15 June 2021
We thought the itinerary was well chosen for a varied experience. While sailing near the coastline, the scenery was fabulous of course. When out of sight of land, we were all more intent on spotting birds & cetaceans & Rob was always keen to slow down & manoeuvre to give us the best possible view Some of the landings were a little tricky but all well worth it & we all eventually mastered the art of donning life jackets & boarding the tender. Rob always managed to find us sheltered anchorages, often with views of white-tailed eagles & seals. His local knowledge meant that he could amend the itinerary to suit weather conditions. Although we were unable to land on the Flannan Isles as planned, Rob added in a visit to the Shiants, which more than made up for it. Lynsey has a huge knowledge of wildlife & geology & an amazing ability for spotting cetaceans at a distance. Craig always got us ashore safely & used his experience of the area so suggest suitable walks. For anyone who loves Scotland, has an interest in wildlife, enjoys good food & has even an average amount of fitness & mobility, I’d say “Go for it but make sure you pack clothing for all weathers!"
Jeff Bamforth
Fabulous !I will be honest and admit that I hadn’t even heard of the Flannan Isles until I booked this cruise, so some speedy reading was called for! I’m please I did, for that little knowledge created an aura about the place, and when we were lucky enough (thanks to James !) to actually step ashore, then the highlight of my cruise was instantly created. Then, cruising across to visit the plethora of gannet further added to the Flannan experience, a fabulous place ! That is not to say it was the only highlight – the standing stones at Callanish were another highlight, and being able to anchor within sight of the stones just added to the experience. Those were my own personal highlights, but Eigg and The Shiants were also amazing places. St Kilda was always my dream island to visit, and I managed that on a previous cruise with you, but I must say, I think this cruise actually surpassed that one – what more can I say ! The crew were simply fabulous. Helen kept the accommodation spotless throughout, catered for our every need, Emma provided wonderful meals, Will was a true action man, pointing out wildlife, lifting anchors, fastening ropes precariously on Flannan, and of course, James was ever the perfect skipper. Each and every one of the crew were brilliant to share the cruise with, so friendly, so keen to provide absolutely anything that anyone wanted.
Mr Steve Lloyd: 24 June 2021Far-flung islands: Harris, Taransay & the Flannan Isles