Whalewatching and wildlife trips, guided by experienced marine biologist. Blasket princess captain whales galore best whale watching skipper in ireland the best time in ireland to watch whales, dolphins, puffins and basking shark april to september. The online registration was quick, the ticket pickup at their office in oban efficient, their directions to the ferry to mull and how to meet the tour bus were explicit, and the whole trip worked without missing a beat. Apr 08, 20 on monday april 8 20, after being in oban bay for 10 days, oban s sperm whale left through the north channel and the hopes were that he would find his way back to open sea and deeper waters. Follow this road onto seil island over the steep, humpbacked atlantic bridge.
On a nice day theres relaxation and enjoyment to be had. Jan 25, 2015 oban little bay immediately, it seems on the thin side. Whale spotting in scotland during the warmer months, most visitors come to see the whales that migrate from the south to spend the summer feeding in the nutrientrich hebridean waters. Sealife adventures wildlife and whale watching boat trips. Longest established and most powerful boat in the area. Boat trips oban boat and sea trips from and around oban. The nose is restrained, offering more citrus and sweetness, but less smoke. However, as they are wild animals, we cannot guarantee sightings.
Family trips for a day out or private hire and charter. A young sperm whale arrived in the bay on easter sunday and has spent 9 days swimming around the harbour. Near the ruins of dunollie castle, a 12thcentury fortress, is a huge rock called the dog stone, to which the gaelic hero fingal is said to have chained his giant dog bran. Obanites can help scientists by whale watching the oban times. A unique boat trip in skye with a chance to see whales, seals, dolphins, sea birds and stunning scenery. Tenzing gives us a very personal encounter with nature without being disruptive to the marine environment. Oban tourist information centre, 3 north pier, oban, argyll, scotland pa34 5qd tel. Sealife adventures wildlife and whale watching boat trips and. Oban can also lay claim to being the centre for the west coast sailing scene, and it retains a significant fishing fleet.
Oban little bay immediately, it seems on the thin side. Oban to isle of arran 4 ways to travel via train, ferry. Seafari adventures offer marine wildlife boat trips from bases in oban and edinburgh, scotland. Despite its small size, it is the largest town between helensburgh and fort william. Anyone know the odds, or would i be paying for a wee jaunt on the sea with little chance of seeing anything other seals. If you have some experience in cetacean watching, just download some. It would appearcthat its not only humans that like to do a bit of sightseeing. Apr 01, 20 image caption sperm whales are a rare sight in inshore scottish waters. Image caption sperm whales are a rare sight in inshore scottish waters. Storms ciara and dennis have bashed their beaches and lashed homes on the exposed island, sparking debate about luings defences against the elements. Life changed in 1794 when the oban distillery opened, and the modern town grew around that. Established in 1794, it was built before the town of the same name, which sprung up later in the surrounding craggy harbour. Wanting to go to iona from the mainland and return the same day, my wife and i booked the trip online through west coast tours oban.
Oban harbour was mirror calm when the team met at 6. Oban tourism oban hotels oban bed and breakfast oban vacation rentals oban vacation packages flights to oban oban restaurants things to do in oban oban travel forum oban photos. It was a late starter, existing only as a small fishing and trading village until the steamers of the early victorian era started arriving in ever greater numbers. Dec 19, 2018 4 the town of oban has a resident population of just over 8,500 people, but during the tourist season it swells to accommodate up to 25,000 people. Startof season only, from gairloch during this 3hr cruise we. Children, in particular, are thrilled to bits and whalewatching, once thought of as a. Oban is also the main base and point of embarkation for the hebridean princess, the superb small luxury cruise ship which sails throughout scottish waters and beyond.
Islands and the orkney islands provide whale watching opportunities, whereas moray firth is renowned for bottlenose dolphin population. Our shortest cruise that searches the closest traditional whale and dolphin feeding grounds. Seafari adventures, scotlands premiere wildlife boat operator. We are pleased to be able to say that oban bothy has reopened for the 2018 season. Whale tourism is an important activity for oban on the mainland, along with tobermory. Taighstail an obain is a whisky distillery in the scottish west coast port of oban. Hope the whale makes it back safely to the atlantic though. Where to see the greatest creatures of the ocean the independent. Tours depart throughout the day visiting the gulf of corryvreckan, home of the worlds third largest whirlpool. The body is quite malty, but the chewiness comes at the expense of a lot of that fruity character.
Oban now open for season mountain bothies association uk. The area is exceptional for porpoise, minke whales, dolphins, basking sharks, otters and seals. A day spent out on the water is a must for visitors and each boat company offers something different. Every year, scientists at the sea watch foundation lead the national whale and dolphin watch, a campaign to get members of the public contributing to protect cetaceans from july 29 to august 5. Whale watching in oban dunheanish guest house, oban. Sharks, whales, seals and more get closer to scotlands sealife in. Our local area is one of the best areas in scotland for porpoise and we see them on the vast majority of summer trips. The boat will head south to an island chain known as the garvellachs, home of the early monastic settlement of st brendan 542 ad. Whales, dolphins, seals, otter, eagles, gannets and much more. Basking shark scotland oban all you need to know before. David scott, of the british divers marine life rescue, said the male swam off on.
The best whale watching in europe cetacean habitat. We run 3, 4 and 5 hour tours, all of which visit the corryvreckan whirlpool. Watch oban starracers episodes, get episode information, recaps and more. The best place in ireland to watch whales, dolphins, puffins and basking shark west kerry blasket islands eco marine tours from ventry harbour log of whale watching tour boat m. About basking shark scotland we are the only dedicated basking shark tours based from oban, scotland.
The area is a hotspot for whale sightings during the summer and people come from all over the country and abroad for an unforgettable whale watching boat trip. Rome2rio makes travelling from oban to isle of arran easy. Whales congregate to feed just to the south of the garvellachs where deep, food rich, atlantic waters rise to the surface. Apr 09, 20 a sperm whale which has been in the shallow waters of oban bay for almost nine days has swum back out to sea. Boat trips in oban with its worthy status as the most popular destination for holidaymakers on scotlands west coast, oban is a gem of a port town. Visit scotland have agreed with this, as have our local mp and most of the argyll islands community councils and local communities. This area here is known worldwide for being a hot spot, if you like, for minke whales. Sea watch foundation national whale and dolphin watch 2019. Visit the gulf of corryvreckan, home of the worlds third largest whirlpool or bass rock, a major. Coastal connection shiol, lerags, oban, argyll pa34 4sf mob.
Bird watching highlights include sea eagles, golden eagles, puffins and a great variety of seabirds. Our carefully selected range of tours include close encounters with scotlands nature. The secretary of state for the rural economy has requested that people stay at home and do not come to rural areas to selfisolate as it could overwhelm local services. Im heading to oban for the weekend and would love to go on a whale watching trip. We offer single and multi day shark and wildlife excursions to the inner hebrides, where our mission is to provide great interactions with basking sharks. Tucked away on the wet west coast, oban is a place on manys destination list when visiting scotland. She came into our hands some twenty years ago and was repurposed as a wildlife viewing vessel. The best time to see minke whales in scotland is from the end of may to september. The firth of lorne is a special area of conservation and a marine protected area, where damaging fishing methods have been banned for a decade. Tenzing is a us navy whaleboat built in 1982 for shiptoshore usage. But should these kings of the deep come into view, your heart may well discover the true definition of magnificent as water laps against the bow of the boat, suddenly a fin rises from the water and the. Find all the transport options for your trip from oban to isle of arran right here. Grand minkes, humpbacks, fins, orcas, and above all the cute and playful bottlenose dolphins will amuse you during the seasonal cruises.
We hope the whale makes it back to open water very soon. The best place in ireland to watch whales, dolphins. The sperm whale has been in oban for around a week now. On monday april 8 20, after being in oban bay for 10 days, obans sperm whale left through the north channel and the hopes were that he would find his way back to open sea and deeper waters. Oban stands unchallenged as the capital of the western seaboard of scotland. Visit fingals cave, corrywreckan whirlpool, puffins on the treshnish isles or go wildlife watching around the hebrides. Rescue teams are on standby to help a sperm whale which has swum off course and ended up in the shallow waters of oban bay. What the chances of seeing whales, porpoises or dolphins mid september. From the a816, turn onto the b844 brown signs for sealife adventures.
The easter weekend bought a very unusual visitor to oban, a harbour town on the west coast of scotland known as the gateway to the isles. This tour, whilst focusing on looking for whales, also combines looking for major wildlife species in the wider oban area. Anyone know the odds, or would i be paying for a wee jaunt on the sea with little chance. During the tourist season, the town can play host to up to 25,000 people. Book your tickets online for the top things to do in oban, argyll and bute on tripadvisor.
With its worthy status as the most popular destination for holidaymakers on scotlands west coast, oban is a gem of a port town. Several boats leave from around the north pier and the railway pier, including the mv purple heather. Sealife adventures wildlife and whale watching boat. Oban wildlife boat trips with coastal connection scotland. Our private car park and pontoon is a 30 minute scenic drive southwest of oban. Depending on the season, there can be sightings of basking sharks, dolphins, porpoise, common seals, otters and occasionally minke whale. Sealife adventures run whale search and wildlife watching boat trips from our pontoon on the mainland near oban on the west coast of scotland. There is a population of about thirty bottlenose dolphins which we regularly see. Ferry terminal, oban tel 01631 562244 west coast tours queens park place, oban tel 01631 566809 online reservations. An toban in scottish gaelic meaning the little bay is a resort town within the argyll and bute council area of scotland. Oban starracers anime sequelspinoff seriously considered. A sperm whale which has been in the shallow waters of oban bay for almost nine days has swum back out to sea. Wildlife and whale watching boat trips and cruises on the west coast of scotland. Hi, im james fairbairns, i run a whale watching company in tobermory, sea life surveys.
And as regional coordinator, the hebridean whale and dolphin trust hwdt, based in tobermory, has organised a number of events. Rome2rio displays up to date schedules, route maps, journey times and estimated. Would this be a good time to see whales and pelagic birds breeding. Short boat trips from oban harbour to the seal colony the other side of kerrara. Rome2rio is a doortodoor travel information and booking engine, helping you get to and from any location in the world. Wildlife seal boat trips from oban with coastal connection. Oban bay sperm whale swims back out to sea bbc news. The diverse range of sea birds includes sea eagles, gannets, guillemots, razorbills, great northern divers, shearwaters, terns, cormorants, common shags, herons and greater black backed gulls to name but a few. Whats the best season for watching cetaceans in europe.
All of our trips operate in the one of the most highly protected marine areas in britain. A port and seaside resort, its circular bay makes a fine yacht basin. My most popular tour would be the whale watch, that runs most days and what a lot of people are after of course is the minke whale. As is the case with the hebrides, sea conditions can change a number of times throughout a survey, but the sea state ranged from 02 throughout the day with only a very short period of sea state 3 late in the afternoon.
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