1. DOLPHIN SPOTTING BOAT TRIPS
CONTACT: Jonathan or Winston Evans
TELEPHONE: 01545 560 800; evenings: 560 375
EMAIL: newquayboattrips@gmail.com
ADDRESS: Booking Office, Main Pier, New Quay, Ceredigion, SA45 9NW
SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook
Type of vessel and trip: 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.
Likely species to be seen: 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.
2. A BAY TO REMEMBER
CONTACT: Tony Barber
TELEPHONE: 01239 623558
EMAIL: tony@baytoremember.co.uk
ADDRESS: Patch Beach, Gwbert, Cardigan SA43 1PP
Type of vessel and trip: 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 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.
