24 June 2019
We’re just back from a superb 10-night cruise aboard Elizabeth G. It’s our latest trip with Rob and his crew. With en-suite cabins now it’s even more of a luxury trip. Not that we spent much time in the cabin - instead we were generally found on the top observation deck, watching shearwaters dance across the waves, fulmars shoot past effortlessly, gannets flying in squadron-formation and panicky puffins duck beneath our wake. We’re enticed down for two reasons: bow-riding dolphins, when we hang over the bow sharing the excitement and energy of this spectacle with our fellow guests, and food: Mags was our cook preparing fabulous meals with local ingredients, including scallops hand-dived by our skipper, Rob. It was at dinner each evening that Rob would discuss the next day’s itinerary, balancing our wishes with the weather and his incredible knowledge of the most picturesque anchorages. Each day saw us exploring a new island with the help of Nigel our wildlife guide, taken ashore by Rob and Bosun Craig in the tender. And we even got to St Kilda. St Kilda is a unique place with a magical atmosphere; an atmosphere that lingers in part because of its remoteness. Rob found the weather window to allow a 2-night stay and it was here, on our trip round the stacs, that guests and crew came together on the front deck to gaze in awe at the thousands of seabirds around us. As we disembarked, a little sadly, in Oban on our last day I couldn’t help wonder how soon we’ll get the urge to return...
Catrin Lester
Thank you to all who worked so hard to make my holiday all I could have wished it to be. The rest of the guests were good company and fun to be around. Yoga sessions well thought out, varied and fun. I especially enjoyed the time our skipper landed us all in remote and stunning locations. One of the most memorable places being the Isle of Gunna. This was where we were surprised after walking the dunes and enjoying yoga, to a birthday picnic of bubbly and cake on the beach. Thanks Sarah for having a birthday at just the right time. I haven’t felt so at peace yet so invigorated for a while I feel so blessed to have had such an experience of wilderness, sea, sand and amazing food. Our skipper was fantastic, scanning the horizon for wild life and things of interest while keeping us all safe. Seeing the area around Mull, Staffa (another memorable day), Inch Kenneth, Cairns of Coll and Ulva in all their glory from the sea was unforgettable. I enjoyed the week so much that I have booked a trip for my husband and me in 2025, on the Emma Jane with the same skipper, can’t wait.
Ruth Moody: 26 August 2023Serenity at Sea: A Hebridean Yoga Retreat