| Why the Island of Gigha? | | Print | |
|
The Isle of Gigha (pronounced gee'a; Gaelic: Giogha) is a small island off the west coast of Kintyre in Scotland. The island forms part of Argyll and Bute and has a population of about 150 people. The name is derived from the Norse Gudey meaning "Good Island" or "God Island". The island itself is about 6 miles (9.5 km) long in a roughly north-south direction and a maximum of 1.5 miles (2.5 km) wide. The total area is 1,395 ha (3,447 acres). From a diving prospective Gigha offers some ideal opportunities, with everything from shallow reefs to deep ship wrecks, some of which are uncharted and thus providing an excellent opening for genuine exploration. Bathed with nutrient rich waters, the reefs around Gigha provide a profusion of marine life second to none around the United Kingdom. Information regarding the marine environment around the Island of Gigha will be passed on to the National Seasearch Project, thus increasing the overall knowledge of the area and raising the awareness regarding the diversity of marine life around the UK coast. |
