What a superb week! Wall to wall sunshine, gentle breeze, spectacular views, breathtaking walks. Wonderful wildlife, it's been better than we could have dreamed! Thank you most sincerely Damien, Harvey and Abbie for your diligent care, stewardship and company over the course of the fabulous six days.
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Purple mountains, azure sky, blood orange sunsets, starry nights. Seahorse II cut a path through the beautiful landscape of the Inner Hebrides. Bracing hikes, paddling canoes, charming cafes, creative writing, whisky galore.
Cosy cabins, spacious communal living spaces, delicious food. Alan, Mark and Jordan could not have been more accommodating. Impeccable customer service.
Exchanging life stories and experiences with fellow ship mates, the buzz of excited conversation, shared laughter.
Unforgettable memories.
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Absolutely perfect experience - joy, beauty, comradeship. Magical ocean and land. We loved it! Thank you!!
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Our second adventure with St Hilda's and every bit as enjoyable as the first. Enormous thanks to the crew for their care, knowledge and Jordan's magical cooking! Mark's non-stop taking care of the boat and of us and Steve for keeping us safe and sound.
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An adventure with family was made more than memorable. Excellent care and attention from the staff. Very thankful to have experienced magnificent scenery, 10 star food experiences and a crew that went above and beyond to accommodate each one of us.
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Very interesting trip to some places that are hard to visit any other way. The crew all did an excellent job and the food was always delicious and very generous. Saw lots of dolphins, five white tailed eagles and an otter.
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Thank you to Stewart and Emma for a wonderful week - we enjoyed every minute. 'Burns night' was great as was our wedding anniversary. Great week, great weather, great food and great company. We will be back!
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Thanks Abbie - with your varied and tasty food - always meeting 'special requests' with "can do". Thanks Harvey for noticing everyones needs and more than meeting them. Being super informative and generous spirited. Brilliant skipper Damien. Well prepared and thoughtful itinerary. Enjoyed everything!!
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A wonderful trip! Great crew, great food, wonderful experiences. Dolphins riding the bow waves can't be beaten. Thanks to everyone who made it so special.
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A magical holiday. Faultless crew, kind and well informed. Ian is a brilliant chef! A company of guests who got on so well, it enhanced an already wonderful time.
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Aye aye Captain Nick and Jordan - you gave us a magnificent island adventure - ensured we achieved all our KPIs, plus a brilliant recommendation to visit Iona. Jordan's culinary specials from his galley were a joy to behold, with Nick's skills and knowledge of all things maritime and natural history outstanding. Many thanks to St Hilda - alll aboard and the shore crew!
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The whole trip was fantastic and the captain and crew made the experience extra special. Highlights included all the dolphins, porpoises, birds and gin.
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Beyond all of our expectations. Wonderful captain and crew, extraordinary food and drink, every day another glorious set of sights and pleasures. Superb.
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What a wonderful adventure! Sincere thanks to Captain Alan, first mate Harvey and chef Abbey for their consideration of our comfort, affable natures and skill with their work. We felt safe at all times and had our expectations well and truly exceeded. Our trip - wildlife/whisky/walking - struck a perfect balanace for all guests. A thoroughly memorable and enjoyable holiday.
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Unfortunately our 8 day sea odyssey is nearing an end, but the memories and friendship will not. Captain Nick and gourmet chef Jordan will always have a fond spot in my heart for the incredible time we spent sailing on the St Hilda. I hope to make this an annual adventure and look forward to another memorable time at sea.
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Excellent trip and introduction to Scotland. Alan you serve a safe trip, well planned and adaptable itinerary. Comfortable and scenic anchorages and passages. Abbie your food was delightfully varied, beautifully plated and wonderful!! Always looking after us with fresh baked snacks. Harvey your seamanship, client safety and boundless good humour lightened every day. Puffins, eagles, basking sharks and interesting hikes helped make it a memorable trip. Thanks again!
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Overnighting in secluded anchorages, enjoying gourmet food, learning the geography and history of the Scottish islands and bays of the Isle of Mull. We had the most extraordinary trip on the St Hilda, excellent in every way aboard the boat; we had even more fun when we went ashore to see Tobermory, Duart Castle and other sites. This was an unforgettable experience on the most comfortable boat I've ever slept on.
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This has been a great cruise with all destinations reached. A fine vessel with an excellent crew and a fine team of fellow passengers. (St Kilda cruise.)
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A perfect balance of sea and land excursions, a competent and friendly crew, and beautiful food. Thank you Nick, Hannah and Moya! And our thanks to St Hilda for a quality operation. I am a professional captain in the US and I am very impressed with the crew's professionalism and seamanship. I learned many tips to improve my own sailing business and loved my holiday!
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Wonderful trip to Rum, Canna, Eigg and Tobermory. Loved the walks, the company of enthusiastic crew and fellow passengers. Amazing food from Georgie and brilliant sailing skills from Stewart. A never to be forgotten experience!! Wildlife spotted: dolphins, golden eagles, sea birds, seals and the majestic sight of John Coe and Aquarius (killer whales) powering up the Sound of Mull.
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A very special trip aboard Speideren enhanced by great company. Spectacular scenery, and wildlife, and the crew, were marvelous, the combination of Christophe's charm, Harvey's wit and Abbie's lovely cooking was just right.
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A wonderful holiday full of stunning scenery and great wildlife encounters. Dougie took us safely everywhere with a smile on his face. Delicious food with great variety from Ian. Gordie was the perfect spotter and his knowledge of the wildlife was exceptional. They all looked after us so well to make this a perfect escape to the wilderness!
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Mission accomplished - got to St Kilda. Beautiful wildlife cruise, fantastic food and comfortable accomodation.
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This trip was fantastic, beautiful scenery, a professional skipper who balanced guest fun with safety (and was very entertaining and willing to asnwer my hundreds of questions), plus great food.
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What an incredible trip. Weather dictated much of the route and so we were so comfortable and confident with Alan at the helm, looking after our route and planning every mile and day. Abbie fed us so well - Thank you Abbie, what a skill - incredible meals, lovely light cakes and an endless supply of excellent food. Harvey looked after our every need making sure we were safe, comfortable and enjoying all aspects.
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Exceptional crew and great company. We had a tremendous time, great scenery and beautiful wildlife. We always felt so well looked after with Alan, Harvey and Abbie.
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Have seldom been so sad to reach the end of a holiday. Wonderful trip in every respect. Knowledgeable crew, wonderful companions. Amazing.
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Thank you Christophe and Georgie for an unforgettable sea adventure. We have loved every moment. It is without doubt the best way to see the beauty of the Small Isles, absolutely fabulous.
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Thank you Mark, Donald and Carleton for an incredible week of amazing sighting, beautiful views and great food. An unforgettable week!
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Wonderful scenery, great companionship and comfortable cruising - thanks to Alan's careful captaincy, Harvey's concerns regarding our safety and entertainment and Abbie's fantastic cooking!
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Thank you St Hilda Sea Adventures for such a really brilliant experience. I've now been to St Kilda - a life long ambition. Dougie, Hannah and Heather were all exceptional. I loved every minute.
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What an adventure! A marvellous cruise, very helpful crew, and absoloutely fabulous food. One of the best holidays we have had. Thank you.
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Tania and Christophe, what a lovely skipper and chef!! We loved learning all about sailing. And to our fellow guests - haven't laughed so much for ages! Highlights included seeing the puffins and having all the sails up.
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Thanks for another amazing trip on Seahorse II and for looking after us so well. I was able to walk close to the puffins for the first time!
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Another beyond wonderful trip! Thanks to all the super crew, the wonderful planning of the company, and the gorgeous weather - it was ALL great! We learned so much and had such fun.
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We had a truly memorable trip. Beautiful scenery, weather and some not to be forgotten wildlife. Terrific company and the most exceptional crew.
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As a lone traveller, I felt very comfortable from the very beginning. I enjoyed every moment of this most memorable sea adventure. So many delightful places with such an extraordinary, hard working and friendly crew.
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What a wonderful trip. Perfect weather, not one drop of rain. Excellent food and the most unforgettable walks on the islands.
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What a wondeful adventure! We had such a lovely time - the crew, the food, the islands, the wildlife, the company and the weather!
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As a retired mountaineer, a small boat cruise on the West coast to see the mountains from seawards, had been at the top of my bucket list for many years. So when I found Gemini Explorer, a boat that I had known since she was built in my home town of Bideford in 1974, my quest was settled. And I was not to be disappointed.
The combination of this boat, the friendly and committed crew, the attention paid to the prevailing conditions to ensure that everybody was comfortable, local knowledge and glorious weather made the trip memorable. And I have not yet mentioned the food which was brilliant both in the imagination involved and the skill of delivery in a small galley!
As a long term Guardian reader I would not quibble with their opinion in any way - brilliant" !
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This was my first of this kind and it has gone above and beyond all expectations. Beautiful weather, amazing company and awesome crew.
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An amazing experience, wall to wall sunshine (welll almost!), gorgeous scenery, new (to me) birds and dolphins. Such individual attention, nothing too much trouble, superb food and quietly competent skipper giving us a wonderful itinerary. Thank you all.
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It's been an amazing trip. The Small Isles are beautiful. Some goregous sunny days. The art has been great and so have the art tutors. Enjoyed the art very much and such good fun too. Thank you to all the crew and tutors who have made this trip to never be forgotten and to all the lovely people on the trip who I now consider to be new friends. Highly recommend!
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Fantastic trip on Gemini Explorer, wildlife spotting, island visiting and lighthouse bagging. Great company, excellent crew and fantastic food. Thoroughly enjoyed the trip and the adventures.
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Great company, fabulous food, wonderful wildlife and scenery. Thank you all for looking after us to brilliantly!
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Spent five wonderful nights aboard the St Hilda. Beautiful views, fabulous food and lots of laughs. Nick and Tania made our trip even better. Definitely a not to be missed experience!
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Our holiday begins with your quick responses to our queries and your helpfulness to my husband over the phone. Thank you.
O
ur holiday began Tuesday 5th September till Wednesday 15th September 2023.
We were met on the marina by Donald and Micheal who took our luggage on the tender over to the boat.
Once onboard it was introductions all round.
Our cabin was cosy and the bed exceptionally comfy, we slept well.
We were so lucky with the weather, resulting in my nose getting sunburnt! Sunday was grey, drizzly and the sea exceptionally calm which resulted in seeing a whale numerous times. We watched amazing sunsets and sunrises.
Donald and Micheal are so knowledgeable on the area and wildlife. We saw dolphins, porpoises, a white tailed eagle, red deer on the beach, numerous seabirds and the whale.
The food was excellent, really well fed by Natasha. What a fabulous cook this young lady is, catering to everyone's requirements. Thank you Natasha.
This holiday was to celebrate my husband's 70th birthday. We had the best time, made fabulous memories and took lots of photos.
We wish to thank Donald, Michael, Natasha, Collette and all at St Hilda's for our memorable holiday. THANK YOU.
T
he only downside to the holiday was that the 8 days flew by and our holiday was over before we knew it.
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An amazing trip from start to finish. Great crew, great food and an unforgettable experience. Many thanks.
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Alan, Michael and Natasha - thank you for a wonderful trip. Interesting, great food and a very comfortable ship.
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We appreciate the attention to detail like the torch in our cabin. Lovely showers. The meals were fabulous. The crew were so caring, informative and could not do enough for us. Superb.
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From start to finish a perfect, fab holiday! Many many thanks to Donald, Michael and Natasha for their extra care and attention. Brilliant weather too!
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We don't want it to end! Had fantastic weather, a very congenial group to travel with and an attentive and professional crew. Food exceptional (Thanks, Ian), wants taken care of (Thanks, Mark) and security and safey achieved (Thanks, Christophe).
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We had the best time and enjoyed every second. Nick and Ben did the best job and the A-team was just great! We will never forget this amazing week. Best weather, sooo many dolphins, seals and great veggie-food. Thank you!
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Wonderful trip. Big thanks to Michael, Donald and Natasha for all your hospitality and warmth. Spectacular scenery and wildlife (whales!). The days went too fast. We will all miss this way of life! Exceeded all expectations.
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Impossible to verbalise how completely wonderful the whole experience has been. The staff were exceptional, the scenery breathtaking and I leave here with wonderful memories. Thank you Donald, Michael and Natasha for all your efforts and care.
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One of the best experiences I've ever had. Can't wait to do it again one day. Recommending to everyone I know. Great crew!
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Thank you for an absolutely fantastic trip. The crew was unfailingly patient, helpful and I felt excellently cared for!
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My once in a lifetime trip aboard the Seahorse II was remarkable for many reasons. I was lucky to be among a very congenial group of like minded travelers who's every need was anticipated by the excellent crew. The welcoming cream tea was a delight and just the introduction to Natasha's culinary skills and welcoming smiles. The menu was varied between fish/fowl/meats/vegetarian. We tried to pick our favorite but couldn't. Allan was a gracious captain who took us birdwatching in the tender as well as carting us to shore to visit the pubs. Always pleasant. Anthea and Bonita were a terrific team and went far above what I anticipated in teaching us new art techniques based on their years of experience and always eager to help us capture the Hebedrian land/seascapes as well as having an obvious love and knowledge for and about the area. And I haven't even mentioned the saloon where we spent most of our rest time, talking, reading or napping....or the singing. It was lovely and I was blessed to be able to do this.
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Wonderful crew, great trip, incredible food. We felt comfortable and cared for. The artists were great!
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Truly a magical voyage. World top ten - definitely! Can't imagine anything better.
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My first ever cruise and what a fantastic adventure, the scenery, food and crew were amazing. I will remember this always.
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Amazing scenery in some really remote locations, eagles, dolphins, red deer and more, some lovely weather and the dream team crew! This is my second St Hilda trip. I'll be back.
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Another great trip on Seahorse II - the puffins and sea eagles, etc - wonderful to see! Thanks to all the crew for their care and attention all week.
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Thank you all so very much. What an amazing trip. Absolutely marvellous. Will definitely be doing another at some stage - irresistable! Many, many thanks.
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Wonderful week spent on Seahorse with hospitable hosts Michael and skipper Donald; fabulous food from chef Leo. Enjoyed some beautiful walks in stunning scenery. Highlight of holiday was spotting Orca whales!
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I'm not sure what I was expecting of this voyage but whatever it was, it exceeded it! Nick & Charlie were a great crew - personal and professional. No midges, fine weahter, spectacular scenery!
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Better than I could ever have imagined! Fantastic trip, thank you for everything.
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What a fantastic trip! Captain Nick was wonderful, so patient with us. And Ruthie, our chef, was amazing! Can't thank you eough.
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Fantastic first experience on a small (although mighty Gemini) ship. I have been so blessed with the experience of the crew to reach St Kilda despite initial weather. Chrstophe's daily updates and each passenger added to the experience in such a positive way. Iain, the food was beyond fabulous and it exceed my expectations.
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Wonderful to have managed to get to St Kilda at last, but all our stops en-route were interesting and enjoyable. I had not expected to be able to wild swim. A very nice group of people and thank you so much to Christophe, Ian and Peggy. Thank you to Gemini Explorer.
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One of my most memorable holidays. Skipper Nick so patient and helpful. Tania chef an incredible imaginative menu. Wonderful scenery and atmosphere onboard ship.
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What an adventure! What a group of fellow travellers! What a crew! Loved every minute, the laughs and genuine warmth shown by all. A special thanks to the crew, Dougie 'our skipper', Peggy 'our expert and Ian 'our chef' - all teamed up to make this the experience we were hoping for. Truly memorable.
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Wow wow wow! What can we say. We expected to love Iona and Staffa but we were taken to so many other hidden gems. We saw sea eagles! and loads of other lovely wildlife as well as scenery, seascapes, etc. Very many thanks to Dougie, Peggy and Ian for working so hard and being so cheerful and helpful. The food was absolutely amazing. Thanks to everyone.
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Amazing experience, never to be forgotten. So well looked after. Thank you so much Christophe and Vicki. Dolphins, eagles, whales - what more can we ask for - and we had good weather.
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Our first time onboard a small ship sailing in Scotland. Memorable experience - amazing scenery, wonderful weather, good food and good company. Nick sailed into magical stopping places. We kayaked with the seals (and jellyfish) and discovered an endless appetite for Vicki's inventive cooking.
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The only things more extraordinary than the super weather, the abundence of wildlife and the magnicifent landscapes that defined this cruise was the enthusiasm, attentiveness to detail and utter joy that our crew - Peggy, chef Tania and Captain Dougie - gave us every day. So very grateful for it all!
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Coming onboard as a solo traveller I wasn't sure what to expect. This trip has exceeded my expectations. The sights were incredible but this trip was made by the crew equally to the sights. The clear explanations of the ship and the tender. The feeling that there was always help if needed. The invitation for each person to have the pace they wanted for enjoyment made me feel comfortable. Also in every interaction genuine kindness and caring. Forever grateful!
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This is one of the best holidays that we have had. It was a family trip and everyone made sure that we were able to do everything we had hoped to do and more. You couldn't have asked for nicer people to tour with and the crew was exceptional!!!
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What an amazing week - fantastic crew, boat, food and incredible kayaking. Puffin heaven.
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Stupendous week kayaking off this great boat and wonderful crew. Thank you Donald, Christophe and Natasha. Special mention for the food - top top quality served with a smile!
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A massive thank you to Alan, Mike and Natasha. We have had the most wonderful cruise which exceeded all of our expectations on food, on scenery, the wildlife and even the weather. Fantastic to get to St Kilda.
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An amazing trip and the visit to St Kilda was a highlight, even exceeding expectations. The crew made us very welcome and comfortable.
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This was a holiday of a lifetime. We did and saw so much and nothing was too much trouble to the crew. I did things I didn't know I could.
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A spectacular experience - stunning weather, magical views, delicious food and excellent company. We loved visiting Eigg, Rum, Muck and Tobermory. Thank you so much Nick and Vicki. You made it seamless and special. P.S Spotting a basking shark and a golden eagle were icing on a fabulous cake!
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An amazing trip! This was the 3rd trip with St Hilda Sea Adventures! Dougie, Mark and Ian looked after us very well. The food was lovely and we saw lots of dolphins and minke whales. Thank you.
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This was a wonderful adventure. The spots we visited, the lovely hikes, the scenery and food were all wonderful. Thanks to Nick and Leo.
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Amazing trip - a great experience, wonderful food, everything we could need, and good weather too. Thank you Donald, Michael and Karen for all your hard work - and to Michael, our brilliant guide.
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We've had a magnificent time. Dougie, Mark and Ian provided perfect organisation, excellent communication and a welcoming environment which ensured we all relaxed, ate far too much and stayed happy. So many great memories. Well done crew!
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We have had such a wonderful six days, we don't know how to say thank you. The food, the cruising, the walks, the scenery - wonderful!!
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Great trip, great crew, great food. Crew kept every one safe. Lots of humour. Michael and Donald always made sure I was ok. Sorry I have to go now that I have my sea legs.
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Third time aboard Seahorse II. Still as great as ever! Great crew and scrummy food. Brilliant art tutor too.
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What a trip. Every day something different. Making friends with all the guests. Best holiday ever. Especially the birthday celebrations!
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Loved every moment, the views, the sailing, the food, the company. Thank you.
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Best birthday present ever! Wonderful hosts, skippering, food, music, locations. All fantastic. Thank you.
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Thank you Alan, John and Natasha for a very memorable holiday. Everything was perfect - even the temperature of the sea!
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An experience we shall never forget, from the skills and expertise of Christophe to the wonderful and imaginative cooking of Celine. We enjoyed a magical trip.
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What a pleasure to spend time aboard St Hilda and on Scottish waters! Maholo for sharing your slice of heaven on earth.
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What a truly wonderful and memorable trip! The crew were great... competent, approachable and knowledgeable. Natasha's meals were fantastic... imaginative and delicious... I still cannot work out how she created such amazing meals every time!
We were lucky with the weather, and the company but mostly we are very impressed with St Hilda's for your professionalism, attention to detail and determination to create a top class experience for your clients.
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A wonderful holiday - full of treats and experiences. Thank you Donald, John and Natasha.
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There's only one way to describe this holiday - PERFECT. Brilliant crew, food...everything!
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Wonderful trip, crew exceptional. Very professional, friendly and helpful. Food was brilliant. The whole experience was 10/10.
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Thank you so much! Great 5 days, lovely company and nothing too much trouble for Chris and Ruthie. We have visited several times over the years but not by boat. Thoroughly enjoyed the experience and would recommend! Thank you.
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It has been a wonderful cruise with fabulous, friendly crew. Stunning scenery and plenty of wildlife to enjoy. Tasty food and comfortable accomodation. Loved it!
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Wonderful trip, even better than we imagined. Crew and food were exemplary. Will recommend it to everyone we know.
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Amazing cruise - crew John, Alan and Natasha have been fantastic. In the five days I have walked, swam, kayaked with seals and seen wildlife - exceeded my expectations.
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What a fantastic time - couldn't have wished for more. An excellent trip with an amazing crew plus exquisite food.
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Fabulous trip. Spectacular scenery, beautiful weather, enjoyed all the activities including the swims. Thank you.
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An amazing adventure in the most stunning part of the world. An incredible crew made this fabulous fun as well as fattening. A beautiful way to travel and enjoy the companionship of new friends.
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Thank you for a wonderful 9 days of adventure and fun! Everything exceeded our expectations! Thank you!
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A superb trip. Excellent scenery, excellent boat, excellent company and food. We've thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Just fabulous!
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Exceptional and very accommodating crew. Met some wonderful people, had some great laughs. We were fed delicous cuisine and we saw some amazing scenery and wildlife. Its a 5 out of 5!
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A fantastic experience, lots of exciting wildlife, new places to explore and enjoy. The atmosphere was friendly, it was great to meet others with shared passions. A huge thanks to the crew for their enthusiasm, catering and their sense of fun. Hope to be back again in the future.
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We have all had a wonderful sea adventure! Thank you to Christophe for showing us the beautiful Inner Hebrides and to Ruthie for keeping us so well fed. We have seen so much wildlife and enjoyed the peace and changing light on this beautiful part of the world.
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My trip of a lifetime! The accomodation was perfect, crew was professional, itinerary was great and food was delicious.
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Wow - what can we say!? We've had an amazing trip and wouldn't change a thing. Thank you all for your hard work and expertise.
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A wonderful holiday - ticked off two things from our 'bucket list', St Kilda and Fingal's Cave. Well looked after, thank you Don, John and Sarah. Wonderful food!
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Fantastic time with fabulous staff and other passengers. Enjoyed the wildlife walks and scenery as well as the supberb hospitality. Thanks for spoiling us. Fabulous food.
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Our second cruise - another lovely week with great wildlife, scenery and the now legendary St Hilda hospitality! Thank you!!
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So
happy to be aboard St Hilda again, this time the Mull Odyssey Cruise. As often on the West Coast of Scotland the weather was mixed, but there is pleasure and excitement in the variety, ranging from Atmospheric (misty), Dramatic to Brilliant!
Our morning on Lunga was full of puffins and their antics, superb guillemots, shags and many more wonderful sea birds, followed the next day on Staffa where we watched Kittiwakes swooping and diving after a visit to the beautiful Fingal’s Cave which was beyond our expectations.
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day on Iona was fascinating, followed by an evening on deck watching magical reflections approaching sunset. The following day again was magical with all sails up as we sailed ahead of the strong South Westerlies back up the sunny west coast of Mull enjoying the islands which had been misty on our southward journey.
We were in the safe hands of our Captain Gabriele and wonderfully fed by Anastasia with a treat on our last night of fresh mussels.
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We were wonderfully looked after by Donald, John and Sarah. A unique experience and highlights every day made for an unforgettable holiday.
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Best holiday ever - looked after by such a kind caring crew. Great food, humour and amazing wildlife sightings in astonishing scenery. Thank you Donald, John and Sarah.
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Simply amazing. St Kilda, Shiants, Rona, Taransay and so much more. The crew went above and beyond. Thanks so much.
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A unique experience and a great way to get to know the various islands. Saw plenty sea birds and dolphins. Excellent attention from Captain and crew. The food was simply delicious. Everyone was very kind, and caring with a sense of humour. Thanks so much.
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An amazing trip! Full of wildlife and culinary delights. Alan, John and Sarah are a perfect crew. Many thanks.
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Thank you Seahorse and everyone on board - crew and fellow passengers - for an incredible voyage of discovery. So many highlights, every single day.
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We want to thank you for taking such excellent care of us for the past 8 days. We have loved every moment of our adventure! We always felt safe with Chris at the helm. And Ruthie's fabulous meals were something to look forward to each time. We will always remember this special trip and the rare and beautiful sights you shared with us.
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A wonderful experience, reaching and getting ashore on St Kilda was the icing on the cake of a great adventure. A superb crew who looked after us in every way. Dougie fantastic as skipper, Simon a tremendous support and Ian produced top class meals every day. Can't thank them enough. St Hilda's attention to detail and excellent customer service can't be bettered. Can fully recommend them.
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Thank you Dougie, Iain and Keir for looking after us so well. We have had an absoloutely fantastic experience exploring the western isles. 'Puffin Magic and 'Dolphin Madness'. Food exceptional Iain. Fantastic memories and fantastic fellow travellers.
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This has been a great trip and far exceeded my expectations. Dougie, Iain and Keir are an exceptional team. We were lucky with the weather and the Shiants, St Kilda and the islands were all a great experience wtih great sightings of eagles, puffins and dolphins.
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I had a wonderful time aboard Gemini Explorer in spite of the somewhat damp weathers. As a group of passengers we rubbed along well too, enjoying all that was offered, becoming involved and in a favourite part of the UK for me, discovering other islands, lochs and towns, and a castle - complete with the Chief of Clan himself! I can't fault it. I loved travelling on your 'wee ship' and it was made all the more pleasurable by Christophe and Ian who were excellent hosts. I would be delighted to simply go again.
Not to forget for a moment all the work of the 'back office' staff and your amazing input and organisation. I am aware now of how you all run and direct the business as a family and it is this which binds the whole operation and creates the success. Brilliant!
With thanks and very best wishes to you all and continued success.
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We had an absolutely wonderful time! Gabrielle and Anastasia took great care in every way. Thank you, thank you!
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Thank you to Donald and Christophe for a safe journey. Big thank you to Sarah for her scrummy veggie creations and also to Morag for her knowledge and guidance.
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Great crew, great food, great scenery, great wildlife, great company. What more could you want? FAB-U-LOUS!!
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We just wanted to email you to let you know how much we enjoyed our voyage around the Hebrides. We were blessed with wonderful weather, and of course fantastic scenery, but above all fantastic companions and crew.
Alan, John and Sarah all worked really hard to make it so special for us all. Alan and John are both excellent seamen, so knowledgeable and with some interesting life stories. Sarah’s cooking was superb, an amazing array of tasty lunches and dinners, always well presented. We have so many happy memories.
We would like to thank you and all the land based staff for your hard work in making it all happen in the first place.
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Great trip, amazing weather! Fantastic food and crew. Fellow guests were great fun. I would definitely recommend.
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Crew definitely went above and beyond for our comfort and entertainment. Thanks guys! Great to back on the water, beautiful sea passage and anchorages. Shore landings very enjoyable.
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The holiday to Mull and the Small Isle was a wonderful experience from start to finish, the crew were exceptional with safety in mind the whole time. It was interesting speaking to locals in the small communities on the different islands as their lives depend on the links with the ferries for food supplies, building materials and various household items.
All the guests got on so well together with the crew and was like a happy family after the weeks experience.
The cabin was warm and cosy with a comfortable bed. I had never been on a holiday like this before it was a great adventure.
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I enjoyed the trip enormously, the boat was comfortable, spacious enough for all of us and the staff were exemplary. Sarah provided some of the best meals I have eaten in a very long time, she is a very talented chef/cook including the freshly baked cakes each afternoon. Anthea, the art tutor was the glue that held us all together, even though I was a beginner she was very inclusive and it was a delight to be taught new skills by her, she made it educational and fun. The captain, John and Gabrielle were always helpful and good humoured, nothing was too much trouble. We felt well looked after on the boat. It was a super holiday, everyone got on well and I highly recommend it to anyone, I would certainly like to repeat the experience in the future. It was well worth the 2 year wait.
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Thank you Donald, Ed and Andrea. How well you have looked after us on this wonderful trip in Scotland. Loved it all and have so appreciated your hard work to make it so memorable for us. Many thanks for everything!
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Great crew, lovely scenery, superb company, excellent food, trip went far too quickly. Looking forward to next year!
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A fabulous crew and a stunning trip. Can't wait to book another holiday with St Hilda Sea Adventures.
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Just wonderful experience. Amazing crew, food and itinerary. Loved the wildlife. The sea eagles are fantastic. Bow waving dolphins was just brilliant.
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This was our first experience of living on board a boat on the 'high seas' and it exceeded our expectations. One of the highlights was undoubtedly being in the company of the playful dolphins. Thanks for the fabulous trip Dougie, John and Will.
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Superb trip - very many thanks to Donald for going with the flow and giving us a superb trip, to James for memorable moments (and photos!), to Andrea for superb food, meals and cakes, to all the crew for making us so welcome.
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What a wonderful experience you have given us. Seas. Wildlife. Wonderful food. Friendship and lots of happy memories. So many thanks. "Inner Hebrides - Out of this World" : Gentle breeze, gentle seas. Golden silence, peace and calm. Forest of kelp, storm-trimmed trees. Piping of sandpipers, haunting curlew alarm. Effortless gliding of minke and porpoise. Fun-loving dolphins bring joy to the heart. Stately eagles and stags with defined purpose. We are privileged, blessed, our adventure a part, of experiencing their world, enriched and inspired.
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Thanks Dougie, John and Will. Thanks so very much for a memorable trip (and the awesome weather!). Your hospitality made it even better. Great scenery - we're sure to be back!
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Thank you to Christophe for steering us safely through beautiful scenery and arranging wondeful weather, whales and dolphins. THank you also to Ruthie for feeding us extremely well!! A very enjoyalbe week.
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An amazing holiday which has totally exceeded our expectations. Nothing has been too much trouble for Christophe and Jenna who have looked after our every need as we visited these beautiful Scottish Isles. Thoroughly recommend! Thank you both so much for everything!
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Coming to the end of an amazing trip - 8 nights. Exceeded expectations, with sightings of dolphins, opportunities to explore coastline during stops, wonderful knowledgeble crew. Damian skipper kept us safe, bosun John ferried us wherever we wanted to go and Will chef cooked superb meals, including freshly caught mackerel. Many thanks.
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An amazing week spent aboard the Seahorse II with some fantastic people. The crew (Andrea, Alan and John) were outstanding and the wildlife and trips ashore. Lots of wonderful memories made and friends too.
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Every day had something special to make it unique. Been my first time and hopefully not my last! Thanks to dashing Dougie and raving Ruthie. Fab! Fab! Fab!
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A wonderful learning experience. Crew amazing. Karen the naturalist really knowledgeable and a great communicator. Dougie the skipper: super-man. Food marvelous, have put on weight!!
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Thank you for a magical trip. Nothing was too much trouble for you and we loved every minute of it!
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Generosity has characterised our stay on your beautiful vessel. Kindness and skill have steered us through magical scenery which will remain in our imaginations for years to come. Heartfelt thanks for the experience.
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A wonderful break from 'real life'. Astonishing scenery, wildlife and weather! Thank you to Jenna for fattening us up and Christophe for taking us to beautiful places.
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Thank you for a wonderful week. I feel totally relaxed - such beautiful locations, scenery and the weather was a god send. Jenna's food was amazing! A week we'll always remember.
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Great kayak trip to Barra and islands around. Crew couln't have been more helpful. Hard to believe Andrea's cooking was even better than 2 years ago. What a treat!
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You got me to places I could only dream of. Thank you so much.
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Thank you for an amazing time and beautiful scenery. I will miss Andrea's wonderful meals and the great company we had for this adventure.
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Wonderful cruise, fantastic food and excellent crew. Lots of great memories to take away.
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11/10 first class trip with a wonderful crew. Exceptional service and delicious food. Dolphins, whales, sea eagles and more. A perfect post pandemic tonic. Thank you.
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Thanks to the happy and extra helpful Christophe and Jenna, we've had a brilliant time - beautiful route, lovely walks, great wildlife-spotting, delicious food and wonderful company!
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What a wonderful time we all have had. It really couldn't have been better! Extremely kind crew - nothing was too much trouble. Super food. Super Scotland!
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What a fantastic week! We couldn't have asked for a better crew than Christophe and Jenna. We were wondefully looked after. The food was excellent each and every day. Add to that the great scenery and wildlife and it all combined to a great trip.
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Fantastic - even better than expected and worth the year's delay due to Covid. A special thank you to Mark and Catriona who excelled.
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We had a wonderful cruise thank you and the horizon didn’t take long to level up.
A short eared owl on South Uist and 7 deer around the next corner on the same day.
There were 6 eagles above the Shiants as we sailed by but the most I got on one frame was 5.
Your organisation and crew were exceptionally good, the food was wonderful, beyond amazing, and we will be telling all our friends in Oban and beyond.
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Scottish landscape and wildlife are the icing on the cake of a trip so well organised and catered for. Our enormous gratitude to Christophe and Jenna for our sailing 'lessons' gourmet fare and advice.
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Wonderful voyage of exploration and discovery. Food wonderful, company good. Big thanks to the crew!
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11 nights in and around the Hebrides with a great crew and good company. Every day was different but the wildlife on the Shiants was extra special. Will spread the word! Thank you.
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A big thank you for an amazing experience. It was great to turn the engine off and enjoy the sail. You both have wonderful talents.
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Thank you Christophe and Jenna for a lovely welcome and fascinating eight days - Small Isles - Scavaig - Mull. Food magnificent and you looked after us handsomely.
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We had a wonderful time on board Seahorse ll and thoroughly enjoyed our brief stay in this spectacular area of Scotland. The boat was spotlessly clean, warm, comfortable and welcoming. Thank you for your attention to our needs.
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Life aboard St Hilda was everything I was looking in terms of a getaway. Something different and a little adventurous. St Hilda is ideal for liveaboard with everything needed to have a very comfortable stay – even in late October. The marina is a great place to just sit and watch and is a perfect base for exploring the Argyll coastal route. There is so much to experience from an archaeological, geological and scenic perspective.
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We had a fabulous time and will definitely be keeping tabs on the trips that your company offer. The boat was a novel alternative for self catering accommodation and sitting on deck each evening with a chilled glass of wine watching the sun set was so special.
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We
love being on boats so it was perfect for a getaway and to use as a base. Good communication with the owners who are most helpful.
The weather was particularly good but even if it isn't, this is a comfortable and different place to stay.
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We had the most glorious 4 days on board the St Hilda, albeit moored in the Marina above Oban. This quaint vessel lived up to all our expectations and the service we received from the whole team at St Hilda Adventures was magnificent. The vessel proved a great base for visiting the surrounding beauty spots. We fished off the boat side and had to stop after one session due to the quantity of Mackerel we caught! The whole 4 day break with superb weather was truly memorable.
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We had a fabulous time aboard St Hilda.
The team looked after us really well, giving us a warm welcome and a few essentials for the fridge! Nothing seemed too much trouble for them.
The scenery around the marina is magical and the night sky truly awesome.
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COVID-19 might have prevented us from setting sail but the magic of the Western Isles, the view from the marina each morning and life on our quirky Norwegian ferry made for a wonderfully different experience.
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A lockdown Covid experience that despite restrictions turned into a lovely holiday. The boat (St Hilda) was cosy and comfortable and Christophe made sure we were well looked after. The area is stunning and the weather was kind to us. Would love to come back and enjoy the full cruise experience! Thank you.
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Wonderful trip - exceeded all expectations. - lovely large bed, comfy surroundings, dream team looking after us and a fab group to share it with. Many thanks.
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What a journey! What meals! What company! I've enjoyed every second, minute and hour as everything was just perfect. Thanks for all the smiles.
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Another great trip with good company and the incomporable trio of Peter, Leo and Andrea. Definitely the best ship I have been on. Thanks.
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Everything I wanted to see and expreiences (otters!!). An amazing time and thank you Kerry for the fabulous mealtimes. Bless you both.
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So many amazing memories to take away - thank you to Kerry and Christophe. xxx
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Lost for words to describe such a fantastic holiday. Crew superb, food superb, Jose and photography suberb. Views as always fantastic.
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Fantatsic time - had a ball! The crew were stellar and made the trip very enjoyable. I won't be forgetting this trip any time soon - what an adventure!
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Wonderful trip - weather, scenery and especially the crew Peter, Leo and Andrea. It will be hard to get back to real life. I learn so much from Jose's willingness to share her knowledge of photography. A truly memorable trip!
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Truly amazing week. Thank you so much for looking after us so well.
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Great food (thanks Andrea), great boat, great crew and great company. We have had a fabulous time and will look at other St Hilda adventures. Thank you so much.
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Fantastic voyage! Crew was awesome, food was beyond delicous (thanks Andrea) and views spectacular.
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Another wonderful trip. Grateful thanks to Peter, Roy and Andrea (Superb cuisine). Lots of fun was had!
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Excellent week. Special thanks to Andrea who astonished us daily with imaginative and delicious meals, managing weird dietary restrictions with aplomb. And Anthea who got us all painting and operating without inhibition. Thanks!!
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An unforgetable and excellent trip. Many thanks to Christophe and Kerry for making it so enjoyable.
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Can't say a big enough thank you for a brilliant week. Beyond expectations. Andrea's food was wonderful and Peter and Leo helpful, informative and fun. Thanks.
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A memorable and enjoyable trip. Lovely, helpful, kind crew. Thanks to Gary too for the photography tips
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A great tour in a wonderful area. Hope to come again. Lovey crew and fantastic experience.
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Thank you Christophe and Kerry for a fantastic action packed holidays in a beautiful part of the world. Loved every minute.
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Thank you for a great trip, Christophe and Kerry! Thanks for all your thoughtfulness and work to give us such a safe and enjoyable week. A pleasure to get to know you both. Wonderful memories!
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My second trip aboard St Hilda and another fabulous holiday. Thanks Chris and Kerry for a great time.
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Competent charming captain and cook, beautiful scenery, peaceful trip. Lovely.
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Donald, Leo and Andrea were brilliant - super skilled, flexible, kind and funny. Always willing to go the extra nautical mile. We had a splendid time.
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What a fantastic adventure! So well looked after by Donald, Andrea and Leo in every way. Food was fabulous, generous portions and different for every meal. A wonderful time on the High Seas!
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A wonderful trip! St Kilda and the Monach Islands - so remote and unspoilt with amazing wildlife . We've already booked again for next year. And thank you to Christophe and Kerry for looking after us so well.
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What a wonderful trip. Amazing crew. Awesome boat. Great companions. Wish I could go right onto the next one.
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First time in Scotland - loved hiking, walking, Seahorse II, meals and 11 new friends! Yummy fun! Thank you Donald, Leo, Andrea and Charlie!
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It was just wonderful from start to finish!! Christophe and Kerry couldn't have done more to make us more comfortable and well fed!! As sailors, it was soooo good to get back on the water and as regular visitors to the Small Isles, it was just amazing to see them up close and actually land on them. Every year we go up to Ardnamurchan and look out at Rum, Muck and Eigg, I've always said that one day I'd sail round them. Well that day arrived last week and what a birthday treat it was!!! I hadn't ever seen the sea channels between the various islands or appreciated how big Rum was or that Eigg had such a different shape from the other side. The kids thought that jumping off the boat in their wetsuits was just the tops!! They appreciated being towed around in the kayak too and thought going fishing was a dream, especially when they caught some mackerel!!! What more could anyone want from a holiday!! Seeing my mum at 80, celebrating with her whole family was just such a special moment. Thank you so much for helping to make this happen and being so flexible with all the arrangements and requests. It was so very much appreciated.
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Thanks to all, crew and guests, we had a wonderful time. Completely beyond expectation - crew, food, activites, destinations - the full package with stars all over it!
First trip on Seahorse II, but I doubt it will be my last. I've had a fantastic time, so many memories made. Thanks to crew a fellow passengers.
Fabulous cruise through my favourite part of UK. Awesome scenery, great wildlife, wonderful shipmates, great company, great food. Best holiday of my life!!!
This has been a wonderful trip, the trip of a lifetime. Everything was perfect, the wonderful food cooked by the smilling and patient Andrea, Peter who kept us on the right track and managed everything so calmy and well, and Leo who was always smiling, patient, hardworking and great fun, and my fellow passengers whose company I enjoyed so much.
With the most graeful thanks to all for an incredible trip, everything played its part, but especially St Kilda, which was like arriving at the 'lost world' - it was magical. The food prepared by Andrea was beond expectation and the company of our fellow passengers was often great fun and amusing, thank you to our marvellous and so helpful crew.
Heavenly experiene if that's not overdoing it! A very efficient and friendly crew and very welcoming and amusing fellow passengers. Thanks so much.
Words cannot describe how much we enojyed the trip, the company and the crew. Fine weather was an unexpected bonus. Thank you so much.
Boat - fantastic & fab food. Crew - exemplary, friendly, fab. Company - entertaining. Wildlife - they weren't bad either - absolutely marvellous.Thank you for an unforgettable experience.
Fabulous trip - even with the rain on some days. Beauitful hikes on glorious islands - new special firends - such fun. Many many thanks.
I've loved every minute, wonderful food, company and crew, fantastic scenery and wildlife, great little ship - thank you so much and see you again!
Thank you for an amazing trip! Brilliant scenery, weather and lovely company. Had a really great holiday!
A fantastic week kayaking from the Seahorse II. Great food, great company. Will be back!!
A brilliant week - lovely accommodation, yummy food and fantastic crew. Thank you so much.
This is my type of cruise - a wonderful little adventure, good company and excellent food, away from the madding crowd. Congratulations to all the crew, you were a great team.
It was a great decision to stay on for two weeks. Sorry to be going back to civilisation after these lovely islands. Thank you all.
Many thanks for a wonderful cruise. An excellent celebration for our Silver Wedding!!
Lovely people, lovely crew, lovely boat, lovely food, lovely Hebrides. Thank you for the wonderful vacation.
We could have gone anywhere with this boat, this wonderful crew, and such delightful companions, but to make our way around Mull - well that was a true treat. Looking forward to future destinations together.
The best holiday aboard a small ship I have ever had. Thanks to Peter for safe harbours. Leo for his enthusiastic rib trips and kayaking. Andrea for the scrumptious food. And overall the crew are a first class team. Company unsurpassed. Laughter, good chat.
What an adventures. Eigg, Loch Coruisk, Rum and Canna - superb weather, lovely long walks ashore and back to St Hilda for delicious meals - thank you Anna for all the wonderful flavours you created and for your enthusiasm! Christophe - so many thanks for a wonderful sea trip - for your patience and planning - it was all so fantastic!! And the company on board - great fun and camaraderie!!
Even better than I could have imagined. The scenery is stunning, the boat is delightful. Christophe was an excellent captain, such such a happy disposition and kept the ambience at all times. As for the food, Anna, you are amazing. The colours, the freshness, the taste! Don't know how you do it. This trip will with me forever. Thank you.
We did not expect to lose weight on the trip and we haven't!! Great food by Andrea. Great boat expertly captained by Peter, very ably assisted by Leo. We could not have been better looked after and we have had a wonderful time. Highly recommended!
The most wonderful holiday. Fantastic crew of Peter, Leo and Andrea. Looked after us so well. Islands stunning, food excellent, great company. What more do you need! Oh yeah, good weather - we got that too!
Absoloutely the best! Best skipper, best cook (thank you Anna!), best boat (thank you Michael and Christophe). We miss you already.
Fantastic holiday. Comfortable boat. Delicious food. Friendly crew. Inspiring art tutor. Amusing companions. Thank you all for a wonderful week.
What a brilliant week. The boat is superb, the food by Andrea was sublime, we were so well skippered by Peter and Leo was the best bosun ever. I loved every moment of it. Thank you all so much.
Thank you to Chris and Amy for a most enjoyable adventure. We visited places that will stay in our thoughts throughout the winter months ahead. Amy's cooking was exceptional and Christophe a very informative guide and skipper. We would love to return.
High winds and high spirits! An exhilarating and immersive experience exploring the lochs and the Sound of Mull. One memorable sea kayaking trip - hail, strong winds, otter and seal, but no splashdown! Great crew - thank you Christophe and Amy.
Wonderful adventure, out of this world. Care and attentiveness from Captain Charlie, Bosun Roy and Chef Ian. Loved experiencing Scotland for the first time nautically! Special kudos to Ian for the supremely delicious food. Also very much appreciated Charlie's excellent, smart and safe choices. I knew from the start of my cruise we were in the best hands.
Thank you for another fantastic adventure. We couldn't have been looked after any better! Will be back again next year.
Thank you captain Christophe and chef Amy for a fantastic voyage! We hope all of the staff and the organisation never lose sight of just how restorative the experience can be for guests! The authenticity maintained in St Hilda is wonderful as she has been adapted for present duties. Life on board has been just as important as the beauty of the surroundings in the effect of the experience. All the best for the future, we hope to board again in the future with children in tow! Oh and thanks to Chris for his sharp eye for sea eagles and dolphins!
Many thanks to super skipper Christophe and Abby, a fantastic chef. We've spent a wonderful time on board and enjoyed the company of people from many places around the world. Being Coeliac, always worried about my foodie issues, but no problems at all, totally cared for. Enjoyed the hot shower - needed after some downpours. We both enjoyed being crew on occasions, helping to lower and raise the anchor via the windlass and getting the seaboat in and out of the water. Felt very safe in Christophe's hands - where he gets his energy from, we don't know. He very patiently answered the many questions put to him! A great holiday, thank you very much.
Always wanted to do a small cruise in the Hebrides. Sounded to exotic. Haven't been disappointed at all. Loved St Hilda and the beautiful vistas, the lovely company and the food. Thank you Christophe and Julie.
I knew when I found St Hilda that we would have an exceptional experience. Seeing parts of Scotland that are so beautiful. We were not disappointed. Christophe is a wonderful skipper who looked after us as if we were family. Abby fed us fabulous meals. We enjoyed our hikes and many moments of laughter and stories.
One of the best experiences of my life! Couldn't have asked for a better crew: Charlie is a wonderful Captain, assured, knowledgeable and genteel; Roy was such good fun and together they inspired complete confidence. Nix kept a very mixed group very well fed. Thank you all!
A wonderful adventure! It was nice to see so many out of the way places and relax to the rhythm of the life on the ship. Enjoyed the fun company and the crew. Favourite island = Islay. Favourite moorings = Tayvallich and Luing. Fun to get scallops, langoustines and mackerel along the way. Definitely a trip to remember.
This has been the best cruise I have done. Met some lovely new friends, and was a pleasure to meet the crew who helped to make this trip so special. I'll be back.
Amazing cruise in good company and a lovely crew. I loved kayaking in the middle of lochs surrounded by seals with my 10 year old daughter.
Unforgettable experience! We were already in love with the Scottish mainland, now we are enchanted by the Hebrides too. All this thanks to Christophe, the most wonderful skipper, guide and entertainer one can imagine, and Amy, who really spoiled us rotten with her imagination, diligence and efficiency. We had plenty of what we came for - malt whisky in (and from) the best distilleries in the world, and plenty of wildlife - dolphins, porpoises, seals, otters, deer and innumerable birds! We will most certainly come back, maybe to settle scores with the mackerel this time.
My friend and I thoroughly enjoyed our time aboard Seahorse II and our travels around the Inner Hebrides. The crew was fantastic and kept us entertained and well-fed. The open-door policy of Captain Charlie to allow anyone into the bridge at any time was handy when trying to figure out where we were and what kind of weather we should be expecting. While we did experience rain and gloomy skies at times, that never dampened our enthusiasm for adventure either ashore or on board. We kayaked and hiked, we ate well and socialized a lot, we slept soundly and enjoyed every minute of the trip. I hope to do another cruise in the future.
Quite honestly we both have had one of the best holidays we have ever had. Charlie, Roy, and Nics, were absolutely amazing and nothing was too much to ask, to the extent that it almost felt like the boat was our own.
When I wanted to swim or kayak, Roy and Charlie were so helpful and brilliant at giving great advice, they really helped to give us some amazing wildlife experiences.
One particular evening
I kayaked around the Loch and was surrounded and followed by about 20-30 seals, at the same time I also spotted a herd of Red Deer on the hill, something I will never forget and one of the best things I have ever done.
Then there were the Dolphins who obligingly gave us a great show, and even came back a couple of hours later for more. Seeing a Golden Eagle for the first time, along with the wild goats and all the sea birds, particularly the Gannets diving for fish, just incredible.
A holiday with everything. Thank you Amy for delicious food and Christophe for the adventures! Highlights (so many) but doplhins and Loch Buie must be up there, and all the amazing scenery and unexpectedly good weather. And how can we forget Staffa!
Over too soon, best holiday ever! Highlights were Staffa, catching (and eating mackerel), three leaping dolphins bow surfing, Tobermory, fabulous scenery...I could go on...Many thanks to Amy for the delicious food and Christophe for being a fab host/skipper.
A very special holiday for us all doing the things we like best. Weather not kind but terrific crew, food and wonderful ship. Thanks especially to Charlie, Roy & Jo who all made our trip so memorable.
Special in every way, magical scenery and superb food and guiding. It's thanks to the crew for making the most wonderful adventure in the very Scottish weather. We don't want to leave...
A beautiful break from real life with stunning views only possible from the water. Weather watching and whale watching have been terrific and we want to come back and see more of these magical islands. Thank you for keeping us safe and teaching us so much.
A fantastic experience. Wonderful opportunity to see Scotland and some of the islands from a different perspective. An escape from daily life. Hope to return again soon.
An unmissable experience! The friendliness, kindness and professionalism of the Captain, Chris and super chef, Amy has made this trip an unforgettable holiday, leaving us with wanting to discover the rest of the Western Isles & Outer Hebrides with St Hilda Sea Adventures.
What an adventure! Thank you to Christophe & Amy for helping make the trip a really good holiday. Visits to places we know and new places discovered too. Interesting days both onboard and on shore. Wonderful meals and nothing too much trouble for our friendly crew. Highlight was visit to Mingulay, basking sharks and Kinloch and Kisimul castles! Our best wishes to St Hilda Sea Adventures for future cruises.
Coming to the end of my great introduction to the Outer Hebrides - a most enjoyable holiday to a glorious part of the world made possible by my time on Seahorse II with a wonderfully skilled crew and fed in an imaginative and generous way by Jo. Many thanks.
My wife Barbara and I enjoyed a great six days aboard the Seahorse II, made especially memorable by the attentive, enthusiastic and professional crew - Cameron, Chris, Roy and Chrissy. Worth a recollection in verse:
Our adventures upon the High Seas, Just the best. You might say: the bees knees. But the best part, by far, (Not the luxury spa), It was Roy, and his mates - the three C’s
A perfect trip! As someone travelling on their own and booked on a boat for ten nights, bad company could have made it a terrible trip. I did have second thoughts about going because of this. However, I am so glad I went. My fellow travellers were a lovely bunch, great company and the talk over dinner flowed smoothly. The crew of Seahorse II could not have been better. How Jo, our cook, managed to produce such lovely meals out of a small pitching gallery we will never know. Roy our Bo'son/engineer was patient, even when I found it a little challenging travelling in the small boat ferrying us out to landings. Charlie, the skipper, was generous with his time and had an open door policy on the bridge. It was great to be able to pop in and chat about the destinations. I'll see you again on the trip to the Summer Islands next year, all being well. We easily reached St. Kilda. No mean feat, as I know bird watching friends who have tried year after year to get there. Saw Skua, dolphins riding the bow wave, whales, the St. Kilda Wren, Eriskay ponies, so many puffins. Swam on the deserted island of Taransay, bought a real Harris Tweed hat. It was an adventure. Wanting to come back as soon as I can.
St Hilda is a great boat to experience the traditional aspect of sailing. Excellent accommodation and food - fresh scones and cream to die for! Definitely enjoyed assisting time to time, launching the dinghy and steering out form a loch. Thanks to Chris and Amy for looking after us so well.
Love the boat and the very had working Christophe (captain) and Amy (first hand plus fab cook). Another great experience and adventure. Sunny days, some good sailing, the old boat did us proud. Thank you very much! Wishing you good sailing and all the luck in the future.
Merci. Merci pour le gâteau d'anniversaire, pour l'opportunité de voyager de manière différente, de prendre le temps d'observer, de vivre les éléments - le brouillard, la houle, le vent, le soleil, le cri des huitres pies, le goût des moules sur le pont, et celui des scones sortis du four - d'apprendre à lire la direction du vent sur les vagues, et tant d'autres choses. Merci à Christophe et à Amy pour leur accueil et leur profesionalisme. Que le vent vous porte!
Merci à vous Amy et Christophe pour cette croisière inspirante et riche en découvertes. J'ai eu beaucoup de plaisir à découvrir les Hebrides en votre compagnie. Quel bonheur de se laisser porter par les flots pendant près d'une semaine, sans avoir rien à organiser! Une bien jolie pause dans mon été.
A short 5 days that should have gone on forever. Our trip was around the inner Hebridean islands. The weather was cool and varied from overcast to the most sensational sunset I have experienced in many a year. The scenery was forever changing, as is to be expected with a cruising holiday, and the associated new experience was a constant source of wonder. The truly dramatic landscapes and wonderful birdlife were an absolute pleasure. And the St Hilda was a delight. However, most of this could have been diminished but for the wonderful friendly crew of Christophe (skipper) and Amy (super chef). No landlubber's question was too stupid; and how such splendid food could be concocted in such a small galley was a daily miracle. And the final topping on the cake was the chance to become really acquainted not only the crew but with the other passengers; our trip included the following nationalities: British, Canadian, French, German and Israeli. Without doubt that was a truly great holiday.
Wonderful time, fantastic crew and lovely fellow passengers. Would love to come back and do it all again. Had a lovely honeymoon.
A good crew, good food and a family atmosphere...and the islands speak for themselves.
Magical trip for our 6th anniversary. So many highlights - wildlife, landscapes and crew wonderful. Will recommend!
Wonderful holiday. Amazing scenery and wildlife. Great crew, good food. Thank you Jo, Charlie and Roy.
It was a wonderful trip in a beautiful landscape. A very gentle escape from the reality of normal life. Solveig says: I loved every single meal we had. Although I'm not a big fan of salad, this trip made me learn to love it. And I had the unique experience of becoming an assistant little captain. Beverly says thank you for Amy and Christophe being such wonderful hosts! The trip surpassed my expectations in so many ways! John says he found it very relaxing!! We enjoyed the small intimate group says Chaya. Gabriele says she loved the interesting landscape with the sea and the wild mountainous islands. The food was amazing - thank you Amy.
An excellent trip. Many memories. First rate crew in every respect!
What a wonderful holiday we had sailing out to St Kilda via Mull and Barra . The weather was very kind to us, so not only were we able to get ashore one day, in brilliant sunshine, and climb to the top of the main island Hirta, but also, the next day, we had the privilege of doing a tour of all the islands and stacks. It was just amazing to see the thousands of gannets and other seabirds crowded on to the bare rocks. We also got to visit Barra on the way back, as well as Canna and Tobermory, all of which which we loved, but the real highlight for us was St Kilda - truly a once in a lifetime experience. Our skipper Christophe and co-skipper Chris, worked hard to get us there and to make us comfortable on the journey, and our chef, Morag, did wonders in the galley, producing delicious meals at all times and even catching, preparing and cooking dabs for us on one occasion and crabs on another. We can't praise the crew highly enough for helping us to enjoy this fantastic voyage.
I rate this holiday as one of the best I've had. Everything worked to perfection. The crew were helpful, friendly and skilful. It was a very happy band of travellers who were privileged to visit a seldom visited, beautiful part of the world.
Made it to St Kilda - fine weather, fine sailing, fantastic cruise, great food, great company, great crew. Thanks to Christophe, Morag and Chris for the holiday of a lifetime, so many memorable places visited.
We signed on for the Sheltered Sea Loch and Castle Tour in June, 2018. It was truly a fantastic voyage in terms of the scenery, the sailing/motoring experience, and the camaraderie of Captain Christophe and chef Morag. They took great care of us and also taught us a tremendous amount about seamanship instilling in us confidence at every moment as well as having great knowledge of the local area. Highlights were the Duart Castle tour, hiking opportunities, visiting local ports of call, and the food was fantastic. Captain Christophe took the time to explain the charts and navigation for each part of the voyage and chef Morag created delicious meals from local ingredients in a galley kitchen. Anchoring each night gave us time to pause, enjoy life on the St Hilda and our beautiful surroundings. It was truly a memorable experience for my wife and all the more moving being able to see beautiful Scotland from "the sea side".
Wonderful adventure! Spectacular weather, terrific crew - very patient, gracious and hospitable. Perfect for a three generation holiday.
Thanks for a wonderful holiday. Foods, views, crew and like were all marvellous.
Smashing little boat, great skipper, found dolphins, otters, golden eagles, white tailed sea eagles, and even a female hen harrier. Food was really good thanks to Morag, weather was brilliant too. All we could have wished for.
Amazing holiday - the very best! Fantastic crew, magnificent scenery, full of laughter and adventure.
I had the most fantastic holiday, better than I could ever imagine.
The crew were absolutely brilliant, as were the other passengers. We laughed so much for the whole week.
Stunning scenery and plenty of wildlife.
Will definitely be booking again for another trip next year.
Thanks so much for everything!
What a great holiday, fantastic scenery, peaceful anchorages, wildlife and great weather. Staffa and Fingal's cave were a real delight.
Fantastic trip, amazing food and awesome weather. Saw some beautiful scenery and wildlife including a minke whale, dolphins, porpoises and birds - lots of birds!
Wonderful trip! Great weather, great food, company, shore trips. Will love looking through our hundreds of photos.
Whisky and wildlife tour was truly more than expected! We saw wildlife in the form of birds, seals and deer. This first upclose view of Scotland was amazing! The crew made this trip memorable in so many ways - going the distance to take care of our every need.
The maiden voyage was wonderful, every day a 5 star event!
So, great weather, great food, wildlife up close, excellent whisky, fun hikes and tender trips. Interesting people along the way. All supported by a fine ship and fantastic crew. I probably couldn't find another cruise that will ever match this one. Thanks St Hilda Sea Adventures for spoiling me.
A great adventure! Thanks for leading us and feeding us on this wonderful and unforgettable journey. The biggest gift of all the stop overs was at on Isle of Jura to take a walk to the Corryvreckan - a fulfilment of a long time dream of mine. I will never forget the meeting with the deer and the splash of the seals jumping to the water with a giant splash.
Thank you for both for an unforgettable and wonderful experience. I'm sure you'll eventually recover from the many trips to as many distilleries as possible (in 1 day!) and the small number of whisky bottles and souvenirs we managed to accumulate. Even though I wasn't too happy jumping through bogs...I still enjoyed our walks. The wildlife and scenery on Jura was breathtaking. We'll always remember anchoring up for the evening in wonderful remote spots and eating the most wonderfully prepared and deliciously tasty food from Amy. All in all a fantastic week with lots of fun, laughter and adventures.
Any worries we may have had about sailing around the small isles of Scotland on an old training boat with six strangers completely disappeared when we first met Julie and Christophe, owners and skipper of the St Hilda who, together with Amy, our chef and deckhand made us feel so welcome as we arrived at the marina and boarded the St Hilda. Our fellow passengers were equally friendly and we spent an amazing week travelling around the small isles. We had all types of weather but mostly sunshine with beautiful sunsets. So many memories to go home with - you get a real personal experience from this small family run enterprise. I would have no hesitation in recommending them to all ages for a great holiday.
Thank you Christophe for your skill and care and your continuing cheerfulness. Amy - I need to go on a serious diet. A wonderful, memorable week.
It has been a great joy and a privilege to travel on this beautiful boat with its truly special owners, Christophe, Mike and Colette. We travelled from Holy Loch to Crinan via the canal. The scenery was beautiful and the weather changeable...although we were blessed with one perfect day. Thank you Colette, Mike and Christophe for your generosity, thoughtfulness and joyfulness. A week we will always treasure.
Great crew and passengers, the weather has been lovely and the food excellent. Cannot over state the pleasure of the places been to and the company on the voyage. Brilliant, brilliant and brilliant.
One of our best holidays ever, with lots and lots of happy memories. A huge thank you to Colette, Michael and Christophe for all your hard work and great company. The trip from Holy Loch to Crinan was a memorable time for us. Food excellent and the company of Sue, Phil, Francis made our holiday complete. So many laughs and interesting stories. Thank you again for everything, fantastic trip!!
A truly transformative and wonderful journey. Being on a ship and moving according to the elements is regenerative. Not to mention finding my sea legs, learning about being at sea, laughing until my sides ached and eating wonderful food and finding out what it's like to be in a forgiving team. St Hilda is the real star - taking us to beautiful places and holding so much fun. It's like Noah's Ark meets Moby Dick meets the Simpsons!
Great week with fabulous company and food - thanks Michael and Colette and guest Amanda. Look forward to seeing you again soon.
Absolutely fabulous week. Good weather, spectacular scenery, competent, cheerful and boisterous skipper, pleasant company and outstanding chef who served us incredible "Michelin" cuisine daily.
Time to say goodbye my lovely St Hilda. It's my second time sailing with this ship. She gave me a deep memory in my life. This voyage still gave me a great time. I want to come back again to see her. Hope more Chinese come to visit and shail on this ship. She has intelligence. She is my lovely ship.
What an amazing week. Simon and Louise did a fantastic job, made me feel like an old friend and not a paying customer. Simon is a superb skipper and Louise's food is to die for. An unforgettable experience!!
I had a wonderful time on the St Hilda. Thank you. In fact, I am struggling to get my land legs back. It feels very peculiar that the land doesn't move and I miss the sound of the sea slopping against the boat. It was so lovely and quiet and peaceful. Simon was such fun and so knowledgeable. He knows so much about sailing, tides, navigating and everything was second nature to him. He gave me absolute confidence that whatever happened he knew exactly what to do. Louise never stopped and the food and drink was amazing. They are the perfect hosts and looked after us so well. The views and the scenery were beautiful. I just wish we had seen more sun, but it really didn't matter. Even the rain was fun when raising the anchor. Thank you so much for this wonderful opportunity on your beautiful boat. I had a fantastic holiday.
I have really enjoyed the whole holiday, one of the best I've ever been on. Full of amazing wildlife and unforgettable memories with great people.
What a week. Everything we expected and more. Simon and Louise made it more enjoyable. Food good. The perfect crew.
Lovely, lovely, lovely. Awesome crew, awesome guests, awesome experience!
Fab time! Excellent food and enjoyable sailing. Simon and Louise lovely hosts. Wish the trip could have been longer.
I had a wonderful boat trip with the St Hilda and Simon and Louise were fantastic - food was great and service amazing.
Such a spectacular trip around Mull. So enjoyed seeing the smaller isles and snorkeling around the boat. Lots of birds and some amazing skies with some memorable tranquil mornings watching birds, seals, dolphins and the secretive otter. Thank you to Simon and Louise for giving us a truly memorable week with all our family, keeping us safe, taking us on adventures and definitely very well fed.
My intention in booking the trip was to get away from phones and try to de-stress. Mission accomplished! I enjoyed the trip enormously and cannot speak highly enough of the fabulous team. The trip has made me want to explore the islands more and this was a lovely way to do it. The wildlife we saw was fabulous too.Thank you for a truly memorable trip.
Thank you very much for a wonderful week, nice and sunny boat trips, delicious food, and the opportunity to see wonderful wildlife and to learn a bit about British lifestyle. I had a great time!
Amazing company, views and fabulous food. Thank you both Simon and Louise. The weather has been perfect. Such a lovely time.
Dear Captain you've kept us safe well. Through seas calm or with swell. Sadly, good things must end. Thus my love I now send. But, St Hilda, for now it's farewell.
The most memorable part of the holiday was our encounter with a big group of white-beaked dolphins jumping playfully around St Hilda and the beautiful beaches and peaks of the islands. Barra and Canna were amazing and the red sunset in Muck was unforgettable.
Had a fantastic experience onboard St Hilda. Simon and Louise were perfect hosts and made our trip magical. The food was super and plentiful, the weather caused some changes to be made to our plan but this did not detract from a marvelous holiday. The vessel was larger than I thought and we were very comfortable in the aft cabin. The food was super with great variety and excellent quality.
A tip from one of our guests: Let it go, your luxurious city life. On St Hilda exists another kind of luxury: the sound of the sea, a good cuisine, giving a hand while sailing, time to read a book, the birds, jellyfish, seals, dears and otters.
The food onboard was excellent and plentiful. We mainly had great weather and wonderful views. It is so easy to lose yourself in the beautiful scenery and the sound of the waves. We laughed a lot and got to learn new things. I really enjoyed the relaxed and calm atmosphere of the cruise!
An enjoyable and relaxing holiday. Weather generally good. Saw a golden eagle. Simon and Louise were excellent hosts - good food and conversation and always patient and helpful.
Tremendous hospitality from Simon and Lou. Lovely group of fellow guests. Particularly enjoyed long walks.
A great holiday and wonderful experience marred by lousy weather but rescued by a great crew in Simon and Louise. Thanks Guys!
Thanks for a great time. Despite the weather we had a good trip. You made us very comfortable and welcome.
Being "on the water" was exhilarating! When the weather was good, it was glorious, and when the weather was stormy, it was exciting. I am reborn! Simply the best holiday I have ever been on.
Our second trip on the St Hilda after 5 years and it was another brilliant trip. Lovely food from Lou, and Simon was extremely helpful and patient with my knot skills (or lack of them!). Saw dolphins, otter, seals, puffin and terns.
Had a great time. Simon and Lou were great fun, knowledgeable, entertaining. Thanks for the memories.
A great week, good food, good company, good whisky! and great crew!
Simon happy to explain things marine and navigational to a landlubber. Also ever so mindful about our safety and welfare. Both Simon and Louise pretty much on the go all the time - I admire their energy. Louise is kind, thoughtful and ever charming and dealt very efficiently with all her tasks. The menu planning, cooking and presentation were excellent. Access to navigational charts was fascinating. The double cabin was v. comfy. Simon and Louise were both lots of fun and inspired confidence. 'Oh what shall we have for lunch? We're such a particular bunch! We settled on mussels. Bought quick, without hassle. And cooked with no grit and no crunch!'
A wonderful week, stunning scenery, lots of wildlife to observe. Michael and Colette are so friendly and have a vast amount of knowledge and experience in so many subjects, immense patience teaching beginners how to tie knots, hoist sails and raise the anchor and just making sure everyone is comfortable and happy. At times my sides were aching with laughter with endless funny stories from the crew and other guests.
Definitely hard to choose, the enthusiasm that Michael & Colette had for all things nautical made anything we did seem interesting. Despite not sailing as much as we could have, due to reports of gale force winds surrounding us, we were kept entertained (and very well fed). We were told all about the area we sailed in, along with plentiful amusing anecdotes, and I recommend looking out for the creepy 'Old Maids of Bute' and other landmarks to go along with the amazing wildlife. Harbour porpoises kept appearing at random times and we definitely had a close up of large amounts of seals (from the little dingey we were touring on), along with a number of seabirds such as manx shearwaters, guillimots and gannets - which were fun to watch dive bombing the water in really impressive numbers. The trip was definitely successful not just for the activities but due to the people I sailed along with who made everything fun and entertaining and it was often difficult to move from the table, the stories were so overflowing. Speaking of the table - Colette definitely deserves a mention for her AMAZING food, I felt that I was on a gourmet tour and it was often hard not to waddle out onto deck with how much we were given. It was also suprisingly satisfying to both catch and eat our own fish. A special mention should be made for her ability to bake from scratch a lemon drizzle cake (made especially for my birthday) in force 5 or 6 winds. Overall I had a wonderful time and I hope that the St Hilda Adventures continues to be a success.
An incredible sailing experience, with our wonderful hosts Michael and Colette. We were fishing for mackerel , shooting lobster pots, and collecting plankton all in five days. The wildlife is so fantastic, seeing Gannets diving, seals sunbathing and porpoises breaching was amazing ! Michael taught us so much about sailing and marine wildlife, whilst Colette looked after us all so well , with wonderful food , including the mackerel we had caught earlier! Our holiday was a truly memorable experience, one the children will never forget! We wish we could do it every summer but will definitely be back on St.Hilda one day!
Getting away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life with the beautiful scenery of lochs and surrounding mountains together with wildlife sightings (especially common seals and a variety of birds). Michael taught us some basic yachting skills (such as knot tying, putting sails up, dropping and lifting the anchor) and Colette supplied us with plenty of lovely food and drink - she never stops! No light polution and clear skies allowed for spectacular stargazing. As an added bonus we got to collect and view plankton under the microscope, a truly unique experience. Thank you very much Michael and Colette for your hospitality and making this a memorable and enjoyable holiday.
The sailing trip was amazing and the Best of all was meeting Colette and Michael, there where wonderful. Colette is a great chef, breakfast,lunch and dinner was very,very good! Even tea time is good. I am a Cook so i can tell food was exceptional. We fished and Colette prepared delicious macarel, and the most amazing rice. It was an unforgetable experience and hopefully we will do it again. We worked at the boat and Colette and Michael were good teachers, we learned about sails,knots,nature,whisky,scotland ofcourse... Spending time with that beautiful couple was a privilege.Very professional, passionate, and fun. We were very lucky to meet onboard another traveler from Australia, Ian, he brought magic to the trip with his good humor and vibe. I will never forget the views, the seals, the birds, nature is all around so you feel very connected.
Had a great week with Colette and Michael sailing the Clyde and Crinan Canal. Saw some beautiful wildlife in some very picturesque moorings. The visit to Stuart House on Bute was well worth the effort. Beautiful house and gardens. The Crinan Canal was so peaceful and the scenery was great. Learning how to work the locks was challenging but well worth the effort. The food was excellent. Colette is a great chef and you will not go hungry. Talk to Mike about his different careers. Fascinating stuff, and great conversation. I would highly recommend a trip on the St Hilda. Your wont regret it.
A great holiday despite some truly awful unseasonal weather. Wonderful wildlife and scenery - especially Loch Striven (when the winds abated). Mike is hugely knowledgeable about sailing and wildlife - and a lot of other things besides. Colette is an excellent cook, who managed to cater for my daughters manifold food intolerances. Both hosts made us feel very welcome. We are contemplating another trip next year.
Thanks to you and Michael I had a wonderful trip on the St Hilda. A memorable experience which I shall never forget. Joining as a passenger and becoming part of a crew was a memorable experience on the St Hilda. Being hosted by such committed, patient and experienced owners made the transition a pleasure. I knew the coast we visited from a landward perspective, and was thrilled to achieve a long held desire to explore it from the sea. Learning to handle the gear, and to participate in the marine explorations, from mammals to microbes, was fascinating. We became a real 'crew' - shipmates.
There were almost too many to mention! From learning about tying knots, how to work the boat, cruising for hours under sail, the care needed to find the right anchorage, to shooting a lobster pot and catching crabs, brittle stars and a conger eel (all thrown back), to learning about the environment by collecting plankton for controlled scientific, global research, to the incredible scenery and beautiful coastline, to the vast variety of birds and their young, to sightings of porpoise, dolphin and the rare common seal. To cap it all, we had a skipper, Michael, who is passionate about all things marine and his lovely 'crew' Colette, who provided us with breakfast, morning coffee, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner, all cooked in a small galley and done in between working the boat! They both worked incredibly hard to make it an informative and most enjoyable holiday!"
What a fantastic fortnight aboard the St Hilda during our trip to the Outer Hebrides. The wildlife was wonderful, porpoises playing in just in front of the bow of the boat as we left Vatersay bay and watching Guillemots diving. A good opportunity to practise our navigation as we headed down to Sandray, Pabbay and Mingulay via the Fisherman's gap. We enjoyed our time ashore, catching the post bus (a first for us) down to Eriskay where they filmed Whisky Galore! Lots of delicious meals served in ever changing spectacular settings. Thank-you Colette and Michael for a wonderful holiday.
Just to say thank you for a wonderful week and congratulations for putting up with 6 very silly 70 year olds! We had a great time together and you looked after all of us so well. Best wishes.
I just wanted to say thank you again for being such good hosts on the St Hilda. I had a very good week with good company and very good food. I am still practising my knots - ironically it is the clove hitches that I keep getting wrong - think I have the bowline sussed now. I hope you do get some good sailing done in what remains of the Summer. Let me know if you are planning any more single trips.Thank you once again for allowing me to travel for a week on the St Hilda - a real experience.
Firstly, thank you for a lovely holiday. We all really enjoyed it. A holiday is more than fine weather, we don't all get together very often and when we do we make the most of it, we had a great time full of laughs and fun. You did a fab job with the catering, wonderful food.
Can't thank you enough for a great weeks holiday where the itinerary, food and company were all first class. I will definitely be back to try another great week.
Back in my own real world after the Crinan Canal - how lucky we were with the weather that week. I can't begin to explain what St Hilda has done for me and my confidence. I really relish every minute aboard (and not aboard)-it is a different world. As well as working as a member of a very enthusiastic team and doing things I never thought I could (and now I can), the whole experience was exhilarating and very different from the Wildlife Cruise I went on last year. Michael and Colette are an amazing team, dedicated to ensuring we all get the most out of the experience. Every blip or bubble was investigated out there on the water. Might even volunteer as a rope thrower next time!!! Ha ha.
W
e had such a wonderful 6 days with you on the St Hilda. We learnt so much about sailing and being part of a crew, marine conservation and wildlife. Many firsts--shooting the lobster pot and hauling it up to find 2 beautiful lobsters in there, learning how to drop and raise anchor, etc..and just enjoying the beauty and tranquility of the lovely sea lochs. Colette - you fed us all so well. Thank you both so much! You've whetted our appetite to discover more of Scotland!
I just wanted to write a quick thank you for your warm hospitality onboard St Hilda's it truly was a holiday that reached and exceeded my expectations. I'v returned home with wonderful memories of the peace of Loch Riddon and watching my son steer the dingy and holding up a lobster for the cameras. I'v recommended this trip to so many people.
We were very tired but relaxed after a great week spent in great company and with great food. Thanks again for a lovely holiday.
Thank you so much for your wonderful hospitality and expertise that gave us a holiday we will certainly never forget. With all best wishes.
Well what can I say?, You certainly did not disappoint!!!!!!!! I have been to some wonderful places but your holiday together with our trip to the Isle Of Mull has outshone anything I have ever experienced. Whilst on Mull we had 3 stags feeding in the front garden one morning at 5am, and a sea eagle flew in above us as we arrived. Needless to say I will keep checking Rightmove to see if any properties become availble overlooking LochDon were we stayed. We felt you encompassed us into your space on your much loved boat, your passion for your boat, sailing, wildlife and the enviroment is a credit to you both. Thank you again.
Many thanks for a wonderful break in a beautiful part of the world and for spoiling us in what is effectively, your own home! Having such kind, generous and patient hosts was fantastic. It really was a pleasure spending time with you both. Andrea loved the wildlife and watching the world go by on deck. I learned an awful lot about sailing. We will get around to posting pics and reviews, but I wanted to let you know how much the trip meant. Thank you!
Thank you so much for such a fantastic holiday last week - food, company, knots, eels, sailing, plankton.......... everything was great! We all really really enjoyed it.
St Hilda sea adventures was memorable for so many reasons! Colette and Michael are wonderful hosts and they certainly know their "stuff". We fished, threw lobster pots, put up the sails, collected plankton and looked at all these amazing colourful creatures under the microscope. We relaxed and sunbathed on deck... The weather was perfect. The meals that Colette produced were magnifique! The mussels collected in Loch Striven were soon moules marinier ... Absolutely delicious It was fantastic, I met some wonderful people and haven't laughed so much for ages. A real tonic! I am reborn! Simply the best holiday I have ever been on.
Wonderfully different and definitely for those who wish to be part of what is going on. I experienced so much, learned so much and did things I never thought I would - or even could; I received so much encouragement. I will go again; even now thinking of next year.
It was all wonderful - watching over 100 gannets divebombing again and again like WW2 fighter pilots. Spectacular. Gathering wild mussels as big as the palm of your hand, then seeing them reappear as moules marinieres . Landing mackerel by the dozen and enjoying them as fresh as it's possible to be. Waitrose will never be able to compete!
Thank you for a brilliant holiday. You were very welcoming hosts and especially welcoming of the boys. They loved the instructions in navigation, knot-tying and being allowed the hands-on experience of steering the St Hilda. The food was wonderful -as you must have known because there were only empty plates!
Memorable for me was the wonderful wildlife we really saw (so often we have been disappointed, even in the Amazon rain forest). We saw dolphins and seals and lots of beautiful sea birds, we fished and laid lobster pots. We caught a lobster, along with crab and star fish, and netted plankton which we examined under microscope. My sons enjoyed the sailing, one son found he loved making sea knots. We swam in the sea. We all enjoyed beautifully cooked and plentiful food and the good company of our host and hostess.
A big thank you to all of you for giving us such an enjoyable holiday. Relaxing, informative and the food was excellent. Also I loved helming the St Hilda!
We all had a great time on board the St Hilda. Ella says it was her best holiday ever! Many thanks for making it so enjoyable. I hope we can return sometime. The photos are a nice reminder of good times and the fabulous weather!
Thanks Colette and Michael for a great holiday. The highlights for me were the sailing and your wonderful food which I expect you can tell we all enjoyed....Ollie hasn't stopped talking about fishing, so much so that we had to buy him a rod in Berwick to shut him up and so that he can go fishing off West Bay pier when he visits grandparents- I'm hoping for a nice sea bass! I have extracted the plankton photos from my ipod so I can keep - I am going to have to look up what they are all called again - I should have taken notes.
We had a wonderful time. Michael and Colette were perfect hosts and tutors, especially for our son Alex (15) who loved the whole thing, from steering the dinghy to learning the perfect bowline. Colette's food was just as I like food to be - delicious and straightforward - and Michael is excellent company. So for a family like ours - wanting to mess about in boats and see the Clyde and maybe learn a little seamanship - I can't think of a better way to do it.
I loved the mountains, I loved the St Hilda, and I especially loved the sound of waves on the hull and being gently rocked as I lay in my bunk at night. What unforgettable stars. I will be back.
This could be one of the best family holidays ever. We all loved everything about being on the boat; the food, the messing about on (and in!) the water, the wildlife and the trips ashore. Thanks for looking after us so brilliantly, next time I will bring the windsurfer!
We wanted a holiday that was a bit different and one that would suit the whole family from our oldest son at 22 to youngest daughter at 8 years. A small advert to sail St Hilda was spotted by chance in the RSPB magazine. What a lucky break. A week sailing a tall ship, navigating, steering, working the sails, catching supper, spotting wildlife and all this amongst the beautiful islands and lochs of the Scottish West Coast - magnificent.
I had the privilege to do a trip aboard the St Hilda, a boat full of old world charm, what a pleasure it was to take the helm over the misty Scottish lochs, eat a meal in the middle of a sea loch and to taste an old Scottish malt while dangling a hook for a passing fish. Sailing aboard the St Hilda brings an internal peace from this enchanted region. To live simply and to relate to a warm and sympathetic crew - it is a marvelous adventure, an escape from an agitated world.
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