ARDERSIER BAY AND THE MORAY FIRTH
Whilst the Moray Firth has a deep water channel in the middle used by shipping heading towards Inverness Harbour and the Caledonian Canal, the bay between Ardersier and Fort George is a gently shelving shallow bay that is ideal for watersports. Opposite Dolphin View Cottage there is a set of concrete steps down to the shore, and there is also a useful concrete slipway by the Beechgrove Community garden with an adjacent free car park. You will quite often see paddle boarders and wild swimmers using these facilities. Kitesurfers and Windsurfers tend to park further along near Fort George to take advantage of the deeper water and slightly more exposed location to get airborne.
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The steps opposite the cottage are ideal for launching canoes when the tide is in.
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Paddling off through Ardersier bay towards Fort George
Windsurfing at Ardersier Bay with Fort George in the background
The Moray Firth and Ardersier Bay is a diverse marine habitat with deep water, estuaries, sandy beaches, mudflats and salty marshes. These different areas support an extensive biodiversity of life, ranging from the resident dolphin population, marine mammals, to sea birds and wintering wildfowl. Whatever time of year you visit, there will always be something spectacular to see.