There is a special time of year, and a particular area of the west coast, that is an amazing hub for wildlife. In September and October the shoals of mackerel attract cetaceans and sea birds in large numbers, making it a great time to be at sea, spotting dolphins, porpoises and minke whales. At the same time Manx shearwaters can be seen in huge rafts on the surface of the sea, while bird populations such as gannets and eagles are at their highest, with the young most visible before they depart to find their own territory. Basking sharks are still around, seals and otters are plentiful and on the coast the red deer are seen and heard as the annual rut is in progress. The cruise area is extremely scenic, including the “Small Isles” of Rum, Eigg, Canna and Muck, and the magnificent sea lochs of Loch Spelve on the Isle of Mull and remote Loch Sunart and Kentra Bay on Ardnamurchan. On shore, there are excellent guided walking opportunities on this cruise, with expert local knowledge on hand from all four crew and to top it all, delicious food from the galley.
28 September 2019
Well, what can I say, everything about this small cruise was first class. The crew, Chris, Craig, Alexa and Mags all looked after us from start to finish. The cabins were lovely with comfy beds, there was room to store everything and the en-suites were excellent. The food was absolutely delicious, thank you Mags. Every day was interesting and we saw plenty of wildlife, lots of white sided dolphins following the boat one day which was great. The weather was also brilliant and we were with a lovely bunch of folk. We’ll be back.
Shamim and Stanley Robertson
We were so pleased with the charter booking from the initial emails inquiring about dates available to the last minute questions and timely responses as we prepared to head to Scotland. Emma is professional, kind, and prompt in responding by email. We appreciate good customer service and yours is excellent. Since this was our second cruise with Skipper James and the Emma Jane, we knew what to expect about anchorages and visiting the islands. However, this cruise exceeded any expectations we had. We enjoyed returning to some islands we had previously visited and seeing new places. We continue to be overwhelmed by our visit to St. Kilda (thank you, Skipper James!) and seeing the many, many species and numbers of birds throughout the cruise that were not around in these numbers in September 2017. James knows much about all aspects of the Hebrides; if he doesn’t know an answer, he says that he doesn’t know. I like that. Will was knowledgeable about cetaceans, birds, plants, and extremely helpful to those of us who decided to take some of the walks that included narrow and muddy trails with steep inclines. He was available to offer a hand or arm to steady us as we hiked up and down the hills. Anchoring in protected areas overnight is an extraordinary experience—the quiet, the skies, the gentle rocking of the vessel. All ten of us on this charter live on bodies of water—bays, lakes, ocean. Anchoring in coves next to small villages or near an unpopulated island is special. The cruise was extra special. We were made to feel welcomed back and our friends from New Hampshire were thrilled with their experiences seeing the Hebrides and the wildlife, scenery, remoteness, and the comfort of the Emma Jane.
Angela & David Hiley: 8 June 2019Private Charter 10 Nights