5 July 2021
The cruise was excellent. St Kilda is breath taking for its geology, bird life and mysterious historic buildings. Gill and I quite spontaneously both compared its haunting atmosphere with Machu Picchu. Rob the captain took us as close as possible to some wonderful bird covered cliffs, stacks and caves and homed in on bird flocks, seals, minke whales, dolphins, otters and other wildlife sights whenever he glimpsed them. We enjoyed walking on Hirta and the other islands where we saw so many wildflowers. We were lucky to see the St Kilda mouse and wren although TV enthusiasts might consider the Balamory cat more important. I was surprised to learn that the crew of four had not all worked together many times as they formed such a well co-ordinated team. All the passengers got along well. Rob the captain seemed to know the islands in detail and is obviously a man of many accomplishments but still seemed happy to help serve meals. Sian, the lady chef, produced very fine meals and evening dinners were a culinary and social joy. Craig seemed to be everywhere helping and Zoe the naturalist never stopped looking for wildlife and pointing it out from the boat and when she guided us on the islands. We are both somewhat stiff jointed but with a little help we had no trouble with beach landings. We slept in one of the two smaller cabins. There was no space to spare but we quickly made ourselves at home and were very comfortable. The little wet room worked well. We can happily recommend Hebrides Cruises to anybody. Thanks to all you all.
Gill & Paul Gillians
Hi Emma - I am sure the other members of our party will drop you a line as I am equally sure I speak for us all today. I cannot thank you enough for organising our trip the other week. In truth all of us had some mild 'trepidations' about what it would be like but I can say that we had a marvellous time. I want to be specific here. Our skipper, Charlie, was a revelation and we owe him a great deal for making our trip so exciting and enjoyable. He exemplifies a 'duty of care'; put all of our minds at rest when we concerned about the weather and adapted his plans to ensure we had the best of times. He ran a great crew and we all felt confident and secure in his leadership. He was also great company and nothing was ever too much. I told him that you have our details here and if he is ever in Merseyside he should contact us. Please pass my details should he ever request. The guide, Lindsay was first class. Knowledgeable, personable and patient with ' elderly knees' she made a great contribution to our trip. We all loved her guided tours of the islands, her knowledge of the wildlife and her choice of the best routes for the conditions. The evening briefing with her and Charlie, reflecting on the day and discussing prospects for the the following day were really enjoyable. Made you feel you were part of something..we all agreed. I have to mention Charlie the cook. Charlie's food was first class. We all agreed that it was rare, and we are well travelled, to have that quality food so consistently. Please thank her. And last but NOT least the 'human dynamo' Sofia. She described her role a the stewardess which we all felt was an understatement. In truth we were constantly amazed at how efficient she was in everything she did. Her dinner table settings, her service and her engaging manner were a delight. A first class employee in my view. They were a great crew and exceptionally well lead.
Bill Frost: 14 September 2024Skye and the Small Isles: Hebridean horizons