PS Iona 2024 – Dive with a Purpose

The Paddlesteamer Iona was built on the Clyde in 1855 for David Hutcheson and she achieved fame as a fast and well-appointed passenger steamer working up and down the Firth of Clyde. Nicknamed the ‘Queen of the Clyde’, she was a favourite mode of transport with many. During the American Civil War, the vessel was bought by a business man as a blockade runner and after being converted for this purpose and whilst leaving the Clyde to start its first transatlantic crossing, the Iona was hit by another vessel and sank before even leaving the Clyde.

Lying in 30m of water, the Iona is a protected wreck and although visibility is generally good, the peat layer flowing at the top of the Clyde provides for a very dark dive. Good torches and camera lighting required.

Dates: Monday 7th - Wednesday 9th October 2024

Cost: £300pp for 3 days diving and classroom workshops.

Pickup location: Holy Loch Marina

Aims: Working with Historic Environment Scotland (HES) and the Nautical Archaeology Society (NAS) we are looking to achieve a photographic archive of the wreck in its current condition. We would also like to start compiling dive guides of the site so that regular monitoring can be undertaken. The aim is create something similar to the dive guides created for PS Iona II.

Itinerary: There is a good tide window and so we will look to do 2 dives a day on the PS Iona with classroom sessions in between for archaeological dive logs, photo sorting and to produce our dive guides.

Please note: The work we will produce is for an archaeological site. You do not need to have formal archaeological qualifications to attend but you will be expected to write up each dive on an archaeological dive log, add your photos into the photo archive (credit will be given) and abide by the 'look, do not touch' rules for protected wrecks. Absolutely no artefacts are to be removed from the site.

Nitrox is currently unavailable in Dunoon, so please bring your own if you would prefer diving on Nitrox.

5 NAS credits per day will be given for NAS members.