Mull Oyster Expedition 2026
Mon Oct 19th to Sunday Oct 25th

Vectis Expeditions, in conjunction with MV Honeydew, Vectis Expeditions is planning a one-week liveaboard SCUBA diving expedition that aims to circumnavigate the Island of Mull in Scotland and integrating citizen science into the dives in support a number of environmental projects.

This is a great an opportunity for the budding scientific or citizen science diver to gain field experience of UK SCUBA diving expeditions and participate in marine surveys in UK conditions, learning from experienced practitioners – divers, engineers and marine scientists with experience of working in the seabed rewilding sector..

We plan to continue on from where previous expeditions to the area have left of, in support of both Plant and Oyster testing deployment of more prototype ‘oyster pods’ and BSAC Operation Oyster searching out remnant oyster populations.

The plan is to depart from Oban and head to Loch Melfort and Loch Craignish which have ongoing seagrass and oyster restoration projects being delivered by the Kichoan Estate and Seawilding charities before heading across to Mull with the aim of circumnavigating it in a clockwise direction, weather depending of course.

We plan to explore some sites linked with oyster harvesting historically, according to research undertaken by historians at Glasgow University under their Project Eisirean.

We are also interested to see if oysters are present on some of the shipwrecks and reefs around the Isle of Mull as is the case on the South Coast of England.  Some of the target wreck sites are the SS Meldon, SS Cathcartpark, SS Aurania and the SS Ostende.

 Optional Training

This expedition provides opportuntities for the following optional training;

BSAC Underwater Surveyor Practical

BSAC Rescue Managements (in between dives)

Experience dives:  The nature of our expeditions means we generally have very good opportunities to make a significant boost for ticking off experience dives necessary for your BSAC Diver Leader or Advanced  Diver training which both require minimum amounts of times underwater, a minimum number of dives and a range of diving experience.

Please contact us  these or indeed other Skill Development Courses are of interest and discuss your personal development plan (PDP).  

Baseline itinery (subject to weather, tides etc.)

Sat/Sun 17th/18th Oct 2026 – Optional shore diving  (and training)
Monday 19th Oct 2026 – Embark Honeydew.  Depart Oban for Loch Melfort / Loch Craignish – commence boat dives – 2 per day
Sunday 25th Oct 2026 = Finish diving early – return to Dunstaffnage and disembark

Pre-requisite qualifications

Experience of diving in temperate UK waters (drysuit diving)
Minimum diving grade of experience BSAC Sport Diver / PADI Rescue Diver or other similar qualification which includes rescue skills.
Must be capable of launching a DSMB confidently and competently from midwater unaided by your buddy
In-date diving medical / medical self-declaration
Current BSAC membership / third-party insurance (we can help arrange this if you do not have it already)
GSOH

Dive platform

We will be diving from MV Honeydew 
It has an air compressor and oxygen supplies for nitrox and rebreathers onboard.

Accommodation and food

Once embarked onboard, accommodation and food are provided.
Twin berth cabins are spacious for a UK  liveaboard.

 

Budget prices

Diving charter (12 dives), accommodation, food and air onboard Honeydew = £960
Booking Fee / Deposits will be required to confirm booking.

For diving, onboard accommodation, Air Fills and Food: £960 per diver.
Skill development courses extra POA.
Terms and conditions apply.

Find out more



Vectis Expeditions Ltd
Cowes, Isle of Wight
United Kingdom

+44 (0) 7900 898569

Company Registration Number:
12538055