News

Why is the recording of the call of a single storm petrel chick on the Shiant Isles causing such delight?  The remote Shiant Isles are located out in the Minch, the Atlantic sea channel between the Outer Hebrides and mainland Scotland. The Shiants are a very special place for their history and natural environment and are one of our most favourite places to drop anchor and go ashore

Everyone at Hebrides Cruises would like to thank our 2018 guests for being such a pleasure to meet. The fun atmosphere on board all our cruises was the result of a happy band of shipmates who appreciated everything the Hebrides and our crews have to offer. We are delighted many of you are returning in 2019 and 2020 and are so looking forward to seeing you aboard again.

Many of our guests are from Australia as part of a major trip around Scotland, the UK or Europe.  Our Scottish cruises are the perfect way to see several islands of the Hebrides while taking a break from constant travelling. We were delighted to welcome Autralian guests, mother and daughter Hilary and Tania on board and provide them with an individual bespoke cruise experience. 

We are delighted that the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust has announced the new corporate partnership with Hebrides Cruises. We are very pleased to support the work of HWDT by becoming a Corporate Partner.

One of the joys of travelling by boat in the Hebrides is knowing that you are going to view some great scenery, along with a very good chance you will also get to see some great wildlife.

It was really lovely to receive a postcard through the post with a poem written by our recent guests Joan and Bryan Howard

The RSPB “Nature of Scotland” Awards celebrate and recognise the best of conservation in Scotland.

Celebrating excellence, innovation and outstanding achievement in nature conservation, there are nine categories for the seventh annual Nature of Scotland Awards in association with Scottish Natural Heritage in 2018. Hebrides Cruises entered for the Nature Tourism category and we are delighted to have been announced as a finalist at a reception on Saturday September 12th at the Scottish Parliament.

Our Wildlife Guide, Lynsey Bland provided a review of our luxury vessel, Emma Jane’s first Caledonian Canal cruise on September 2017, departing from Oban. There are 3 cabins still available for our Loch Linnhe, the Caledonian Canal & Loch Ness cruise aboard Emma Jane in 2019. 

“What is it about the Hebrides? The islands have been pulling me back every year since my first visit in the early 90’s. It may be my Scottish ancestry, but I think it’s the unique combination of landscape, wildlife and community that proves irresistible to the traveller in search of wilderness and solitude.

Knobble the minke whale has returned to the same feeding ground in the Hebrides for the 13th year in a row – it was spotted north of Coll at the weekend, by Sea Life Surveys. Natural markings and features on Knobble’s body helps to aid recognition of the whale and photographs of dorsal fins are used by the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust (HWDT) to identify and follow the movements of individual animals in the Hebrides. To date over 250 individual whales have been identified using this method.

Our 10-night epic St Kilda and Outer Hebrides cruise with Chris Gomersall, which departed on July 16th, was an outstanding success in terms of wildlife seen, anchorages and stopovers.

The first full day of our annual Hebridean Photography Cruise with photography mentor and Wildlife Guide Chris Gomersall has got off to a great start! Read the first day's tally of wildlife spotted.

The importance of the  Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust Whale Track project cannot be over emphaisized and to be shortlisted as a finalist in the national lottery awards is an accolade the HWDT team very much deserve. We were very proud to have been associated with the development of the Whale Track App.

It’s a given that when the Skipper and Wildlife Guides ask guests “do you have any special requests for your cruise?”, puffins are on the list! Puffins have great appeal because of their small size and comical walk as well as their distinctive rainbow coloured bill, white cheeks and clown-like black stripe down over each eye. One of the delights of puffins on the west coast of Scotland is that they are so unafraid of humans – and in some cases downright friendly!

So many guests have commented on the driftwood art that is displayed in the dining deck saloon of Emma Jane, that we thought we would highlight the artist - Denise Whyatt.  Denise runs her business, Dash, from her studio at Benderloch, a small village just outside Oban. Her passion is actually for textile-based artwork - and we have several of her prints also displayed in Emma Jane, as well as her cushions.