Fancy a Boat Trip?

Seeing some of the approximately 600 Moray Firth Bottlenose dolphins may be on the wishlist of many, but there is so much more to see out at sea – as well as the exhilaration of the boat trip itself!

The changing climate has attracted new visitors to the area, and if you are extremely lucky, there have been sightings of minke whales, basking sharks and even orca, as seen in this photo courtesy of Amanda Barton Photography, sighted just off Portknockie.

I am not really much of a birdwatcher, but it is always nice to see a puffin or two, earlier in the summer or the cormorants as they dry their wings, whilst perched on the rocks or the yellow headed gannet as they dive, dramatically to catch a fish or perch on the craggy cliffs at Scotland’s only mainland gannet colony at the RSPB reserve at Troup head. And the land looks different from the sea, as well.

Jumping dolphins

So once you have decided on a boat trip, where do you find one?

Recommended by one of my recent guests, Guide Charters is a good place to start, going out on the ‘Seacat’ based in MacDuff.

North 58 operating from Lossiemouth or Findhorn take you out in an inflatable rib for a real close to the water experience.

Moray Firth Fishing Charters and Burghead Wildlife trips can take up to 12 passengers from – you’ve guessed it – Burghead!

Or if your budget is more limited you can always take a water taxi across Findhorn Bay to Culbin sands to see the seals  – but be sure to arrange a return trip!