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Saw Cut

St Kilda, Dun, Na Sgarain, Invernessshire.

Cave at Na Sgarain assessed by diver in 2015. Severe underwater surge prevented a full exploration. Possibly links into the adjacent tunnel through Dun (site A 2), although the description for site R 17 would indicate otherwise (see below). Cave ~5 m wide and ~17 m BCD depth in approach gulley. Narrows to ~1.5 m wide and shallows to ~16 m BCD at a point where there is a large boulder on the cave floor. Beyond this point the floor drops down to >18 m BCD and the passage appears to continue. Fully illuminated through to this point. Corresponds to Ridley site (R 17), described as: "at the head of a gully emerges a narrow cut 1-3 m wide, 26 m deep, shooting 60 m straight into Dun. The walls are sheer and coated with technicolour jewel, plumose and Sagartia anemones, and soft corals. Large boulders, yellow with Myxilla sponge, lead up to 10 m at the far end." [SNH, CI 6]

Ridley site 17, described as: "at the head of a gully emerges a narrow cut 1-3 m wide, 26 m deep, shooting 60 m straight into Dun. The walls are sheer and coated with technicolour jewel, plumose and Sagartia anemones, and soft corals. Large boulders, yellow with Myxilla sponge, lead up to 10 m at the far end." Corresponds to site CI 6. [Ridley, R 17]

The dive site is basically a crack in the rock that is around 3m wide and runs around 60m deep into the Dun. [Jane Morgan]

We dived the Saw-cut. This is a narrow cut, about 1.3m wide and 25m deep, which penetrates 60m into the island of Doon. The walls are sheer and coated with anemones, soft coral and sponges. We had to make sure we didn't get swept right through the cut and come out the other side. [Freda Wright]

Alternative Names: NA Sgarain (Cave at), CI 6, R 17, Cave at Na Sgarain

Notes: SNH coordinates for Cave at Na Sgarain/Saw Cut do not match the either the tourist photos or the description of Saw Cut from divers. Possible these are separate caves. The name Saw Cut also seems to be applied to the large natural arch by tourists and to the cave at Na Sgarain by divers.

Hydrographic Feeds: Atlantic Ocean

Hydrographic Resurgences: Atlantic Ocean