Recommended Whale and Dolphin Watch Operators


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All the operators listed here contribute to the monitoring work conducted by Sea Watch by collecting cetacean sightings data and sending their records to us. In particular they participate in the annual National Whale and Dolphin Watch, by promoting Sea Watch, encouraging people to record their sightings and sometimes also by offering special deals for those member of public participating in the event. If you are a wildlife boat operator and would like to be participate in the National Whale and Dolphin Watch, please contact our Sightings Officer: Email: sightings@seawatchfoundation.org.uk, Tel:01545 561 227.

Region - Orkney

SEAORKNEY
Mallard Park
Tankerness
Orkney KW17 2QS
Contact: Kenny Sinclair
Tel: 01856 861335 / 07808811819
Email: merryfisher@hotmail.co.uk
Website: www.seaorkney.co.uk
Type of vessel: 8 metre Fast Cruiser. Wildlife trips for up to 4 passengers, tailored to suit customers wishes.
Seals and interesting seabirds are reguarly seen, but other species sighted include killer whales and dolphins.

Region - North East Scotland

North Coast Marine Adventures
Sunfield
Scarfskerry
By Thurso
Caithness KW14 8XW
Contact: Mike Rowbottom / Peter Barker
Tel: 01955 611797 / 07867 666273
Email: ncexplorer@northcoast.fsnet.co.uk
Website: www.northcoast-marine-adventures.co.uk
Type of trip and vessel: Wildlife cruises on a rigid inflatable boat - takes up to 12 passengers (day trips)
Likely species to be seen: trips focus mainly on seabirds and seals but cetaceans that may be encountered are harbour porpoises, white-beaked dolphins, minke whales and occasionally killer whale and pilot whales.

John O' Groats Wildlife Cruises
Ferry Office
John O’Groats
Wick
Caithness KW1 4YR
Contact: David & Ivor Thomas
Tel: 01955 611353
Email: info@jogferry.co.uk
Website: www.jogferry.co.uk
Type of vessel: Wildlife cruises on a ferry – takes up to 250 passengers (day trips)
Likely species to be seen: this mainly focuses on seabirds and seals. Cetaceans that may be sighted are harbour porpoises, minke whales and white-beaked dolphins.

Region – Moray Firth

Ecoventures
Harbour Workshop
Victoria Place
Cromarty
IV11 8YE
Contact: Robyn Haugh
Tel: 01381 600323
E-mail: info@ecoventures.co.uk
Website: www.ecoventures.co.uk
Type of trip and vessel: dolphin cruises on custom-built ribs taking up to 12 passengers (day trips)
Likely species to be seen: Bottlenose dolphins and harbour porpoises, seals and other general wildlife.

Region – North Grampian

Gemini Explorer
2 Red Craig
Burghead
Morayshire
IV30 5XX
Contact: Peter Hizzett
Tel: 07747 626280
Email: info@geminiexplorer.co.uk
Website: www.geminiexplorer.co.uk
Type of trip and vessel: Wildlife and dolphin cruises on motor vessel taking up to 12 passengers.
Likely species to be seen: Bottlenose dolphins, minke whales, harbour porpoises, seals and other general wildlife.

Region - South Grampian

Vessel based surveys
Contact: Kevin Hepworth
Email: kevin.hepworth@uk.bp.com
Likely species to be seen: Bottlenose dolphins, harbour porpoises white beaked dolphin, minke whale, orca and humpback whale, along with a variety of seabirds, sunfish and seals.

Region - Inner Hebrides

Sea Life Surveys and Ecocruz
Ledaig Tobermory
Isle of Mull PA75 6NU
Contact: Brennen & James Fairbairns
Tel: 01688 302916
Email: info@sealifesurveys.com
Website: www.sealifesurveys.com
Type of trip and vessel: Whale-watching and eco-cruises on 2 motor vessels, each taking up to 12 passengers (day trips).
Likely species to be seen: specifically focuses on minke whales and harbour porpoises on which research is conducted. Other likely species include common, Risso’s and bottlenose dolphins and occasionally killer whales and basking sharks.

Inter-Island Cruises
Garadh Mor Dervaig
Isle of Mull PA75 6QW
Contact: Jeremy and Jenny Matthew
Tel: 01688 400264
Email: info@whalewatchingtrips.co.uk
Website: www.whalewatchingtrips.co.uk
Type of trip and vessel: Whale watching and wildlife cruises on motor vessel taking up to 12 passengers (day trips)
Likely species to be seen: focuses on minke whales and harbour porpoises. Other likely species include common, Risso’s and bottlenose dolphins and occasionally killer whales and basking sharks.

Sea Fari Adventures
The Pier, Armadale
Sleat,
Isle of Skye IV45 8RS
Contact: Peter Fowler and Stephen Patterson
Tel: 01471 833316 / 822361
Email: skyeseafari@aol.com
Website: www.whalespotting.co.uk
Type of trip and vessel: Wildlife cruises on rib boats – two taking up to 12 passengers and one taking up to 24 passengers (day trips)
Likely species to be seen: General wildlife trip but cetacean sightings that may be encountered include minke whales, harbour porpoises, Risso’s and common dolphins. A humpback whale was seen last year

Sea-life Adventures
Balvicar
Isle of Seil
Contact: David and Jean Ainsley Tel: 01631 571010 (Day) 01852 300203 (Eve and W/ends)
Email: info@sealife-adventures.com
Website: www.sealife-adventures.com
Type of trip and vessel: Two to 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 porpoise, dolphins, 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.

Region – Outer Hebrides

MV Chalice
Scottish Wildlife Cruises
Morvern Marine Services
Benderloch, Oban,
Argyll, Scotland PA37 1QP
Contact: Chris and Judi Jackson
Tel: +44 (0) 1631 720 609
Email: chris@mvchalice.com
Website: www.mvchalice.com
Type of trip and vessel: 5-9 day 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 porpoises to minke whales and killer whales. You can also see basking sharks, and a fantastic variety of bird life.

Sea Trek
16 Uigean
Isle of Lewis
Western Isles HS2 9HX
Contact: Murray McLeod
Tel: 01851 672464
E-mail: murray@seatrek.co.uk
Website: www.seatrek.co.uk
Type of trip and vessel: Wildlife cruises on a rigid Inflatable - takes up to 12 passengers (day trips)
Likely species to be seen: Risso’s and white-beaked dolphins, minke whales, harbour porpoises and basking sharks

Region – NW Scotland

Gairloch Marine Life Centre & Cruises
Gairloch Marine Life Centre & Cruises,
Charleston Harbour Pier Road
Gairloch Ross-shire IV21 2BQ
Contact: Ian French
Tel: 01445 712636
Email: mail@porpoise-gairloch.co.uk
Website: www.porpoise-gairloch.co.uk
Type of trip and vessel: One and two hour wildlife cruises on the 31’ MV Starquest. The wildlife information centre also includes photographic displays of local wildlife, identification quides, video and sightings data
Likely species to be seen: Harbour porpoises are the most frequently encountered on which survey work is conducted. Other cetacean species include minke whales, common and white-beaked dolphins.There are also grey and common seals to be spotted.

MV Sheerwater
Arisaig Marine Ltd
The Harbour Arisaig
Inverness-shire PH 39 4NH
Contact: Susan Grant or Graham MacLellan
Tel: 01687 450224
Email: info@arisaig.co.uk
Website: www.arisaig.co.uk
Type of trip and vessel: Departs daily from Arisaig Marina. Booking 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
Gairloch Chandlery
Gairloch
Ross-shire
Contact: Nick Davies
Tel: 01445 712458
Email: nick999davies@hotmail.com
Website: www.hebridean-whale-cruises.com
Type of trip and vessel: 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.

Region - SE Scotland

Maid of Forth/Sea Fari Adventures
Hawes Pier
South Queensferry,
Edinburgh EH30 9TD
Contact: Colin Aston
Tel: 07850 882304
Email: colaston@btinternet.com
Website: www.maidoftheforth.co.uk
Likely species to be seen: minke whales, dolphins, seals and puffins. Last year a humpback whale was spotted.

Wildlife Tours and Education
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Region-Eastern England

Wildlife Tours and Education
Norfolk
Contact: Carl Chapman
Tel: 07833 463 034/01263 826 889
Email: carl@wildlifetoursandeducation.co.uk
Website: www.wildlifetoursandeducation.co.uk
Type of Trip: Wildlife Tours in Norfolk and throughout the UK including cetaceans.
Likely Species to be seen: Norfolk - Harbour Porpoise and Grey Seal. UK Tours - Bottlenose Dolphin - See website for details of Foreign Tours.

Region – SW Wales

Pembrokeshire Dive Charters
Neyland Marina, Neyland Harbour
Near Milford Haven
Pembrokeshire SA73 1PY
Contact: Steve Lewis
Tel: 01646-602942
Email: sales@gopdc.co.uk
Website: www.pdcgo.co.uk
Type of trip and vessel: Wildlife cruises on motor vessels taking up to 12 passengers (day trips)
Likely species to be seen: Most regular species are harbour porpoise (inshore) and common dolphin (offshore); other species sometimes seen include minke whale (offshore), bottlenose dolphin (in the north of Pembrokeshire), and Risso’s dolphin.

Region – southern Cardigan Bay

Winston Evans Boat Charter
New Quay
Cardigan Bay
Ceredigion
West Wales
Tel: 01545 560 800 / 01545 560 375
Website: http://www.newquayboattrips.co.uk
Type of trip and vessel: 1 and 2 hour dolphin watching and wildlife trips along the Ceredigion Marine Heritage Coast on motor vessels Ermol V and Ermol VI taking up to 67 passengers
Likely species to be seen: Grey seals, bottlenose dolphins and harbour porpoises as well as variety of seabirds.

SeaMôr Boat Trips and Private Charter
Aberaeron and New Quay
Cardigan Bay
Ceredigion
West Wales
Tel: 07795242445
Email: info@seamor.org
Website: http://www.seamor.org
Type of trip and vessel: 2 hour dolphin watching trips from Aberaeron and private charter for coastal excursions along the Ceredigion Marine Heritage Coast on the motor vessel Islander. Guided by a qualified marine biologist. Listen to the dolphins and porpoise echolocate with a hydrophone every time we see them!
Likely species to be seen: Grey seals, bottlenose dolphins and harbour porpoises, guillemots, razorbills, variety of sea gulls, oystercatchers, fulmars, cormorants and shags amongst others.

Cardigan Bay Yacht Charter
Aberystwyth Marina
Contact: Damian Sidnell
Tel: 07789680309
Email: drsidnell@aol.com
Website: www.cardiganbayyachtcharter.co.uk
Type of trip and vessel: Sailing yacht ‘Celine’ available for dolphin watch day trips in Cardigan Bay and Skippered Charters of up to 14 days, along the Welsh coast, or to Ireland and the Isle of Man.
Likely species to be seen: Grey seals, bottlenose dolphins and harbour porpoises as well as a large variety of seabirds.

A Bay to Remember – Adventure Wildlife Boat Trips
Cardigan
Contact: Tony Barber
Tel: 01239 623558
Email: tony@baytoremember.co.uk
Website: http://www.baytoremember.co.uk
Type of trip and vessel: 1 to 1.5 hour dolphin watching trips from the town of Cardigan. Our operating area includes Cardigan Island, Mwnt and Aberporth, some of the best places in Cardigan Bay’s Special Area of Conservation to see our resident Bottlenose Dolphins. Our purpose built 10m RIB allows us to cover a large area with ease and is extremely maneuverable allowing us to also explore sea caves.
Likely species to be seen: Bottlenose dolphins, harbour porpoises, atlantic grey seals, guillemots, razorbills, gannets, variety of sea gulls, oystercatchers, fulmars, choughs, peregrines, cormorants and shags to name a few!

Region – northern Cardigan Bay/Caernarfon Bay

Shearwater Coastal Cruises
Crud-yr-Awel, Mynytho, Pwllheli,Gwynedd LL53 7PG
Contact: Alan Gray
Tel: 01758 740899
Email: alan@llynmarinecharters.com
Website: www.shearwatercruises.com
Type of trip and vessel: Dolphin watching and wildlife trips on motor vessel taking up to 12 passengers (day trips)
Likely species to be seen: Mainly harbour porpoises and bottlenose dolphins, occasionally Risso's dolphins. Grey seals can also be seen

Region – Dorset

Dorset Cruises
The Boat Booking Office
Bournemouth Pier
Bournemouth Hants BH2 5AA
Contact: Peter Lamb
Tel: 01202 558550
Email: info@dorsetcruises.co.uk
Website: www.dorsetcruises.co.uk
Type of trip and vessel: General wildlife and scenic cruises on motor vessel taking up to 200 passengers (day trips), and operating from Bournemouth, Swanage and Poole.
Likely species to be seen: focuses on a scenic tour of the heritage coast where mainly seabirds are seen, however, bottlenose dolphins have occasionally been sighted.

Region – Devon

MV Balmoral Sailings
sailing from Ilfracombe
Contact: Chaynee Hodgetts
Tel: 07949 198 254
Website: www.waverleyexcursions.co.uk
Fares from £12.95, concessions apply, children under 18 half fare. Please buy tickets at Ilfracombe or book by calling Sue Koops on 01446 721 221. On all sailings, groups of 10 or more recieve a 10% discount on the standard fare. Dogs cannot be landed at Lundy.Charge for dogs on other cruises (single or return) £7.50
Balmoral is owned by a charity. The traditional 750-seater cruise ship MV Balmoral has a restaurant, lounges and shop, and is the last ship of the "White Funnel Fleet".

Region – Cornwall

Orca SeaFaris
The Cabin
A+P Docks
Falmouth
Cornwall TR11 4NR
Contact: Keith Leeves/ Suzi Gilpin/ Louise Cokayne
Tel: 01326 214928 / 07739 212137
Email: info@orcasea-faris.co.uk
Website: www.orcasea-faris.co.uk
Type of trip and vessel: Wildlife marine cruises on a custom designed RIB with elevated helm position/spotting tower.Takes up to 12 passengers on 2, 3 or 4 hour trips.Including full commentary, wildlife information, environmental information and local history/ coastline.
Likely species to be seen: Bottlenose dolphins, Common dolphins, Mwrcs, Harbour porpoise, Minke whale, Basking sharks, Sunfish, Atlantic Grey seals, huge variety of birdlife. We have seen Fin Whales, and Orcas have been spotted along the coastline but have so far eluded us!!

Elemental Tours Ltd
Atlantic Adventures
Tregonebris Cottage, Tregonebris, Penzance, Cornwall. TR20 8 RQ
Trips out of Albert Pier, Penzance Harbour
Contact: Rory Goodall
Tel: 01736 811200/ 07971540280
Email: elementaltours@blue-earth.co.uk
Website: www.elementaltours.co.uk
Type of trip and vessel: Marine wildlife cruises on RIB ‘Ocean Ranger’, takes 12 passengers. 2hr and 3hr trips out of Albert Pier, Penzance Harbour.
Likely species to be seen: Common dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, harbour porpoises, grey seals, basking sharks, ocean sunfish, rare seabirds at various times of the year, occasional minke whales, fin whales and leatherback turtles.

Forever Changes
Penryn, Cornwall TR10 8BE
Contact: Colin Speedie
Tel: 01326 373360
Email: colin.speedie@mer.org.uk
Wildlife Trust Basking Shark Holidays
Website: www.wildlifetrusts.org
Type of trip and vessel: Six day long cetacean and basking shark surveys onboard the motor sailor Forever Changes leaving from Arisaig, Scotland.
Likely species to be seen: Wide variety of sea birds, grey seals, minke whales, harbour porpoise, several species of dolphins, basking sharks and ocean sunfish.

Marine Discovery Penzance
Penzance Harbour
Contact: Hannah or Duncan Jones
Tel: 01736 874907 / 07749277110
Email: info@marinediscovery.co.uk
Website: www.marinediscovery.co.uk
Type of trip and vessel: one and two hour wildlife trips from Penzance Harbour onboard a 25ft RIB, which seats 9 passengers.
Likely species to be seen: Wide variety of sea birds, common dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, harbour porpoises, Risso’s dolphins, grey seals, basking sharks, ocean sunfish, rare seabirds at various times of the year, occasional minke whales, fin whales, long-finned pilot whales and leatherback turtles.

Fowey Marine Adventures
The Studio, Bull hill, Fowey, Cornwall, PL23 1BZ
Contact: Steve Miller
Tel: 01726832703
Email: stvnmllrn@aol.com
Website: www.fma.fowey.com
Type of trip and vessel: one and two hour wildlife trips from Fowey Estuary Harbour onboard a purpose built rigid hull inflatable boat.
Likely species to be seen: Wide variety of sea birds, grey seals, basking sharks, common dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, harbour porpoises, Risso’s dolphins, basking sharks.

Region – Ireland

Whale Watch West Cork
Union Hall
County Cork
Ireland
Contact: Nic Slocum
Tel: 00353 (0) 28 33357 / Mobile: 00 353 (0) 86 120 0027
Email: nics@whalewatchwestcork.com
Website: www.whalewatchwestcork.com
Type of trip and vessel: various different whale and dolphin watching trips on twin-engine catamaran, Voyager.
Likely species to be seen: Common dolphins and harbour porpoises are resident all year round off West Cork. Minke whales may be seen from May through to December. Family groups of fin whales arrive in the early summer months and are resident through to January. Humpback whales, the great cetacean acrobats, may be seen during our whale watching tours between August and January. Chance encounters may occur with killer whales (Orcas), bottlenose and Risso's Dolphins and long finned pilot whales at different times throughout the year.

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