There is no bad time to explore this coastline but wildlife sightings
inevitably vary according to season and tides. The Pembrokeshire coast
and islands are always stunning and our skippers have learned over the
years to predict what wildlife is likely to be around but often the
most exciting encounters are unpredictable; we will do our best to make
the most of your trip.
You will see (depending on sea conditions and season): seals; thousands of nesting seabirds, including Guillemots, Razorbills, Puffins, Kittiwakes; Gannets, Chough, Peregrine Falcons, Buzzards; porpoises, even dolphins, whales and sunfish.
In order to minimise possible disturbance we are careful about speed and angle of approach and ask that passengers avoid making sudden movements or noise when close to wildlife.
Please check out our trip blog for updates on the wildlife and what’s happening around Ramsey.
Rough Guide to Ramsey Wildlife
Seals
are around all year but breed in late summer / autumn. September / October
is the best time to see new born pups but yearlings (last year's pups)
are around all year. Seals are naturally curious, with an intelligence
level similar to that of dogs. Young seals in particular enjoy people
watching and playing in the jet stream
Porpoises
are more likely to be sighted in Ramsey Sound when the tide
is running south and blocking fish heading north, providing good feeding
(Gannets are often sighted fishing in the same area). Please note that
the tide in Ramsey Sound turns approximately 3 hours after high and
low water times indicated in tide timetables. Porpoises can also be
seen around St David's Head on the northerly tide.
Birds
May to early July is the best time for seeing thousands of
Kittiwakes, Razorbills, Guillemots and Puffins (North Bishop). Oystercatchers,
Fulmars, Shags and Cormorants are around until September. Chough, Peregrine
Falcons and Buzzards are resident. Gannets, which breed on Grassholm,
are daily visitors. Shearwaters feed out at sea during the day and return
to the islands in the early evening.
We are members of Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum, which seeks to promote best practice in relation to tourism and coastal management. This keeps us informed of the latest environmental initiatives, which we fully support. We were involved in the consultative process in drawing up best practice guidelines for activities around seals, birds and cetaceans. We are also accredited by the national WISE scheme for boat operators working around marine wildlife.
