Scotland

Seabirds & Seals

Ecoventures

Contact: Sarah Pern
Telephone: 01381 600323
Email: info@ecoventures.co.uk

Type of vessel and trip: Dolphin cruises on custom-built ribs taking up to 12 passengers (2 hour trips and charters on request).

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

North 58° Sea Adventures

Contact: Pippa Low/Simon Paterson
Telephone: 01309 690099
Email: adventure@north58.co.uk

Type of vessel and trip: Explore the wonders of the Moray Firth with North 58° Sea Adventures. 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: 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 life.

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 72ft ex-Clyde class live aboard lifeboat, The Gemini Explorer.

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

Seafari Explorer

Contact: Colin Aston
Telephone:  07850 882304
Email: colinaston199@gmail.com

Type of vessel and trip: This is a brand new 55 passenger catamaran which offers wildlife viewing trips April to October.

Likely species to be seen:  Minke whales, dolphins, seals and puffins. Last year a humpback whale was spotted.

Sea Life Surveys

Contact: James Fairbairns
Telephone: 01688 302916
Email: info@sealifesurveys.com

Type of vessel and trip: 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.

Likely species to be seen: 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.

Sealife Adventures

Contact: David and Jean Ainsley
Telephone: 01631 571010 (day) / 01852 300203 (evening and weekends)
Email: info@sealife-adventures.com

Type of vessel and trip: 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 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@craignishcruises.co.uk

Type of vessel and trip: Two, three, four hour, and day whale and wildlife cruises on board our latest extremely sturdy, and capable offshore power boat “ Venturer”

Likely species to be seen: Our area of operation is an important feeding hot spot for a number of species including porpoise, minke whales, basking sharks, dolphins, a multitude of sea birds including puffins, also sea eagles, golden eagles, otters, seals and deer can be seen along the shoreline.

Seafari Adventures

Contact: Carolyn Perkins
Telephone: 01852 300 003
Email: oban@seafari.co.uk

Seafari Adventures are Oban’s 5* Visit Scotland marine wildlife tour operator. Based in the conservation area of Easdale, 16 miles south of Oban we have a fleet of powerful RIBs which are purpose designed and built to ensure you maximum viewing opportunities.

Type of vessel and trip: Our Wildlife Tours depart throughout the day visiting the Gulf of Corryvreckan, home of the World’s Third Largest Whirlpool. Our two hour nature spectacular is set amongst the many islands in the area. The scenery is spectacular with both woodlands and cliffs. All Seafari boats are high speed Rigid Hulled Inflatable Boats purpose built for wildlife and nature watching. Boats are driven by one of our highly experienced skippers and crewed by a qualified wildlife guide.

Likely species to be seen: Porpoise, dolphins and whales feed in these food rich waters along with many seals and the occasional otter. There are deer on the islands and seabirds in the skies which are also home to both the white tailed sea eagle and golden eagle. Using our cabin RIBs we are able to offer tours to the whale feeding grounds in July and August and day tours to Iona, Staffa and the local Puffin colony.

Sea Trek

Contact: Lynne & Murray McLeod
Telephone: 01851 672469
Email: murray@seatrek.co.uk

Type of vessel and trip: 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.

Misty Isle

Contact: Anne Mackinnon
Telephone: 01471866288/222
Email: anne@mistyisleboattrips.co.uk

Type of vessel and trip/likely species to be seen: We will be operating 3 boats for the coming season and various wildlife is spotted from all three. 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 etc.

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: Verle van de Bossche
Telephone: 01445 712458
Email: veerle_hwc@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 McNeil
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.

Summer Queen Cruises, Ullapool

Contact: Noel Hawkins
Telephone: +44(1854) 612472
Email: Cruises@SummerQueen.co.uk