New Seabird Seafari Wildlife Watching Boat Trips
The new Seabird Seafari wildlife watching trips (pictured) are now operating daily from North Berwick Harbour, East Lothian, in partnership with Seafari Adventures.
The round trip takes an hour and the new high speed RIBS quickly whisk you out around Craigleith Island, home to the puffins, and then on to the Bass Rock with its famous gannet colony, described by Sir David Attenborough as "one of the twelve wildlife wonders of the world". The adventure trips are fast and waterproofs are provided. Please note the minimum age for children is 8. Tickets are £20 for adults and £17 for children. Members of the Seabird Centre also benefit from 10% discount, ie Adult £18 and Child £15.30. A proportion of this income is used to support the Seabird Centre's SOS Puffin project. Tickets may be purchased on the day, but it is strongly advised to book in advance by phone on +44 (0)1620 890202.
Seabird Seafaris cruise around the Bass Rock in the Firth of Forth, providing wonderful views of the nesting gannets, guillemots, razorbills, shags and puffins on the lower ledges of the island. Seals can also often be seen swimming and basking on the rocks and in the coves. This trip does not land on the island. The Bass Rock is privately owned by Sir Hew Hamilton-Dalrymple and landing rights are exclusive to the Seabird Centre and only available on our photographic trips, see below.
We are members of Wild Scotland and our guides and skippers members of WiSE, following a careful code of conduct for wildlife watching that allows a wonderful experience for our visitors, but that will not disturb the animals.
Exclusive Photographic Boat Trips to the Bass Rock
The Scottish Seabird Centre organises photographic boat trips for photographers and film and television crews. The Centre has exclusive landing rights for the Bass Rock, granted by the owner Sir Hew Hamilton-Dalrymple. The largest single island gannet colony in the world, the Bass Rock, in the Firth of Forth, is home to 150,000 Atlantic gannets and is described by Sir David Attenborough as "one of the twelve wildlife wonders of the world". See guest article from one of our trips earlier this year.
Sailing times are shown in the table below. The Seabird Centre has considerable experience in organising trips for film and television crews, see below 'Film and Television Crews', for more information.
The Firth of Forth is also a hot spot for puffins (March-August) with around 50,000 pairs on the Isle of May, one of the largest colonies in Britain. The islands of Craigleith and Fidra, close to the Seabird Centre, are also important puffin colonies and the Seabird Centre is involved in SOS Puffin, a conservation programme to restore the puffins on these islands - see SOS Puffin for more information. Joining the puffins is a wonderful variety of seabirds; from the penguin-like guillemots huddling along the seacliffs to the graceful terns. Peregrine falcons are also nesting successfully in the area. Seals are seen throughout the year and during the winter haul up to pup on the Isle of May, the largest grey seal colony on the East Coast of Britain. There are also occasional sightings of cetaceans, including bottlenose dolphins, Risso's dolphins, porpoises and whales including minke, pilot, fin and humpback.
What to Expect on a Typical Day
Photographic Boat Trips
The Seabird Centre runs Photographic Boat Trips from March to September. These are led by an experienced guide and usually run twice a week. The timetable for 2008 is shown below. Places are limited, however, and advance booking is recommended. To book contact 44 (0)1620 890202 or info@seabird.org for more information. [Back]
Film and Television Crews
The Seabird Centre is also very experienced in organising trips for television and film crews, having welcomed around 30 crews this year alone. We are delighted to organise all aspects of your requirements for filming; from accommodation to working out tide times, co-ordinating trips to several islands, including the Isle of May and Fidra and liaising with the owners of the island for permission. Please enquire for rates as they will vary according to requirements, as an administration fee may be added. Our experience guide Maggie Sheddan is happy to be available 24 hours for special requirements, such as catching the sunrise on the Bass Rock. Film and television crews we have worked with include BBC Springwatch, Bill Oddie and Simon King "Wild Around Britain", Alan Titchmarsh "The Nature of Britain", Chris Packham "Nature's Calendar" and Bill Bailey "Wild Thing I Love You". [Back]
What to expect on a Typical Day - by Guide Maggie Sheddan
Your journey begins in the picturesque fishing town of Dunbar. A ‘lively’ Kittiwake colony has taken over a wall of Dunbar Castle that overlooks the Harbour. Your guide meets you next to the Royal National Lifeboat shop in the harbour. At a steady speed you begin your transfer out to Bass Rock, which takes approximately one hour. On arrival at the Bass Rock, the skipper and the guide assess the landing stages and confirm if it is safe to land. If it is not safe to land, the skipper will sail around the rock and proceed to the gannet feeding "chumming" - this is one of the most spectacular sights of the trip where gannets perform their spectacular 100kmph dives next to the boat (Fisher Lassie - a fishing trawler). For information, you will be refunded with 50% of your trip if we are unable to land for any reason. For a more in-depth idea of what to expect on your trip, Maggie has written an article of "A Typical Day" - it's definitely worth a read! [Back]
Sailing Times
The Photographic Boat Trip costs £89. Members of the Seabird Centre enjoy a £10 discount, ie £79. Places get booked very quickly, as numbers are limited to 11 people per trip. We can also cater for private groups which costs £100 per hour (minimum charge of £200 plus time on the Bass Rock) and £85 per load of bait for chumming. Please contact us on info@seabird.org or call 44 (0) 1620 890202 for more information or to book. Please see below for the sailing dates for 2008, we are happy to take your preferred dates and try to get you on a trip as close to those as possible. [Back]
| July | |||
| Friday 4th July | Fully Booked | ||
| Tuesday 8th July | 1 space available | ||
| Tuesday 8th July (extra trip) * | Spaces | ||
| Tuesday 15th July | Fully Booked | ||
| Friday 18th July (extra trip) | spaces | ||
| Tuesday 22nd July | Fully Booked | ||
| Friday 25th July | spaces | ||
| Tuesday 29th July | spaces | ||
| August | |||
| Tuesday 5th August | spaces | ||
| Tuesday 12th August | spaces | ||
| Friday 15th August | spaces | ||
| Tuesday 19th August | spaces | ||
| Tuesday 26th August | spaces | ||
| Friday 29th August | spaces |
* Departing from Dunbar Harbour at 1300 hrs
Q. What time do we leave and where do we meet the boat?
A. The boat will depart from Dunbar Harbour at 0700hrs. You should meet your guide at the harbour at least 15 minutes before departure time. Your guide will register your attendance, equip you with a life jacket, and on landing on the Bass Rock will conduct a safety briefing.
Q. What type of boat will be used?
A. You will be on a ‘working’ fishing trawler. Please note that accessing the boat and Bass Rock may involve using ladders. It is advisable to bring a waterproof bag/bin bag to protect your kit.
Q. How long does the trip take?
A. The journey will take an hour each way, 3 hours on Bass Rock and chumming for approx 30 minutes.
Q. What is ‘Chumming’?
A. This is when the skipper of the boat will throw unwanted catch off the side of the boat (a process performed by all fishing boats). The gannets will begin to dive just metres from the edge of the boat at around 60 miles per hour. Before the chumming commences, please ensure you have the correct lenses fitted to your cameras, and ensure you have enough cards or films to last the whole of your journey. It is also advisable to have protective covering for your kit.
Q. What happens if the weather is bad?
A. On your arrival at the Bass Rock the skipper and your guide will assess the weather and landing possibilities. If the boat can go out but cannot land, the skipper will sail around the Rock and proceed to the chumming, and a refund of 50% will be issued. Should the long term forecast be bad we will attempt to contact you as early as possible, prior to the day of your trip or you can call your guide Maggie on 07709505133 the night before.
Q. Is there anywhere to buy food or drink, and are there toilets?
A. No, the Bass Rock is a remote island in the Firth of Forth. It is wise to bring food and hot drinks, and advisable to wear warm, waterproof clothing, hat and gloves (and sun cream). There is a safe area to leave your kit, sit for breaks, etc. There are no toilet facilities.
Q. Can we go anywhere on the Bass Rock for taking photographs?
A. The gannet colony is growing each year and therefore restrictions apply. You can go as high as St Baldred’s Chapel where excellent pictures can be taken. Your guide on the trip will be able to advise of the best vantage points. Be aware it is an offence to disturb nesting birds. Calm, quiet behaviour is expected. The guide will advise you and has authority to ask you to leave if inappropriate behaviour is shown - at all times you are on the Scottish Seabird Centres cameras, which are broadcast to a worldwide audience.
Visit Our Gallery for a taste of what to expect on a Seabird Centre Photographic Trip. If you have been on one of our trips before, we would be delighted to feature your photographs. Please contact us at info@seabird.org. [Back]
Terms and Conditions
- The Scottish Seabird Centre reserves the right to cancel or change the times of all boat trips.
- In the event of cancelling a trip due to bad weather, in the first instance you will be offered an alternative day to sail on.
- A refund will be provided should the Scottish Seabird Centre deem it necessary to cancel any boat trip. You will be refunded 50% if the boat is unable to land at the Bass Rock.
- A boat trip will only sail with a minimum of 9 passengers.
- No refund will be given to visitors who do not arrive or are late for their booked sailing time.
- No photographers will be granted access onto the boat unless we have a signed waiver of liability form (enclosed), which should be handed to your boat guide prior to departure.
- The minimum age for this trip is 7 years old; an adult must accompany children between 7 –15 years old.
- The Scottish Seabird Centre reserves the right to refuse entry onto the boat.
- All bookings made and paid for are subject to these terms and conditions.
- Landings on the Bass Rock are weather permitting.
- Full payment should be made at the time of booking.
