Recommended boat operators

A roomy, comfortable motor launch with covered flybridge, cosy heated cabin, modern toilet, soft seating inside and out for small intimate groups, hot drinks and snacks, a maximum of 10 people. All day, 7 hour whale and dolphin trips, 4 hour wildlife trips, pelagic trips with scent-based chum, private hire and group bookings. Gift certificates available. Open twelve months of the year. Seven different species of cetacean can be seen during the season, the most common being bottlenose dolphins, common dolphins and harbour porpoise with possible sightings of minke whales, pilot whales, fin whales (during the months of February and March), white-beaked dolphins, basking sharks, blue sharks, leatherback turtles, common seals, Atlantic grey seals, choughs, nesting peregrine falcons, and a wide variety of sea birds can be seen throughout the year along with some rarities.

Website: www.akwildlifecruises.co.uk

Telephone: 01326 753389

Email: info@akwildlifecruises.co.uk

MCA coded 10m rib, twin outboards, 12 passengers licensed to operator up to 20miles from shore, wildlife watching as well as diving. Likely species to see include common and white beaked-dolphins, harbour porpoises, minke whale, humpback whales are rare but have been seen in last few years, 4,000 Atlantic grey seals, tens of thousands of seabirds in breeding season. Individuals as well as parties, bespoke trips to such locations as Farnes Deep, favoured location 20 miles offshore for cetaceans.

Website: www.farne-islands.com

Telephone: 01665 720308

Email: info@farne-islands.com

Website: www.boatsafari.co.uk

Telephone: 07877 601048

Email: boatsafari@outlook.com

Website: www.devonseasafari.com

Telephone:  07931 201101

Email: info@devonseasafari.com

We run Shearwater, an open 9m rib with jet drive from Lowestoft and do short sight-seeing trips and longer nature watching trips to Scroby Sands and Horsey beach. Species seen are primarily grey and common seals and various sea birds. We hope to occasionally see harbour porpoises or dolphins, maybe a minke or humpback whale one day too as they sometimes make their way down the coast to our area.

Website: www.jetadventures.co.uk

Telephone: 0800 188 4126 ; 07710 630965

Email: john@jetadventures.co.uk

1 1/2, 3 and 4 hour wildlife trips from Penzance harbour onboard a 34ft sailing catamaran, which takes 12 passengers. Likely to see a wide variety of sea birds such as gannets, different species of auk and shearwaters. Marine megafauna include common dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, harbour porpoises, Risso’s dolphins, grey seals, basking sharks and ocean sunfish. Whales are also sometimes seen, mainly minkes but other rare but possible sightings include humpback and fin whales.

Website: www.marinediscovery.co.uk

Telephone: 07749 277110

Email: info@marinediscovery.co.uk

2-4 hour trips on Atlantic Diver. Species seen are grey seals including our semi-resident grey seals to Newquay harbour; inshore bottlenose dolphins but also (as we hope to do a longer 4-hour trips and possibly all day trip) offshore bottlenose dolphins, common dolphins, harbour porpoise, Risso’s dolphin rare chance but possible. Also, will have a high chance of seeing sunfish and basking sharks. Breeding sea birds; razorbills, guillemots, puffins, kittiwakes (as we have 2 kittiwake colonies very local to Newquay Harbour), gannets, a variety of terns and of course gulls, fulmar and oyster-catchers. We see lots of varieties of jellyfish too; moon, blue, barrel, comb jellies, sea gooseberries, compass, by the wind sailors. We also now take Secchi disk sampling, with a microscope on board to look at the variety of plankton in the water.

Website: www.newquayseasafarisandfishing.co.uk

Telephone: 07852 466122

Email: newquayseasafariandfishing@gmail.com

MCA coded 10m catamaran, 12 passengers, licensed to operate up to 60 miles from shore. 4hr evening trips in June/July/August close to the southeast Northumberland coast and 10hr day trips in August/September out to the Farne Deeps where we’ve identified key feeding areas for White-beaked Dolphin through survey work and wildlife tours since 2009. Likely species to be seen are bottlenose dolphin, white-beaked dolphin, minke whale, harbour porpoise, grey seal, gannet, fulmar, kittiwake, shearwaters, skuas.

Website: www.northernexperiencewildlifetours.co.uk

Telephone: 01670 827465 ; 07908 119535

Email: martin@newtltd.co.uk

Tandem or solo sea kayak wildlife and bird-watching tours. Up to 12 participants, licensed to operate within the inshore waters of Torbay and South Devon. Our tours are guided by local expert Kieran Laureston who is passionate about delivering a truly memorable experience, he incorporates information about the local history and rich cultural heritage, marine wildlife and the geological sites of specific scientific interest. Kieran has been taming the sea for beginners for many years. Likely species to be seen include basking shark, bottlenose dolphin, harbour porpoise, grey seal, common seal, cormorant, dunlin, egret, fulmar, guillemot, heron, kittiwake, oyster-catcher, peregrine falcon, shag.

We are very lucky to have a pod of harbour porpoises and inshore common dolphins that are residents in South Devon and that we get an array of visiting cetaceans and nesting sea birds including one of the largest colonies of guillemots in the UK.

Website: www.seakayaktorbay.co.uk

Telephone: 01803 912963 ; 07903 992930

Email: kieranlaureston@gmail.com

We are a small conservation orientated tour operator using trained guides, run by an award-winning cameraman and photographer, Simon Palmer-Billing. Wise accredited, we pride ourselves on creating a powerful experience to turn you into Sea-Life Ambassadors, and give you the opportunity to hear the cetaceans with our underwater microphone.

Website: www.sealifeconservationtours.co.uk

Telephone: +44 (0)7713 705692

Email: info@sealifeconservationtours.co.uk

Website: www.farneislandstours.co.uk

Telephone: 01665 720760 ; 07984668093

Email: andrew@sovereigndiving.co.uk

Summer Queen is a large vessel with three different outdoor decks, one of which is undercover, as well as a heated saloon with hot and cold drinks and confectionery available. The vessel can carry over 100 passengers but typically only carries 12 for offshore Whale Watching and 50 for inshore Whale Watching and Wildlife and Coastal Scenery trips. Earlier in the season, particularly July and August, Summer Queen will operate late afternoon/evening Wildlife and Coastal Cruises which sometimes also encounter cetaceans. These are advertised and only available to book at the quay, no online or telephone bookings are taken. Whale watching trips now only operate in September when minke whale numbers are at their peak along the Yorkshire Coast. Other species occasionally seen include fin, sei and humpback Whales as well as White-beaked and bottlenose dolphins. Harbour Porpoise are also sighted quite frequently in this area. Grey Seals are numerous in the area with a colony at nearby Ravenscar and many seabirds are also seen with RSPB Bempton a short flight away. Trips must be booked online and usually sail at 0900, 1230 & 1545 on Summer Queen.

Website: www.whitbywhalewatching.net

Telephone: 07941450381

Email: info@whitbywhalewatching.co.uk

Departs daily from Arisaig Marina. Booking is essential. Trips to the islands of Eigg, Muck or Rum. Likely species include minke whales and harbour porpoises, Risso’s dolphin, Atlantic white-sided dolphin, bottlenose dolphin, killer whale and basking shark.

Website: www.arisaig.co.uk

Telephone: 01687 450224

Email: info@arsaig.co.uk

Come join us on our 40-foot ProCharter P4, with seating both inside and outside and a toilet on board. We offer a variety of trips including, a visit to the MV Captayannis shipwreck, a 2-hour dolphin and other wildlife spotting trip, a visit to the Isle of Little Cumbrae, or you can book us for the entire day with a trip to Holy Isle, Lochranza, Tarbert and Portavardie. On all of our trips there is a chance to see Bottlenose dolphins, Harbour porpoises, Harbour and Grey seals, as well as a variety of sea birds. We offer complimentary tea, coffee and hot chocolate and we can accommodate up to 10 guests. Tours run from March to December operating mainly from Kip Marina, Inverkip, with some trips from James Watt Dock, Greenock.

Website: www.clydecharters.com

Telephone: 07939 366 634

Email: info@firthofclydeboattours.com

Cruises on custom-built ribs taking up to 12 passengers (2 hour trips and charters on request). Bottlenose dolphins and harbour porpoise, seals and other general wildlife are likely to be seen.

Website: www.ecoventures.co.uk

Telephone: 01381 600323

Email: info@ecoventures.co.uk

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. 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 dolphins. There are also grey and common seals to be spotted.

Website: www.porpoise-gairloch.co.uk

Telephone: 01445 712636 ; 07751 992666

Email: info@porpoise-gairloch.co.uk

The MV Monadhliath is a fully-converted fishing boat specifically designed now for carrying passengers to observe whales, dolphins and other marine and coastal wildlife via our two custom-built raised viewing platforms with seating, and for live-aboard cruising and charter thanks to the cabins below deck in the former fish hold. We can carry up to 12 passengers on our day trips, and can sleep 8/9 on our overnight cruises plus our 3 crew. The Monadhliath is certified by the Coastguard to carry passengers up to 60 miles offshore in complete safety which means we can include St Kilda on 1 or 2 of our itineraries each year – always a highlight!

harbour porpoise, common dolphin, Risso’s dolphin and minke whales are the most common species that we come across. However, a wider range of other whale and dolphin species use this area to feed in or travel through: this includes various species of beaked dolphins to humpback whales and even orca too. Basking sharks are also seen each year once the summer has warmed the waters up. Seabirds are also a highlight and puffins, guillemots, razorbills, gannets, shags, kittiwakes, fulmars, and gulls are great to watch, as are the growing numbers of white-tailed sea eagles that we regularly see around the Isle’s of Lewis and Harris. The Shiant Isles are a regular stop for us, and in the early season are amazing to see with their breeding colonies with important numbers of puffins and razorbills in particular.

Website: www.hebrideanadventures.co.uk

Telephone: 07871 463755

Email: info@hebrideanadventures.co.uk

Wildlife watching trips from Gairloch around the seas of Northwest Scotland onboard MV Kerry. Species likely to be seen include 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.

Website: www.hebridean-whale-cruises.co.uk

Telephone: 01445 712458

Email: veerle_hwc@hotmail.com

Website: www.islay-sea-adventures.co.uk

Telephone: 01496 300129

Email: info@islay-sea-adventures.co.uk

We operate 3 boats. The vessels are Misty Isle, a 42ft open wooden launch and Heather Grace a 30ft wooden launch which both specialize in trips to visit Loch Coruisk and the common seal colony. The third boat is a fast Cygus Cyfish 33 which will be running trips to Rum and Canna to see the puffins and to look out for cetaceans. Various wildlife including cetaceans, seals, and birds including puffins.

Website: www.mistyisleboattrips.co.uk

Telephone: 014718 66288 ; 014718 66222

Email: anne@mistyisleboattrips.co.uk

We run trips to suit everybody; trips out on our custom built RIBs offer a unique combination of adventure, exhilaration and the joy of close encounters with the marine life and incredible scenery. Likely species to be seen include grey seals, harbour seals, porpoise, and bottlenose dolphins seen regularly. Common dolphins, minke whales, basking sharks are often seen in the summer months as visitors to the area. Various marine bird species.

Website: www.north58.co.uk

Telephone: 01309 690099

Email: adventure@north58.co.uk

The Noss Boat ‘Seabird’ is a 13.5m spacious catamaran which sports twin 370hp engines and a very stable craft because it has twin hulls.  This allows for a very comfortable journey whether you want to move around on deck or prefer the shelter of our cabin.  We are licensed to take up to 12 passengers so plenty of room for all to move around freely, fabulous spacious viewing platform which is fantastic for both spectating and photography.  The boat has been adapted to enable wheelchair access as the business ethos is ‘inclusion for all’, they have made many adaptions to open their tours to the accessible & inclusive market.

On this amazing wildlife spectacular..you get up close and personal to the extraordinary seabird metropolis, home to 25,000 Northern Gannets and thousands of other seabirds towering the sandstone cliffs of Noss.  Super opportunities to see and photograph Shetland’s wildlife against the stunning backdrop of the 181 metre-high Noss cliffs.

Your dedicated guides share local stories as well as their in-depth knowledge on the wildlife, local history, geology and folklore that surrounds Lerwick’s harbour and as they navigate around Bressay & Noss.  Close seabird and seal encounters, breathtaking scenery, stunning rock formations, geos, iconic landmarks and eye catching geology.

Shetland waters are good for cetacean sightings and quite a number been spotted every year during our tours which runs from April through to October…not guaranteed of course but when it happens it truly is magnificent and you could be on no better boat due to its huge viewing platform.

Website: www.seabirds-and-seals.com

Telephone: +44 (0)7595 540 224

Email: info@seabirds-and-seals.com

Website: www.seafari.co.uk

Telephone: 01852 300003

Email: oban@seafari.co.uk

Three, four and five hour whale and wildlife trips aboard the purpose built 900 horsepower “Porpoise II” on the West Coast of Scotland near Oban in Argyll. Likely to seee 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.

Website: www.sealife-adventures.com

Telephone: 01631 571010 ; 01852 300203 (evenings and weekends)

Email: info@sealife-adventures.com

2 – 7 hour wildlife and whale-watching cruises, private charters and package holidays aboard one of two vessels departing from Tobermory on the Isle of Mull. Species likely to be seen are minke whales, basking sharks, harbour porpoise, common and grey seals, white-tailed and golden eagles and common dolphins are all sighted regularly during the summer months, as well as a variety of seabirds. Occasionally Risso’s dolphins, bottlenose dolphins and killer whales are also seen.

Website: www.sealifemull.co.uk

Telephone: 01688 302916

Email: cruises@sealifesurveys.com

Wildlife cruises on a rigid inflatable – takes up to 12 passengers (day trips). Risso’s and white-beaked dolphins, minke whales, harbour porpoises and basking sharks.

Website: www.seatrek.co.uk

Telephone: 01851 672469

Email: murray@seatrek.co.uk

We run trips to suit everybody; trips out on our custom built RIBs offer a unique combination Powerglide 50 Catamaran, built 2010, 15.1 mtr GRP hull. Twin 400hp engines, radar, plotter, 2 VHF radio, twin deck, passenger lounge, toilet. Cetaceans, pinnipeds and plenty of birds can be seen.

Website: www.summerqueen.co.uk

Telephone: 01854 612472

Email: cruises@summerqueen.co.uk

Website: www.shetlandseabirdtours.com

Telephone: 07767 872260

Email: info@shetlandseabirdtours.com

We offer wildlife trips and scuba diving around St Abbs Head on our 10m Offshore 105 charter boat, Stingray which can carry 12 passengers and 2 crew. We run regular trips at the weekends for individuals and groups but are also available for whole boat charter for customised trips. Grey seals, bottlenose dolphins and occasional minke and humpback whales. The sea cliffs are covered in breeding colonies of razorbills, guillemots, kittiwakes and gannets.

Website: www.stabbscharters.com

Telephone: 07802 864870

Email: info@stabbscharters.com

1 to 2 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 manoeuvrable allowing us to also explore sea caves.

Likely species include 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.

Website: www.baytoremember.co.uk

Telephone: 01239 623558

Email: tony@baytoremember.co.uk

We have large, stable, purpose built passenger boats departing daily between (April and October) offering one and two hour trips, with all-weather canopies and seating designed to give the best view for all passengers. The two hour trip boat is fitted with w/c and cushioned seating and ventures five miles along the spectacular coastline. Operating from New Quay for over 60 years our experience of providing safe, enjoyable and informative trips for all ages is unrivalled. Our qualified skippers and guides are professional and friendly and put your enjoyment and safety first, we will help you to identify and appreciate the varied wildlife along the coast in addition to some interesting  local history and geology of the area. All of which brings generations  back to us year after year.

During both our one and two hour trips the Bottlenose Dolphins are regularly spotted but remember they are wild and free here in Cardigan Bay. Dolphins socialise and hunt together and frequently approach the boat in pairs and small groups. Less frequently  but more spectacularly they can be spotted breaching 5 meters into the air.  It’s estimated that between 250-300 bottlenose dolphins are semi-resident in Cardigan Bay and the best time of year to see them here is between May  to September. Bottlenose dolphins are frequently spotted but harbour porpoise less often being locally are much more reserved. Atlantic Grey seal are resident all year and can be seen when hauled out both when basking on sloping rocks in summer but more frequently on beaches with their pups in Sept/Oct. Depending on the duration and season of your trip many birds  can be spotted including guillemots and razorbills, cormorants, shags, kittiwakes, fulmars, oyster-catchers, gannets, Manx Shearwaters, turns, choughs,  many gulls but also birds of prey including Red Kites, buzzards, kestrel and peregrine falcon  much higher up on the headlands so bring binoculars for them’’. N.B. The local Auk colony needs to be viewed before late July.

Website: https://newquayboattrips.co.uk/

Telephone: 01545 560800 ; 01545 560375 (evenings)

Email: newquayboattrips@gmail.com

We provide a range of professionally guided wildlife boat tours in Britain’s only coastal national park. Our vessel is a purpose built 10m rigid hull inflatable boat.  Join us to experience unforgettable close encounters with seals, porpoise and dolphins as well as myriads of nesting seabirds and spectacular scenery. Likely species to be seen include common and Rissos dolphin, harbour porpoise, minke whale; Gannets, shearwaters, storm petrels, guillemots, razorbills, puffins, kittiwake, fulmars as well as lots of resident birds; Atlantic grey seals, sunfish, basking shark, jelly fish. Due to our remote location on the western tip of Wales we also often sea migratory birds such as skuas, terns, sooty shearwaters and many other species

Website: www.falconboats.co.uk

Telephone: 07494 141764

Email: info@falconboats.co.uk

We provide a breath-taking, interactive tour of the South Gower Coast, leaving our passengers with unforgettable memories. Guided by professional qualified crew with excellent local knowledge, you will encounter a wealth of marine wildlife, fascinating local history (from prehistoric bone caves to tales of smugglers) and a unique thrill as we skim across the open water. Likely species to be seen include seals, harbour porpoise, common dolphins and lots of sea birds.

Website: www.gowercoastadventures.co.uk

Telephone: 01792 348229

Email: dave@gowercoastadventures.co.uk

Established in 2001 we welcome you to the beautiful Menai Straits and North Wales Coast where you can sail and power boat in some of the most fabulous cruising grounds in the UK. Based out of Dinorwic Marina on the Menai Straits, North Wales, the school offers the complete range of RYA Sail Cruising and RYA Power Boat courses together with boat charter, site seeing, dolphin and whale watching amongst many other water based activities.

Likely species to be seen include common dolphins, bottlenose, harbour porpoise; Atlantic grey seals; herons, gannets, curlews, oyster-catchers, puffins, gulls, fulmars, razorbills.

Website: www.northwalespowerandsail.co.uk

Telephone: 07983997004 ; 01352720018

Email: mike@northwalespowerandsail.co.uk

We offer a wide range of sea kayaking trips from beginner to advanced and single day to multi-day. Observing nature is a big part of our journeying. As we have small boats (sea kayaks) we can venture close to the shoreline, experiencing the full range of North Atlantic coastal ecosystems, including: rocky shorelines and their diverse habitats. Our sea kayaks are also very seaworthy and make offshore trips to sometimes distant islands. The SKW guides/coaches are all highly competent sea kayak providers and nature guides.

Likely species to see include marine mammals like harbour porpoise, bottlenose and Risso’s dolphins, Atlantic grey seals; seabirds like peregrine falcons, chough, Arctic/common and sandwich tern, Manx shearwater, guillemot, razorbill, puffin, oyster-catcher, herring/black-headed/black-backed gulls and kittiwake, fulmar, gannet, heron, curlew etc. Other species include Sea squirt chordate, spider/shore crab, sponge, barnacle, limpet, dog whelk, periwinkle, dead men’s finger, various anemone and jelly fish, and 600+ species of sea weed/algae

Website: www.seakayakingwales.com

Telephone: 07899662043

Email: info@seakayakingwales.com

Sea life spotting mammal and bird surveys aboard 11mtr Catamaran with elevated viewing platform. Likely species to be seen include various bird life, seals, harbour porpoise and occasional dolphins (bottlenose dolphin, Risso’s dolphin) and whales.

Website: www.seekatcharters.co.uk

Telephone: 01407 830040 ; 07770816460

Email: info@seekatcharters.co.uk

Website: Boat trips Pembrokeshire | Ramsey Island | St Davids Wales (thousandislands.co.uk)

Telephone: 01437 72721

Email: info@thousandislands.co.uk

We offer a variety of wildlife watching boat trips on 10m rigid hulled inflatables which are custom built by us, specifically for this purpose. They all have internal seating with unrestricted views for all passengers and offer the safest and smoothest rides, ideal for photography and getting the best sightings. The boats are skippered by highly experienced skippers and the trips are guided by our friendly, knowledgeable and professional crews. Head to our website to find out about our longer, staple and other trips.

Species often seen include harbour porpoise, common dolphin, Risso’s dolphin, minke whale, Atlantic grey seals, puffins, razorbills, guillemots, manx shearwaters, gannets, plus lots of resident seabirds, other recent sightings include; leatherback turtles, sunfish, basking sharks, sooty shearwaters, great skuas, scoter and many more.

Website: www.ramseyisland.co.uk

Telephone: 01437 721911

Email: info@ramseyisland.co.uk