Exhilarating and exciting fast boat trips in the Firth of Lorn, a stunning location with an array of marine wildlife. Wildlife trips, Whale watching, Day trips to Iona and Staffa, Colonsay and the Garvellachs.
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The Wildlife from last week
What a great week of wildlife last week - hopefully this week will bring the same great sightings (and maybe a wee bit more sunshine!!)
We started the week with one of the best Minke Whale Sightings yet, and things did not go down hill! More and more common seal pups sighted each day, and wonderful glimpses of the Sea Eagle Chick too!!
Red Deer Stags, Golden Eagles, Gannets, Guillemots, Kittiwakes, Grey Seals, Fallow Deer, Shags, Oyster Catchers, Canada Geese and Goslings and plenty of gulls and their chicks too!
Not to mention the porpoise, who have been uncharacteristically inquisitive this week allowing us some great sightings (and a few go’s at getting photos during their speedy breech out of the water!)
Flat Calm Sparkling Seas
The sea today is still and sparkling with a beautiful color too.It’s not just us enjoying it either - these common seals are relaxing in the warm sunshine!
Seafari’s BIG…7
Safari’s in Africa hope for you to spot the BIG 5, here on the West Coast of Scotland Seafari Adventures have the BIG 7 for you to keep your eyes peeled for:
- Minke Whale
- Bottle Nose Dolphin
- Red Deer
- Harbour Porpoise
- Seals - Common and Grey
- Eagles - Golden and White Tailed
- The Midge
Minke Whale
We have 2 feeding grounds locally - the Gulf of Corryvreckan and The Garvellachs. Our Whale Watching trips are timed to give you the best chance of seeing these magnificent creatures, and we always endevour to spot them on our wildlife trips too!
Although as with all of the wild animals on the BIG 7 we can never guarantee sightings.
Bottle Nose Dolphin
These friendly and inquisitive creatures are very playful! They enjoy playing with the Seafari RIBs and we are always hopeful that they will be out to play with us!
Red Deer
Red Deer, Britian’s largest land mammal. The perfect habitat of woodland, and open grazing land supplied by the islands in the area means this mammal is thriving currently.
Harbour Porpoise
This quiet and shy cetacean is one of our most frequent sightings. Although they are relatively shy we often see young, and the odd adventurous adult be more inquisitive and playful. Much smaller than the dolphin, but equally as exciting!
Seals:
Common Seal
Common Seals pup in June and July, and are smaller than they Grey Seals, weighing up to 120kg. Common seal pups are born with their adult skin - seen below:
Grey Seal
These are the largest breeding seals in the UK, and pup in the Autumn time. The pups are white and fluffy looking, but would pack a mean bite if necessary! Grey Seals can weigh up to 250kg!!
Eagles:
White Tailed Sea Eagle
In 1975 a reintroduction project began on neighboring Mull, its success has lead to breeding pairs moving down the coast into our patch - luckily enough at the moment we have a nesting pair, who are in the process of rearing a chick!
Golden Eagle
Eagles have traditional territories and nesting places which may be used by generations, our golden eagle nest is on Scarba, and we are lucky enough to be able to see this on our trips.
A critter we can almost guarantee you will see/hear or be bitten by!!
***All of these photos were taken on a Wildlife Trip with Seafari Adventures (Oban)***
To have a chance of seeing any of the BIG 7 you can join us on a Corryvreckan Wildlife Trip.
Give us a call on 01852 300 003 for more information or email oban@seaafri.co.uk.
The Sun is set to stay…
With glorious weather at the moment, and no sign of it changing (fingers crossed) the sights from our wildlife trip are getting better and better!
Our most popular tour is fantastic rain or shine, but it is special to see the glint in the sea, and the blue sky!
We are also having some of our best wildlife sightings too - with a nesting pair of White Tailed Sea Eagles and a possible Golden Eagle nest, Red and Fallow Deer, Seals, Gannets and a surprise visit from a group of Puffins this week has been no exception.
Skipper Steve, who has worked with us for many years said “the trip its self was a wonder - as it always is” about today trip!
Here are some of his favorite photos from today:
If you would like to join us on one of our Corryvreckan Wildlife Trips please do give us a call on 01852 300003!
The Best Bits for us so far….
Skipper Simon:
For me the best bit so far has been getting back out on the boat after a long winter in the workshop!. Also training the new crew and watching them enjoy and settle in to what we all sometimes take for granted! the stunning west coast of Scotland and Easdale Island life- best place in the world
Pic: Wez on one of his first tours
Crew Duncan:
I spent a while deliberating which trip has been my most memorable of the year so far. The first harbour porpoise and first dolphins of the year have to rank highly (especially the porpoise). However two top the rankings and they are two from some of the other work Sea.Fari Adventures can provide. The most memorable has to be the day we released Holly the Atlantic Grey Seal. It was a wet and windy day and the crossing between Cuan and Easdale a bit interesting to say the least. I was on Celtic Explorer and got involved in releasing young Holly. She was so cute and very well behaved. It was so good to be involved in the actual release of Holly even if she was surprisingly heavy. The release made it onto STV news and I can be seen as some kind of hooded ninja. The sea was pretty rough on our crossing back but really quite exhilarating.
Pic: Holly the Seal before her release
Our work with the Northern Lighthouse Board is always a fun trip out as you get to see many wonderful lighthouses. And it was our trip out to Lismore with the Transport Undersecretary Mike Penning MP that makes it as my joint memorable trip. The folk we took out were nice and chatty and Mike was really a top guy with a booming voice and really quite amusing. Two different days and trips but both equally memorable.
Pic: NLB Staff with Celtic Voyager
Crew Nicola:
Working for Seafari has had many highlights so far, just being in such an incredible and special area is enough to ‘wow’ anyone. I am, however, still in my early day here, 3 weeks to be precise but already have had numerous highlights to my stay.
My first Corryvreckan Wildlife Trip I was truly blown away; not only by the beautiful scenery and the wildlife, but also by the adrenalin kick you get from the sheer openness of the RIBS and how powerful they are.
After marvelling at Golden Eagles soaring over Ruha Fiola and seeing Red Deer stags in the ancient forests on Scarba I was pretty sure the trip had reached its pinnacle. I was definitely wrong.
Coming out of the Gulf of the Corryvreckan facing The Great Race a passenger pointed ahead of us, shouting ‘I’ve seen a fin!’. The RIB came to an immediate halt as we all sat quietly waiting for something to happen, after about 10 seconds another fin appeared in the water. Our tour guide Duncan shouted out ‘The animal you have just seen in the water is a Harbour Porpoise, and they are very shy and illusive creatures… unlike Dolphins they won’t come up and play with the boat!’. As soon as he said this the porpoise in question breached less than 10 meters in front of the boat. Jumping out of a wave we all got a fantastic view of their characteristic short and cute faces. To our delight it was a curious juvenile, It was only a matter of seconds before the aggravated mother came over to scold the inquisitive youngsters, back to the safety of the Great Race. Needless to say It was an incredible first trip for me and marks the first of many more unique wildlife encounters.
Pic: Celtic Explorer on a Wildlife Trip
Ticket Office Laura:
I’m in the office 5 or 6 days a week and love talking to the people who join us for a Seafari Adventure, hearing that they have enjoyed themselves on one of our trips is wonderful! I jump at the opportunity to go out with Seafari on my days off, as I love to see all of the wildlife that is on my doorstep!
One of the best bits for me so far has been seeing my first Golden Eagle on a trip earlier in the year! I love birdwatching and seeing such a majestic creature soaring above us was an absolute joy! Going out on trips with the guys I work with and working with like minded people makes my job a joy!
Pic: Golden Eagle Soaring
Join us on your own Adventure 01852 300 003
Porpoise Spotting!
We are excited to announce that on yesterday’s Corryvreckan Wildlife trip not only were we lucky enough to have glorious sunshine, and great visibility but we had the first sightings of porpoise for 2012.
The passengers who were elated to have such a great spot were also fortunate enough to spot Golden Eagles, White Tailed Sea Eagles, and Seals!
“Brilliant, Highly Recommended” and “great trip” were amongst the feedback we received once back on dry land!
We’re hoping to be out again tomorrow on the Corryvreckan Wildlife Trip, and fingers crossed for a visit to Iona and Staffa on Sunday! Contact us for more information 01852 300 003.
Corryvreckan Wildlife Trips
A busy week for Seafari as as far as trips go. The Cabin RIB Celtic Voyager has been out everyday so far as we get back into the swing of things. Wildlife sightings have also been very good. Today,s trip saw a Golden Eagle,Common seals,Red deer and we also saw two White tailed Sea Eagles down at the nest site. Despite the chilly weather, passengers are nice and snug inside the cabin. Sheltered bays en route allow time for passengers to step out on deck to get a closer look at the wildlife.
Eagle spotting on deck in February!
Fladda lighthouse with blue skies.
The ticket office and shop now sells hot drinks,tea,coffee and hot chocolate along with snacks. A perfect way to finish of your trip.
First Wildlife Trip 2012
Today saw the Seafari Adventures shop and Ticket Office open for business for 2012!
The Corryvreckan Wildlife Tour is sailing daily now, especially over the school half term holidays.On the trip today the passengers were treated to great encounters of:
An Otter,Golden Eagle,a pair of White tailed Sea Eagle’s, Red Deer,common seals and a host of sea birds. In all a great start to the season and hopefully this bodes well for good sightings all year.
Passengers on deck checking out every one’s favourite the seals.
A great close encounter with a large Red Deer stag on the shores of Scarba.
The weather was perfect calm seas and clear skies.
If you would like to experienced this trip for yourself then please call the Ticket Office on 01852 300003 and we will arrange your adventure!
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Wildlife Trips &Sunshine
Well after a bad spell of weather on the west coast of Scotland, we have managed to finally get out on the water.
The sun came out and despite the brisk wind it was fairly warm. Past Fladda Lighthouse and then onto the Grey Dogs before stopping in the bay of Scarba.Whilst we sat and looked at the red deer on the hillside, an Otter http://www.otter.org/aboutOtters.aspx popped up and climbed up onto the rocks complete with fish in mouth.The passengers on board were amazed as above the boat flew a Golden Eagle followed by a White tailed Sea Eagle - incredible!! The Golden Eagle perched on a rock near by and the Sea Eagle landed on a tree right in front of the boat - perfect camera position. In the space of a few minutes we had seen Red Deer,Wild Goats and both Golden and Sea Eagle.
Heading on we entered into the Corryvreckan Whirlpool area, the strong tide was on the Flood and Seals and porpoise were busy feeding. Gannets diving also thrilled the group before we left for the West side of Scarba. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scarba
In all a great couple of trips today and a good sign that the wildlife are still around in numbers.
Trips are still running daily and if you would like to reserve your seats or require further information please contact Laura at the ticket office on 01852 300003 or email : oban@seafari.co.uk
Corryvreckan wildlife spots!
This week on our Corryvreckan wildlife tours we have been having some great wildlife spots, although there has been a little rain, the wildlife has still been out in full force, and our spirits haven’t been dampened either! We have also had 2 great whirlpool special trips, with the tidal range high the gulf of the Corryvreckan provided us with some great whirlpools for all to see:
Our sightings this week have included:
· Golden Eagle
· Common Seal
· Grey Seal
· Gannet
· Porpoise
· Red Deer
· Oyster Catcher
· Feral Goat
· Shags
So come and join one of our wildlife trips and see what great wildlife you can spot!
Call our ticket office on 01852 300 003, or drop us an e-mail oban@seafari.co.uk, we look forward to hearing from you!
