Holy Loch

Boats on Holy Loch

Holy Loch is a sea loch in Argyllshire, opening into the Firth of Clyde and indenting the coastline of the Cowal peninsula.

Robertson's Yard at Sandbank, a village on the loch, was a major wooden boat building company in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

During Second World War, the loch was used a submarine base. From 1961–1992, it was used as a American Polaris nuclear submarine base. In 1992, the Holy Loch base was deemed unnecessary following the demise of the Soviet Union and subsequently withdrawn.

The the civil parish of 'Dunoon and Kilmun' encompasses both of those places and thus encompasses the whole loch shore.

Geography

Open to the Firth of Clyde at its eastern end, the loch is approximately one mile wide and between two and three miles long, varying with the tide. The town of Dunoon on the Cowal peninsula lies on the shores of the Clyde just to the south of the loch, and houses continue round the villages of Kirn, Hunter's Quay at the point with the landing slip for Western Ferries, Ardnadam and past Lazaretto Point, the village of Sandbank. There is open countryside at the end of the loch, then on the northern shore Kilmun, and at Strone Point the village of Strone continues round to the western shore of the Clyde, almost joining Blairmore on Loch Long.

The name Holy Loch is believed to date from the 6th century, when St Munn landed there after leaving Ireland. Kilmun and its ancient kirk are named after St Munn.

All the villages used to have piers served by Clyde steamers, and now Western Ferries runs between Hunters Quay and McInroy's Point on the outskirts of Gourock, while the Argyll Ferries service runs from Dunoon to Gourock pierhead. At the end of the loch a road runs past the Benmore Botanic Garden and Arboretum (also known as the Younger Botanic Gardens) to Loch Eck and on towards Inveraray.

Holy Loch seen across the Firth of Clyde

Robertson's Yard

Alexander Robertson started repairing boats in a small workshop at Sandbank in 1876, and Alexander Robertson and Sons Ltd (Yachtbuilders) went on to become one of the foremost wooden boat builders on the Clyde. Their 'golden years' were in the early 20th century when they started building classic racing yachts. Robertsons was chosen to build the first 15-metre yacht designed by William Fife (Shimna, 1907). More than 55 boats were built by Robertsons in preparation for the First World War and the yard remained busy even during the Great Depression in the 1930s, as many wealthy businessmen developed a passion for yacht racing. During Second World War the yard was devoted to Admiralty work, producing a wide range of large high speed Fairmile Marine Motor Boats (MTBs and MGBs).

After the war the yard built the successful one-class Loch Longs and two challengers for the America's Cup: Sceptre (1958) (17 tons) and Sovereign (1964). The Robertson family sold the yard in 1965, and it was turned over to GRP production work (mainly Pipers and Etchells). During its 104-year history, Robertson's Yard built 500 boats, many of which are still sailing. The yard ceased trading in the early 1980s and the site was levelled soon after. The site has since been consumed by residential building and the new Holy Loch Marina development.

Second World War

During Second World War the loch was used by the Royal Navy as a submarine base, served by the depot ship HMS Forth (1938). The loch was used extensively for trials and exercises by Royal Navy submarines during the war, the submarines HMS Vandal and HMS Untamed were lost in the Clyde after being sunk by accidents during exercises. Untamed was later salvaged.

Near the Holy Loch an anti-submarine boom was laid between Dunoon and the Cloch Point Lighthouse to defend waters from German U-boats.

US Navy

Between 1961 and 1992, Holy Loch was the site of the United States Navy's FBM Refit Site One (FBM: Fleet Ballistic Missile). It was the home base of Submarine Squadron (SUBRON) 14, part of Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet. To make maximum usage of its submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) deterrent force, American military had determined that it required an overseas base for refit and crew turnover.

Negotiations with the British Government began as early as March 1959. Agreement for the use of Holy Loch was reached near the end of 1960 and the arrival of the first tender, Proteus scheduled for December but delayed to 3 March 1961 after concerns about CND protests.

Between 1961 and 1982, the Naval Support Activity ashore was administered by US Naval Activities London. In 1982, Naval Support Activity (NAVSUPPACT), Forward Base, Holy Loch, Scotland became its own command. NAVSUPPACT ultimately managed 42 facilities and leased 342 housing units for Navy personnel and their dependents.

In 1992, the base was deemed unnecessary following the demise of the Soviet Union and withdrawn. The last submarine tender to be based there, the USS Simon Lake, left Holy Loch in March 1992.

Outside links

("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Holy Loch)

• Location map: 55°59’13"N, 4°55’59"W
• Benmore Botanic Garden
• USS Hunley (AS-31), Pictures while at the Holy Loch