A sea loch aligned north–south, Gare Loch is 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) long with an average width of 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi). At its southern end it opens into the Firth of Clyde through the Rhu narrows. The village of Rosneath lies on the western shore just north of Rosneath Point and gives the name Rosneath Peninsula to the whole body of land separating the Gare Loch from Loch Long to the west.[3]
The Greek sugar boat Captayannis was heading for the sheltered waters of the Loch but now lies wrecked in the Clyde.[6]
Naval history
The base was used by the Royal Navy dating back to the First World War. On 29 January 1917 the steam-powered submarine HMS K13 sank in the loch during sea-trials. The submarine was carrying 80 passengers, made up of naval personnel as well as shipbuilders, when seawater entered the engine room causing flooding which killed 31. The remaining 48 men aboard were rescued in an effort which took over 57 hours. The submarine was later salvaged and re-entered service as HMS K22. As a result of sinking of K13, no other Royal Navy vessel has been named using the number 13.[7][8]
However it was during the Second World War that the loch became the site of a major naval base as its depth made it suitable to accommodate a large variety of naval craft.[2] The loch was widely used by the United States military forces, alongside operations on nearby Holy Loch, during the war for naval landing preparations that would be deployed in North Africa and the Normandy landings.[3] In the 1950s, the Royal Navy used the loch to store decommissioned naval vessels.[3]
HMNB Clyde was established on the banks on the loch in 1964 as part of the United Kingdom's preparations for hosting the Polaris submarine based nuclear programme.[2] The site was chosen due to its deep water, suitable for submarine operations and ease of access to the North Atlantic. The site continues to operate a number of naval operations, mostly associated with the current nuclear Trident defence system and also to be the base of the Royal Navy's Astute-class submarines.[9]
^Loch Lomond South, Dumbarton & Helensburgh, Drymen & Cove : showing part of Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park and West Highland Way., Ordnance Survey, 2006, ISBN978-0-319-23874-5, OCLC720547611