172 BATHYMETRICAL SURVEY OF 



LOCHS OF THE GARVIE BASIN. 



THE lochs in this basin form a connected series, Loch Lurgain flowing 

 through Loch Bada na h-Achlaise (which was not sounded) into Loch 

 Bad a' Ghaill, thence by the Abhuinn Owskeich into Loch Owskeich, 

 which flows through the little Loch Garvie into Garvie Bay, an inlet 

 of Enard Bay. The lochs contain salmon and trout, but the fishing is 

 preserved. 



Locli Luryaiii (see Plate XL.). Loch Lurgain lies about two miles 

 to the south of Loch Skinaskink, and 3J miles south-east of Eiiard 

 Bay. The scenery around the loch is very fine, the serrated crest of 

 An Stac and the great pyramid-shaped mass of Cul Beag forming the 

 high ground to the north, while to the south rise Beinn Eun and 

 An t-Sail. The loch is crescent-shaped, with the concave side turned 

 towards the south. Very fine cliffs are formed in places, especially on 

 the southern shore to the west of the large islands, where for some 

 distance the cliffs are overhanging, and in one place there is a small 

 cave or recess in which 20 feet of water was found. On the opposite 

 northern shore are huge angular blocks which have slipped down from 

 above, one on top of the other, forming fine natural chambers. Loch 

 Lurgain is nearly 4 miles in length, the maximum breadth being over 

 half a mile, and the mean breadth one-third of a mile. Its waters 

 cover an area of 1J square miles, and it drains an area ten times 

 greater, or 12J square miles. Nearly 200 soundings were taken, the 

 maximum depth observed being 156 feet. The volume of water is 

 estimated at 2,139,752,000 cubic feet, and the mean depth at 61 feet. 

 The loch is divided into two basins by the large islands and the shallow 

 water between them. The eastern basin is the larger and deeper, and 

 quite simple in conformation. The 50-feet area is 2 miles in length, 

 extending from the narrow part of the loch at the south-east end to 

 north of the largest island. The 100-feet area is nearly 1J miles in 

 length, approaching to within less than a quarter of a mile from the 

 eastern point of the largest island. The 150-feet area is small and 

 centrally placed, and encloses the maximum depth of the loch (156 

 feet). In the eastern part of this basin are several rocky islets rising 

 from deep water to 1 to 3 feet above the surface. The western basin 



