Dolphin and whale watching in scotland featured in. Sea kayakers scary encounter with whale near oban youtube. The 15 best things to do in oban updated 2020 must see. Therefore please download these directions in advance. Anyone know the odds, or would i be paying for a wee jaunt on the sea with little chance of seeing anything other seals. Find unique places to stay with local hosts in 191 countries.
Current local time in united kingdom scotland oban. There was much excitement yesterday when a whale spent the day in oban. Seafari adventures offer marine wildlife boat trips from bases in oban and edinburgh, scotland. Hebridean whale and dolphin trust hwdt is a marine conservation charity that takes action through a unique programme of community based research and education. Explore the sea lochs, inlets and islands around oban. A unique boat trip in skye with a chance to see whales, seals, dolphins, sea birds and stunning scenery. Based on weather reports collected during 20062015. In 2007, a further airlink was created between oban and westcentral scotland. W travel information roadwatch scotland oban has 9,887 members.
Wildlife and whale watching boat trips and cruises on the west coast of scotland, near oban, argyll. Based in easdale, 16 miles south of oban, they have a fleet of powerful ribs which are purpose designed and built to ensure you maximum viewing opportunities. The boat will head south to an island chain known as the garvellachs, home of the early monastic settlement of st brendan 542 ad. The last company still engaged in whaling was christian salvesen, which exited the. Seafari adventures seafari adventures are oban s 5 visit scotland marine wildlife tour operator. Scotland is often referred to as one of the most haunted locations in the world, and it isnt difficult to see why. A port and seaside resort, its circular bay makes a fine yacht basin. An toban in scottish gaelic meaning the little bay is a resort town within the argyll and bute council area of scotland. Oban simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. How to book book online now quick, easy and reserves your space. Denise risch of scottish association for marine science, oban read 46. Please use this page for any road issues in oban and surrounding areas. Cruise through the infamous corryvreckan whirlpool. Just south of oban today me and my wife kirstyhe followed us for about 15mins at a distance then came right up to us rising beside us and swimming just.
Anyone know the odds, or would i be paying for a wee jaunt on the sea with little chance. 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. These include the corryvreckan whirlpool, colonsay, ionastaffa, the garvellachs and whale watching. Oban bay sperm whale swims back out to sea bbc news.
Sealife adventures wildlife and whale watching boat trips. Download a map that makes the birdspotting easy, marked with. Two decades ago whalewatching was rare in scotland, but with the increase in. The stunning panorama of the inner hebrides includes mull, iona jura and islay. Browse expedia s selection of 184 hotels and places to stay in oban. Oct 06, 2015 lets go to oban, scotland join in the celebrations at a huge festival of gaelic culture in the seafood capital of scotland, then jump on a ferry to one of 25 western isles.
Seafari adventures are oban s 5 visit scotland marine wildlife tour operator. Sealife adventures experience a whale watching boat trip in scotland with sealife adventures, based on the mainland near oban, argyll, scotland. All of the things to dos are listed according to category and cover all locations in oban and surrounding areas. A variety of species live in the nearby waters, especially shellfish. The oban times argyll news lochaber news island news. Ukbased cetacean monitoring unit and charity organisation. About appin, oban and fort william cairn lodge scotland. We constantly monitor cetacean and basking shark movements and only run these trips when there is a chance of sightings.
Sea life surveys whale watching, wildlife cruises and scenic boat tours on the isle of mull, scotland home. Oban is the gateway to the isles, and its just a ferry ride away to enchanting isles such as kerrera, lismore, mull, iona, coll. Sperm whale spotted in oban bay jump to media player 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. Whale watching on west coast of scotland loch melfort hotel. Oban, the main gateway to many of the hebridean islands, is a waterfront town on a delightful bay, with sweeping views to kerrera and mull. Averages are for connel, which is 4 miles from oban. Much of the path between oban and ballachulish is built along the former railway line which ran from connel to the slate quarries near ballachulish. Sealife adventures wildlife and whale watching boat. Denise risch scottish association for marine science, oban. Today, there are many eco tourism offering that focuses not just on the beauty of the scenery and the simple pleasure of. There is not a hard and fast rule to this as the dolphins are resident in the moray firth and north east scotland and can technically be watched all year round. Elevated levels are also evident on the west coast between the oban and. Our cruises, among the breathtakingly beautiful islands, sea lochs and mountains of the inner and outer hebrides, are truly unforgettable adventures for all ages. A one minute look at 22 amazing locations on the hebridean isle of mull on the west coast of scotland.
Oban is pretty easy to travel around, and is a very walkable town too. Entanglement of minke whales in scottish waters sea mammal. Our final days in scotland were spent exploring a little of the west coast. It is the seafood capital of scotland and even though im vegan, i think it is worth pointing this out. The area is exceptional for porpoise, minke whales, dolphins, basking sharks, otters and seals. But there are lots of opportunities to spot these incredible creatures from the sea too. Placed in oban, in argyll county, about one hour driving form edinburgh, the sea life adventures year round.
Navigate to jura, another recognised whale feeding hot spot. The oban to fort william route is 48 miles on trafficfree path, with a few sections on minor roads. There are amenities for the whole family to enjoy, whether it be sports or adventure you require, oban offers an abundance of activities to keep you entertained. Outdoors activities abound, from relaxing boat tours, cycling, beach combing, diving, hill walking, kayaking or fishingits easy to get out in the pure island air and leave the workaday world behind. Vacation rentals from people in oban, unitedkingdom. The hebridean whale trail visitor centre is situated in the middle of colourful main street. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search. Get obans weather and area codes, time zone and dst. Though the most common are minke whales, one might also come across other species including orcas, humpbacks, fins, and sperms. Just south of oban today me and my wife kirstyhe followed us for about 15mins at a distance then came right up to us rising beside us and swimming just under our kayaks. We have put together a list of the most frequently asked questions from our users such as. Scotland s seas are also populated with two kinds of whales. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options.
Longest established and most powerful boat in the area. The best time to see minke whales in scotland is from the end of may to september. Short boat trips from oban harbour to the seal colony the other side of kerrara. Current local time in oban, scotland, united kingdom. Sharks, whales, seals and more get closer to scotland s sealife in oban. Harbour porpoise x4 glensanda, inner hebrides at 07. Its peaceful in winter, but in summer the town centre is jammed with traffic and crowded with holidaymakers and travellers headed for the archipelago. Commercial whaling started in the middle ages, and by the 1750s most scottish ports were whaling, with the edinburgh whale fishing company being founded in 1749. There is a population of about thirty bottlenose dolphins which we regularly see. Explore obans sunrise and sunset, moonrise and moonset. Whales are seen as one of the best things to see in scotland. Bird watching highlights include sea eagles, golden eagles, puffins and a great variety of seabirds.
Come visit the biggest basking shark hotspot in the world and spend time with these gentle giants in the abundant waters of the inner hebrides. Rescuers rush to help whale stranded in scottish loch uk. From aberdeen it is around a 4 hour drive, or you can travel by train via dundee and glasgow. Seasonal and diel acoustic presence of north atlantic minke whales in the north.
Whale and wildlife watching tour in oban explore the garvellachs an island chain where whales congregate to feed due to abundant, rich food. Tobermory is also home to the hebridean whale trail centre, a celebration of whales, dolphins and porpoises at the heart of the hebrides. Visit fingals cave, corrywreckan whirlpool, puffins on the treshnish isles or go wildlife watching around the hebrides. What the chances of seeing whales, porpoises or dolphins mid september. Concern for young humpback whale spotted near oban bbc news. St hilda sea adventures provides small ship cruising and wildlife holidays on the beautiful west coast of scotland. Despite its small size, it is the largest town between helensburgh and fort william. Turn towards the ferry terminal and look at the colourful boats and restaurants on the quayside. Forget going all the way to florida to see whales in captivity doing tricks, this is all about seeing whales and plenty of other marine life in the seas. Oban airport lies 5 miles out of the town and serves the islands of coll, tiree, islay and colonsay. Before the first sighting, if someone had told us they had spotted a humpback near oban, they we would have called bs. Our local area is one of the best areas in scotland for porpoise and we see them on the vast majority of summer trips. If you think we have made a significant mistake and you wish to discuss this with us, please let us know as soon as possible by any of the three methods.
Everyone looks forward to a holiday, and it seems that its not only humans that like to do a bit of sightseeing. Clan cottages is a family run concern near oban in argyll. A young sperm whale arrived in the bay on easter sunday and has spent 9 days swimming around the harbour. While rarely spotted, orca or killer whale pods can be seen during the summer swimming in the north of scotland, around the shetland and orkney islands. Hm coastguard was called into action after a 25ft humpback whale beached itself at oban in scotland, on 28 february. Oban s diverse fish stocks led to britains first mussel farm being established 3 miles away at loch etive. The best places to see whales in scotland the scotsman. Our carefully selected range of tours include close encounters with scotland s nature.
South west scotland and inner hebrides sea watch foundation. After a hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs, scottish smoked salmon, a few rounds of toast dripping in proper butter, hot tea that steamed up the windows, we pulled on jumpers and coats, ready for a new adventure. Whilst writing our cetacean blog recently, we realised that we hadnt ever written one about our oban humpback whale encounters from the last couple of years. There was much excitement yesterday when a whale spent the day in oban harbour. The insiders guide to scotlands wildlife travel the guardian.
The first evidence for whaling in scotland is from bronze age settlements where whalebones were used for constructing and decorating dwelling places. The latest bestselling scottish music releases on cd and dvd, and recently published sheet music. From oban, our family of four toured castles in the region with rab. Minke whales can also be spotted around scotland between may and october. From the scottish borders and shetland, to its cities and islands, there are many myths, legends and spooky stories that have become part of scotlands history. Find cheap deals and discount rates that best fit your budget. The 10 best things to do in oban april 2020 with photos. Oban has an airport outside the village of north connel, some 5 miles ne of the town. Tours depart throughout the day visiting the gulf of corryvreckan, home of the worlds third largest whirlpool.
Want to know about travelling to oban, argyll and bute, scotland. Visit the gulf of corryvreckan, home of the worlds third largest whirlpool or bass rock, a major. A whale spotting boat tour here will almost allow you to see minke whales, as well as dolphins, porpoises and even sharks. Book your tickets online for the top things to do in oban, argyll and bute on tripadvisor. These trip only run when whales are likely to be in the area may to september and are run when tidal conditions are right to give the best chance of a sighting. Sealife adventures run whale search and wildlife watching boat trips from our pontoon on the mainland near oban on the west coast of scotland. Oban, appin and inveraray coastguard rescue teams, police scotland, scottish fire and rescue service, british diver marine life rescue and oban rnli were on standby to help the whale. Whale watch and wildlife cruises from tobermory, isle of mull, scotland. However, as they are wild animals, we cannot guarantee sightings. Rescuers are on their way to a loch in the far north of scotland to help a whale thought to have become ensnared in rope the ninemetre 30ft animal, believed to be a juvenile sperm whale. Several boats leave from around the north pier and the railway pier, including the mv purple heather. A question that our staff and volunteers are asked hundreds of times a year is the when is the best time to see dolphins.
Sperm whale goes sightseeing in scotland planet science. We conduct the research that underpins the future safeguarding of whales, dolphins and porpoises. If you are a wild animal lover and you are in scotland, you can have an experience which hardly you forget, a whale watching boat trip. Whale watching is one of those things that has a broadbased appeal, visitors of all ages are attracted to a variety of location around the world. This tour, whilst focusing on looking for whales, also combines looking for major wildlife species in the wider oban area. Whales congregate to feed just to the south of the garvellachs where deep, food rich, atlantic waters rise to the surface.
Chris jackson, skipper of the swf recommended boat operator mv chalice, was the first to report the sighting of a sperm whale in oban harbour sunday 31st march. Whales and dolphins are frequent guests in scottish offshore waters. Based in the conservation area of easdale, 16 miles south of oban we have a fleet of powerful ribs and a traditional hard boat which are purpose designed. The victorian harbour town of oban is a pretty place in its own right, with an excellent seafood scene, and is also a major gateway to the hebrides. It is also the shopping and drinking capital of the west coast of scotland, and home to the excellent whisky of that name. It has only two pot stills, making it one of the smallest in scotland, producing a whisky that has been described as having a west highland flavour that falls between the dry, smoky style of the scottish islands and the lighter, sweeter malts of the highlands. There are so attractions in and around oban and the surrounding areas. People are looking to see and hear these majestic creatures on the west coast of scotland. Whale watching and wildlife trips, guided by experienced marine biologist.
Im heading to oban for the weekend and would love to go on a whale watching trip. Oban brands itself as the seafood capital of scotland. Sea life surveys whale watching, wildlife cruises and. Sharks, whales, seals and more get closer to scotlands. Seafari adventures, scotlands premiere wildlife boat operator. Basking shark scotland offer high adventure, low impact, ecoconscious tours run by our fantastic team of marine biologists. Book now your hotel in oban and pay later with expedia. Oban, scotland article about oban, scotland by the free.
Chris sent this report along with some extraordinary photos. The hebridean whale trail, which has recently been launched by the hebridean whale and dolphin trust, showcases scotland s west coast as a worldclass destination for spotting whales, dolphins and porpoises from land. Getting out on the water has always been a popular pastime in oban and lorn see our page on the call of the sea. The caledonia way national cycle route 78 the view oban. Oban, appin and inveraray coastguard rescue teams, police scotland, scottish fire and rescue service, british diver marine life rescue and. From boat trips to see wildlife and interesting archaeology, to gardens where you can stroll at your leisure. Family trips for a day out or private hire and charter. Sea watch foundation sperm whale in oban, argyll and bute. Sperm whale in oban bay picture by chris jackson image caption it is highly unusual to see sperm whales in scottish shallow waters. Come aboard clyde cruises for some of the best tourist boat trips in scotland.
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