2 June 2018
Chris, our skipper, was very focused on our wish to see the Monachs, St Kilda and the Shiants, along with our focus on watching wildlife. Sam, (our wildlife guide) was fantastic at spotting cetaceans and Chris was happy to divert and wait so we could see them. We had outstanding luck and were privileged to see dolphins repeatedly making fish bait balls, which attracted gannets, gulls, skuas and petrels. This went on for about 2 hours. I have to further congratulate Chris for his sensitivity in never approaching wild animals too closely; he always kept a distance which allowed us to see their natural behaviour. We ended the cruise with a day hopping from one eagle’s nest to the next, again we had great views but respect was given to the animals. Craig (Bosun) gives superb customer service. Always there to help, always with an eye on safety and our comfort. He was unflappable! Stevy (Cook) consistently produced really nice meals. If I have dairy products I feel ill, Stevy did not put a foot wrong, he always had an alternative I could eat, I was never ill, this is above and beyond the service I have received in expensive hotels! A fantastic holiday, with a superb crew! It could not have been bettered!
Nick Skilbeck
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: 28 June 2018Private Charter 10 Nights