28 June 2018
We set off on 28 June from Oban for our ten days exploration of the Hebrides with the hope that we’d visit St Kilda. We did, and so much more. The crew (Chris (skipper), Alexa (wildlife guide), Pete (cook), Emma (bosun), were fantastic from the off. They effortlessly transported our mountain of luggage to our comfortable cabins which Emma kept spotless through the cruise, as well as looking after us on the rough crossing to St Kilda through to Caribbean strength G&Ts. Chris was a really good skipper. He sailed the boat well and did his best to find a route that best managed his passengers’ seafaring abilities, and he also had a ceremony to give homage to the Blue Men of the Minch! Pete’s amazing menus incorporated our requests – I’ll always remember his mussels on the first night, his haggis Scotch eggs, my mother’s clootie dumpling and much more – and we appreciated how he involved the kids (9 to 11) in the kitchen. Alexa (with Chris) magic’d up an amazing array of wildlife with huge enthusiasm and great knowledge. We became blasé about the number of dolphins we saw – I can best quote Chris “the weather and the wildlife sightings are some of the best I’ve known in almost 20 years”. The weather was fantastic which enabled us to land and explore Tobermory, Canna, Sanday, Taransay, Hirta (St. Kilda), Mingulay, Vatersay, Rum, Lunga (Treshnish Isles) and Loch Buie, as well as sailing past Neist Point (Skye), Boreray (St. Kilda), Monachs, Hellisay in the Sound of Barra, Eigg, Staffa, Ulva and Iona. The weather was so good we were able to swim off Sanday, Taransay, Mingulay and Vatersay, as well as enjoy the hot tub. This was a trip of a lifetime for us all. We were able to see so many places which have been specks on the horizon for so long. The cruise was magical and extra special. It’s given us memories to last a lifetime!
George Mitchell
We booked up this cruise over a year in advance as it seemed so popular. When we did it we saw why. It was all and more we had anticipated and that in no small part is down to the fantastic skipper and crew. They treated us more like family than paying guests and did all they could to ensure we had a great time. The islands are beautiful in their own right but with the expert knowledge of the skipper we went to secluded bays and gorgeous beaches and always moored somewhere with amazing views. Thanks To Bella the wildlife guide we saw things we would have missed ourselves and we were treated to sea eagles, porpoises, dolphins and a few minke whales! Sammy fed us like royalty with imaginative and super tasty meals and then there was the daily homemade cakes. Yum. Abbie looked after everything on board even down to different table decorations every night and chocs on the pillow. Will was always polishing or painting and taking us shore in the tender. All in all a brilliant holiday and we have already booked up our next one.
Mark Duncan: 17 September 2024Skye and the Small Isles: Hebridean horizons