Machir Bay facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Machir Bay |
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View of Machir Bay facing north-northwest
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 Machir Bay
Location in Argyll and Bute
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| Location | Scotland |
| Coordinates | 55°46′40″N 6°28′10″W / 55.77778°N 6.46944°W |
| Ocean/sea sources | North Atlantic Ocean |
| Max. length | 2.8 km (1.74 mi) |
| Max. width | 1.2 km (0.75 mi) |
| Settlements | Kilchoman |
Machir Bay is a beautiful bay on the west coast of Islay, an island in Scotland's Inner Hebrides. It's part of the Rinns of Islay area and is very close to the small village of Kilchoman. To the north, Coul Point separates it from Saligo Bay, and Kilchiaran Bay is just to the south.
The bay has rocky parts at its northern and southern ends. In the middle, you'll find a lovely sandy beach. Several small streams flow into the bay, like Allt na Criche and Allt Gleann na Ceardaich.
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Exploring the Area Around Machir Bay
The land around Machir Bay doesn't have many people living there today. However, old discoveries show that people have lived here for a very long time!
Ancient Forts and Settlements
You can find the remains of two ancient forts, called duns, southeast of the bay.
- One fort, called Dun Neadean, sits on a rocky hill near the coast. It's close to an old road that connected Kilchoman to another small village, Kilchiaran. This fort was about 20 meters long and 13 meters wide. Today, you can mostly see the grassy foundations of its thick walls.
- The second fort, Dun Chroisprig, is also on a hill. Its outer wall circled the hill, making it about 13 meters across. The entrance was about 1.5 meters wide and faced west-northwest.
Famous Shipwrecks at Machir Bay
Machir Bay has been the site of several shipwrecks over the years.
The Stella (1835)
On November 18, 1835, a ship named the Stella ran aground here. It was traveling from Palermo, Italy, to Greenock in Scotland. Luckily, everyone on board was saved, and much of its cargo was rescued too.
The La Plata (1888)
Another ship, a Norwegian sailing vessel called La Plata, was wrecked at Machir Bay on November 16, 1888. A big storm caused its cargo of coal and coke to shift, making the ship impossible to control. It ran aground, and sadly, 3 of the 12 crew members were lost.
The HMS Otranto (1918)
One of the most well-known shipwrecks was that of the HMS Otranto in October 1918. This happened just before World War I ended. The Otranto accidentally crashed into another ship, the HMS Kashmir, because of a navigation mistake. About 470 men lost their lives in this accident, making it one of the worst convoy disasters of the war.
Fun Facts About Machir Bay
Machir Bay is more than just a beautiful spot with history!
Local Whisky
One of the delicious whiskies made at the nearby Kilchoman distillery is actually named after Machir Bay!
Machir Bay Scented Candles
A local charity on Islay, called Islay Development Initiative, makes special candles. These candles use beeswax from their own bees, which are native dark European bees. The candles are named after different beaches on the island, and their scents come from plants found on those beaches. The Machir Bay candle smells like spearmint and chamomile! The money raised from selling these candles helps support Islay BeachWatch, a group that keeps the island's beaches clean from ocean litter.
