17 September 2024
We booked up this cruise over a year in advance as it seemed so popular. When we did it we saw why. It was all and more we had anticipated and that in no small part is down to the fantastic skipper and crew. They treated us more like family than paying guests and did all they could to ensure we had a great time. The islands are beautiful in their own right but with the expert knowledge of the skipper we went to secluded bays and gorgeous beaches and always moored somewhere with amazing views. Thanks To Bella the wildlife guide we saw things we would have missed ourselves and we were treated to sea eagles, porpoises, dolphins and a few minke whales! Sammy fed us like royalty with imaginative and super tasty meals and then there was the daily homemade cakes. Yum. Abbie looked after everything on board even down to different table decorations every night and chocs on the pillow. Will was always polishing or painting and taking us shore in the tender. All in all a brilliant holiday and we have already booked up our next one.
Mark Duncan
We set off from Oban in the Elizabeth G under the expert skippering (is that a word ?) of Alistair, Bosun Craig was ever attentive providing drinks and excellenttable service, Zoe our guide pointing out various wildlife species and Charle our Chef providing delicious meals and snacks all throughout the cruise. I would nominate Charlie for Master Chef. Alistair plotted our course northwards, we saw Dolphins on our first day, poor Zoe couldn't get me to say pods, "herds of them" was my cry, it was amazing that these highly intelligent creatures would actively go out of their way to interact with us, it happened every day and our faces ached with the smiles these fantastic animals generated. We saw Minke whales almost every day as well The Elizabth G may be 60 years old but she is in excellent condition, strong, reliable, steady in a strong wind and swell because of her stabilisers, she has character and a beauty all of her own. She is big enough to give you confidence that she can tackle what mother nature throws at her but small enough to anchor in some truly amazing places. Every day you go ashore and explore another new location. (Weather permitting) Every member of the crew is dedicated to making sure you get the most out of your cruise, excellent food, excellent care, super knowledge of the flora and fauna. You go to bed every evening with your knowledge expanded, your spirits lifted. If you want to see Dolphins, Whales, Harbour Porpoises, Eagles, Shags, Gannets, Manx Shearwater, Gulls of every type, the list of encounters is limited only by the time/length of your cruise, sign up for a cruise as soon as you can. Alistair, the skipper has the utmost respect for the wildlife you encounter, every encounter is on the animals terms, their safety takes priority, he lets the wildlife come to the boat rather than pursuing it. His storytelling is wonderful, every evening he and Zoe join you and he shows you where you have been, where you are going and what weather to expect, there is even a knowledge test at the end o
David and Tracy Woods-Thomas: 28 August 2023Whale watching in the Northern Minch