1 September 2018
Dear Emma - I just wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed our holiday. Our hope was that we would visit some of the more remote and inaccessible islands of the Outer Hebrides, and you certainly achieved that. We visited 11 islands in our 10 day trip and of the 2 where we had been before we saw parts not previously explored so were delighted. The crew were professional and attentive. Chris, Craig and Nigel have lots of trips under their belts. Our chef Lulu was a superb cook and a delight. Her enthusiasm was magnetic. Nigel was very happy to share some helpful photography tips and lessons for those of us who wanted to use the opportunity to expand our photography skills. Composition and use of the camera functions were explained and were eagerly applied and the resultant photos perhaps a little better than might otherwise have been achieved by the keen pupils, but still a long way short of Nigel's inspiring images. We came to see more islands, we achieved that in spades. We also had great fun, walked and hiked miles, saw some amazing sights and landscapes. Watched wildlife in action, learned to recognise the wildlife we saw, developed a healthy respect for the sea, had a sense of awe at the remoteness and resourcefulness of the far flung communities. Altogether we came away with a refreshing outlook on life and warm memories shared with 12 fellow shipmates that is hard to believe 10 days previously had never met each other. Wishing you every success for what is left of this season and next and the forthcoming awards on 22nd November.
Stuart & Gillian Sandilands
This was our second cruise on the Lucy Mary, so we had high expectations from last time, which were all fulfilled. Abbie was once again our steward, while skipper Lewis, Chef Jeya and Wildlife Guide Linsey were new to us. Our weather was exceptional, with Lewis keeping us well away from any bad stuff. We also achieved our top bucket list item of dolphin bow wave riding, with around 20 dolphins swimming with us on one day and then around 6 on a later day - stupendous. Our fellow travellers were all lovely people, which is such an important factor in these small cruise ships, and it was a nice touch for Lewis and Linsey to join us for our evening meals. Jeya’s food was consistently superb, and Abbie made sure we were always well looked after. Always impressive was the ability of the crew to turn their hand to pretty much any task, which meant that occasional glitches were dealt with smoothly and without fuss. Lynsey in particular was visibly always on the go, cleaning the decks while we breakfasted, guiding us on board and onshore, and helping brief and debrief us at the end of each day. Having such an experienced wildlife guide at your elbow at all times is what really differentiates this cruise from the competition. The whole experience felt like we were very much involved in agreeing or amending the itinerary for the following day, rather than simply being a passenger. We are already booked for a 10 day cruise next year.
John and Aileen MacLean: 13 May 2024Skye, the Small Isles and the Shiants