31 May 2025
What a fabulous, exciting and enjoyable holiday we had on the Elizabeth G thanks to the team on board. They were the most professional and flexible team and we highly recommend them. Despite the dreadful wind and rain at times we got to St Kilda safely and as comfortably as was possible. Iain planned the trip extremely carefully and made sure he had the boat in the best position possible when the weather window opened up to sail to St Kilda. Each day brought something new for us to see, different lochs, islands and wildlife we’d never been able to see from the land before. Gill alerted us to the wildlife and was on hand to talk about it and accompany us on guided walks if we chose to join. Iain slowed the boat for us to see the wildlife, when feasible. We’ll certainly never forget the Sea Eagles and the ‘Barra Boys’ - bottle nosed dolphins. The food was extraordinary. Yes, we have been very spoiled by the meals Izzy cooked, plus afternoon tea each day, and now face life without it! Trinity made sure our cabin was as comfortable and clean and tidy each day and discreetly learnt what our likes and dislikes were when serving and helping with all the meals, and was on hand for drinks and coffee for anything we needed in the day. Each evening after dinner Iain and Gill would talk with us about the day and where Iain was planning our journey for the next day. They both answered our questions with great patience and humour and we certainly felt our needs were more than met. We were travelling with a lovely group of passengers too. Iain and his team have made this a very special holiday for us to remember for ever. Thank you.
Louise & Steve Caines
The whole experience was amazing from start to finish, and that’s even though we never managed to reach the Outer Hebrides, like we'd been hoping (too much wind/swell in the Minch, thanks to hurricane remnants from across the Atlantic, so the Captain advised we turn back to Skye). We chartered the Emma Jane for 8 days, and there were three generations of us from 11 to 65 (including two kids). Most amazing was Chef Louis, who did the impossible, and served food to suit us all, despite our varied and complicated dietary issues. (Very, very tasty food too.) He was ably assisted by Jenny, our Steward, who kept everything running smoothly. And now everyone misses having their breakfast toast served to them in a Harris Tweed toast cosy. The scenery and wildlife were just as amazing, ably interpreted by our naturalist guide Lynsey. We had several pods of dolphins come surf the bow wave, much to everyone’s delight. As well as eagles and many other bird and mammal sightings, as well as rainbows, castles, perfect beachcombing beaches, and so much more. Lynsey led our rambles ashore, with options for the less energetic among us to still enjoy a stroll while those with younger knees tackled the hills. James, our captain, did a fine job of avoiding the worst of the swells, and he consulted with us each step of the way, so even though we were disappointed not to get to Lewis/Harris, we knew it was for the best. James and Lynsey also made for excellent hosts at dinner. This trip was to celebrate our 30th anniversary, and James managed to surprise us by having his daughter pipe in our cake while we were docked in Tobermory, in fine Scottish style. I’ll keep overusing the word “amazing” as it’s the only word which just about manages to capture the experience. Highly recommended. If you are thinking about doing a Hebrides cruise, do it, and do it with these people. You will not be disappointed. Thank you James, Lynsey, Jenny, and Louis; you made our trip extraordinary.
Barry Twycross: 15 August 2024Private Charter 8 Nights