DURATION: 4.5/5 hrs | COST: £65 per person

ABOUT THIS TRIP

Departing from the iconic and historic fishing village of Stein, this trip sails across Lochbay to pass the hillside where rocky crags provide excellent habitat for red deer and are favoured nesting sites for golden eagle and sea eagles. The lower slopes extend down over small cliffs to a rocky foreshore, through a tumble of native woodland, wild garlic and honeysuckle, to reach perfect fishing ground for otter, which we spot very occasionally by boat.

Cruising by Lochbay Islands, (A Special Area of Conservation for Seals) we spot common seal and their pups, which is always a delight. Passing by popular Coral Beach, onwards into the deeper coastal waters off Dunvegan Head, these, the tallest sea cliffs in the UK, plunge into nutrient rich tidal waters and the wildlife promise that they hold. Everything from flights of Manx shearwater to resident orca bulls can be seen here, as we journey on towards Neist Pt, the farthest west point of Skye.

All the while we keep a watchful eye on the sky, where mighty sea eagles soar above, catching the clifftop updraft to enjoy effortless flight, as they survey the shimmering sea round us for dinner. Several pairs breed in this territory and we are often treated to great sightings.

Rounding the next headland at the northerly tip of Glendale, we continue into exposed west coast tidal waters, where sheer cliffs and columnar stacks plummet sharply into the ocean, creating caves at the interface.

On the horizon Neist Point Lighthouse, bright and white, sits dramatically on a chiselled rocky promontory, a long gnarled hooked finger of rock reaches into the sparkling sea, curlingthe ocean and stirring the tide.  Even on the calmest day there is a restless ocean swell and tidal currents.

Yet in these ocean rich currents and beneath the waves lies a land of beauty and colour, sustenance to a vastness of marine life, from the tiniest plankton to the ocean giants. Diving, Gannets plummet with astonishing speed piercing into the sea, where sunbeams dance in the turquoise depths, to gorge on shoals of shimmering mackerel an indicator of the potential for sightings of gentle giants. Basking shark, orca, whale and dolphin are often sighted here along with seals who tumble in the surf that gushes up the gulley beneath the lighthouse in a spume of spray and bubbles.

As a WiSE accredited operator, we behave in a manner that allows marine creature to interact with us if they choose, or to carry on feeding uninterrupted. Individual mammals behave differently, some being cautious others being curious and coming close to ‘eyeball’ you. Every and any encounter is a privilege and the mammal’s welfare is always paramount. The species we are most likely to encounter are minke whales, sometimes pilot whales, white sided dolphins, common dolphins, bottlenose dolphins and Rissos dolphins. In recent years Humpback whale sightings have recovered though they are still uncommon.

Orca encounters with their large distinctive fins heralding their arrival, are occasional but always memorable, leaving a frisson of excitement in the air and much chatter lasting long into the day. By comparison basking shark move lazily as they feed, scooping up gallons of plankton soup in their massive mouths but these encounters are much less frequent and therefor extra special.

Looking beyond to the western horizon the Hebridean Island Archipelago stretches in full and curving panorama, offering ‘a wee bit of shelter and protection’ to passing yachts and fishing vessels, from the wild Atlantic seaboard beyond,

……… and all the while, the restless ocean echoes whispers of seafarers and islanders past, who left these shores on the wave to new lives beyond.

When we return to Stein, if you wish to explore more, we suggest you check out Visit Waternish website.

THIS IS OUR MOST WEATHER DEPENDANT TRIP

WHEN TO ARRIVE | WHERE TO MEET | WHAT TO BRING

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