough: No month stands out as a peak; from December to May the sea feels very cold, and from June to November only cold or cool.
Dive videos
#149 Dive, The White Lady, Guns Island, 31/07/22, Short · FINN on YouTube
Sources
- Diving & Snorkeling - Strangford Lough — Strangford Lough & Lecale Partnership
- OpenStreetMap — OpenStreetMap
Photo credits
- A low, flat green island lies offshore beyond a grassy bank and a curving sandy beach under a cloudy sky by Eric Jones, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
More dive sites in Strangford Lough
Hydroid-covered boulders off the Ballyhenry navigation tower
A bow section that breaks the surface, so no transits are needed
The stern half of the Lees wreck, out in the tidal stream
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