Scotland

Seaorkney

Contact: Kenny Sinclair

Telephone: 1856 861335 / 07808811819

Email: merryfisher@hotmail.co.uk

Type of vessel and trip: 8 metre Fast Cruiser, wildlife trips for up to 4 passengers tailored to suit customer’s wishes.

Likely species to be seen: Seals and interesting seabirds are regularly seen, but other species sighted include killer whales and dolphins.

John O’Groats Wildlife Cruises

Contact: David and Ivor Thomas

Telephone: 01955 611353

Email: info@jogferry.co.uk

Ecoventures

Contact: Robyn Haugh

Telephone: 01381 600323

Email: info@ecoventures.co.uk

Type of vessel and trip: Dolphin cruises on custom-built ribs taking up to 12 passengers (day trips).

Likely species to be seen: Bottlenose dolphins and harbour porpoise, seals and other general wildlife.

Gemini Explorer

Contact: Peter Hizzett

Telephone: 07747 626280

Type of vessel and trip: Come and enjoy the famous Moray Firth Dolphins, wildlife and stunning coastal scenery on a Moray Firth dolphin trip and marine tour, sailing 3 times daily aboard the beautiful ex Clyde class lifeboat The Gemini Explorer.

Likely species to be seen: Bottlenose dolphins, minke whales, harbour porpoises seals and other general wildlife.

Vessel based surveys

Contact: Kevin Hepworth

Email: kevin.hepworth@uk.bp.com

Likely species to be seen: Bottlenose dolphins, minke whales, harbour porpoises, seals and other general wildlife.

Sea Life Surveys and Ecocruz

Contact: Brennen and James Fairbairns

Telephone: 01688 302916

Email: info@sealifesurveys.com

Type of vessel and trip: Whale-watching and eco-cruises on two motor vessels, each taking up to 12 passengers (day trips).

Likely species to be seen: Trips specifically focus on minke whales and harbour porpoises on which research is conducted. Other species likely to be seen include common, Risso’s and bottlenose dolphins and occasionally killer whales and basking sharks.

Sea-Life Adventures

Contact:David and Jean Ainsley

Telephone: 01631 571010 (day)/ 01852 300203 (evening and w-ends)

Email: info@sealife-adventures.com

Type of vessel and trip: Two-five hour whale and wildlife trips aboard the purpose built 850 horsepower “Porpoise II” on the West Coast of Scotland near Oban in Argyll.

Likely species to be seen: This is a hot spot for porpoises, dolphins and minke whales and basking sharks. Bird watching highlights include sea eagles, golden eagles, and puffins. Meanwhile otters, seals, and deer can be seen along the shore.

Craignish Cruises

Contact: Lindsay Johnston

Telephone: 07747 023038

Email: lindsay@sealeopard.org

Type of vessel and trip: Two, three and four hour wildlife cruises and private charters on a purpose built 60 passenger catamaran Sea Leopard II.

Likely species to be seen: Sea eagles, golden eagles, seals, otter, harbour porpoises, a multitude of sea birds, and sometimes dolphins, minke whales, and basking sharks.

MV Chalice

Contact: Chris Jackson

Telephone: 01631 720609

Email: chris@mvchalice.com

Type of vessel and trip: 5-9 days cruises onboard the Motor Vessel Chalice around the Western Isles between May and September .

Likely species to be seen: The wildlife of the Hebrides is varied and wonderful and you can see anything from harbour porposies to minke whales and killer whales. You can also see basking sharks and a fantastic variety of bird life.

Sea Trek

Contact: Murray McLeod

Telephone: 01851 672464

Email: murray@seatrek.co.uk

Type of vessel and trip: Wildlife cruises on a rib – takes up to 12 passengers (day trips).

Likely species to be seen: Risso’s and white-beaked dolphins, minke whales, harbour porposies and basking sharks.

Gairloch Marine Life Centre and Cruises

Contact: Ian French

Telephone: 01445 712636

Email: info@porpoise-gairloch.co.uk

Type of vessel and trip: One and two hour wildlife cruises on the 31′ MV Starquest. The wildlife information centre also includes photographic displays of local wildlife, identification guides, films and sightings data.

Likely species to be seen: Harbour porpoises are the most frequently encountered marine mammals, on which survey work is conducted. Other cetacean species seen include minke whales, common and white-beaked dolpins. There are also grey and common seals to be spotted.

MV Sheerwater

Contact: Susan Grant or Graham MacLellan

Telephone: 01687 450224

Email: info@arisaig.co.uk

Type of vessel and trip: Departs daily from Arisaig Marina. Booking is essential. Trips to the islands of Eigg, Muck or Rum.

Likely species to be seen: One of the UK’s best locations for seeing minke whales and harbour porpoises. Risso’s dolphin, Atlantic white-sided dolphin, bottlenose dolphin, killer whale and basking shark have also been seen.

Hebridean Whale Cruises

Contact: Nick Davies

Telephone: 01445 712458

Email: nick999davies@hotmail.com

Type of vessel and trip: Wildlife watching trips from Gairloch around the seas of Northwest Scotland onboard MV Kerry.

Likely species to be seen: Minke whales, harbour porpoises, killer whales, many species of dolphins including Risso’s dolphin, common dolphin and bottlenose dolphins, as well as many species of seabirds.

North West Cruises

Contact: Jody McNiel

Telephone: 0795 481765

Email: northwestcruises1@hotmail.co.uk

Type of vessel and trip: 1 hour trip ~ Short cruise inside Loch Gairloch; 2 hour ~ to the mouth of Loch Gairloch and west side of Longa Island looking out into the Minch; 3 hour ~ Recommended for seeing whales and dolphins, takes you out into the Minch towards Rhona and west to the Isle of Skye. Full day charters available by arrangement.

Likely species to be seen: Minke whales, harbour porpoises, killer whales, Risso’s dolphin, common dolphin, bottlenose dolphins, as well as many species of seabirds.