Loch Striven

Loch Striven is an estuary in the Scottish unitary authority Argyll and Bute. Together with hole Riddon he is one of the two hole, the cut coming from the south in the Cowal Peninsula.

Geography

Loch Striven is a bay side of the strait Kyles of Bute, which separates the island of Bute Cowal. The entrance is limited by the two capes Strone Point and Ardyne Point. From there, Loch Striven extends over 13 km in a north- northwesterly direction. In the north it terminates near Craigendive. It runs through the sparsely populated landscape Cowals, so that no large towns, but only a few small settlements are located on its banks. However, there are different documents for a settlement of the shores of Loch Striven in earlier times. So there were stones with cup-and -ring markings and Standing Stones found. In its course Loch Striven takes on numerous small streams from the surrounding hills. In the north flow into two outflow of the dam hole Tarsan, one of which operates a hydroelectric power plant.

Use

During the Second World War, Loch Striven was used as a training ground for dropping by rolling bombs. After the successful operations of the Dam Busters and the preparations were carried out to sinking of lying in a Norwegian Fjord Tirpitz at anchor there. In 2010, an extensive search for the detection lying still on the lake floor duds from this period has been made.

The deep waters of Loch Striven allow vehicular access to the hole with ocean-going vessels. At the time of the oil crisis there were several cargo ships at anchor, to take them to the improvement of the economic situation from the operation. This measure saved the shipping companies paying high fees that would have been incurred by waiting times in ports. So two unneeded gas tankers were for 20 years in Loch Striven. The Danish shipping company Maersk Line took up the experience from the oil crisis in 2009 and put four of their container ships up to the improvement of economic conditions in the hole at anchor.

Near Ardyne Point were once plants for the construction of oil rigs. The company was, however, met with only limited success and was soon discontinued. A little north is an oil and lubricants storage NATO to find. The complex includes underground storage tanks with the required servicing ships facilities.