5 July 2021
The cruise was excellent. St Kilda is breath taking for its geology, bird life and mysterious historic buildings. Gill and I quite spontaneously both compared its haunting atmosphere with Machu Picchu. Rob the captain took us as close as possible to some wonderful bird covered cliffs, stacks and caves and homed in on bird flocks, seals, minke whales, dolphins, otters and other wildlife sights whenever he glimpsed them. We enjoyed walking on Hirta and the other islands where we saw so many wildflowers. We were lucky to see the St Kilda mouse and wren although TV enthusiasts might consider the Balamory cat more important. I was surprised to learn that the crew of four had not all worked together many times as they formed such a well co-ordinated team. All the passengers got along well. Rob the captain seemed to know the islands in detail and is obviously a man of many accomplishments but still seemed happy to help serve meals. Sian, the lady chef, produced very fine meals and evening dinners were a culinary and social joy. Craig seemed to be everywhere helping and Zoe the naturalist never stopped looking for wildlife and pointing it out from the boat and when she guided us on the islands. We are both somewhat stiff jointed but with a little help we had no trouble with beach landings. We slept in one of the two smaller cabins. There was no space to spare but we quickly made ourselves at home and were very comfortable. The little wet room worked well. We can happily recommend Hebrides Cruises to anybody. Thanks to all you all.
Gill & Paul Gillians
Thank you to all who worked so hard to make my holiday all I could have wished it to be. The rest of the guests were good company and fun to be around. Yoga sessions well thought out, varied and fun. I especially enjoyed the time our skipper landed us all in remote and stunning locations. One of the most memorable places being the Isle of Gunna. This was where we were surprised after walking the dunes and enjoying yoga, to a birthday picnic of bubbly and cake on the beach. Thanks Sarah for having a birthday at just the right time. I haven’t felt so at peace yet so invigorated for a while I feel so blessed to have had such an experience of wilderness, sea, sand and amazing food. Our skipper was fantastic, scanning the horizon for wild life and things of interest while keeping us all safe. Seeing the area around Mull, Staffa (another memorable day), Inch Kenneth, Cairns of Coll and Ulva in all their glory from the sea was unforgettable. I enjoyed the week so much that I have booked a trip for my husband and me in 2025, on the Emma Jane with the same skipper, can’t wait.
Ruth Moody: 26 August 2023Serenity at Sea: A Hebridean Yoga Retreat