Isle of May Landing – Puffins

Available: April – August

• A scenic 6-hour day tour including 3 hours landing on the Isle of May where 80,000 puffins breed amongst 200,000 seabirds. You also sail around the Bass Rock – one of the world’s largest gannet colonies. Immerse yourself in nature, history, legend, impressive lighthouses, and magnificent volcanic cliffs and caves.
• Worldwide visitors travel to see the UK’s 3rd largest puffin colony and one of the World’s largest colonies of northern gannets.
• If you love watching the natural world in action, are a keen birder or photographer, then this is a ‘must-do’ tour for you.
• Puffins arrive at the Isle of May at the start of April and leave in early August.
• Leaving Dunbar harbour, we sail along the John Muir coastline and around the Bass Rock for an insight into gannet habitats at one of the world’s largest colonies.
• Then sail 12 miles out to sea to slowly cruise around the Isle of May watching cliff dwelling birds.
• You land at a small jetty at the Isle of May – so sometimes you need to be nimble.
• The island is a nature reserve run by Nature Scot so all visitors have a maximum 3 hours on shore.
• You can choose to join our walking tour of the Isle lasting about 45 minutes with our specialist guide then roam at your leisure.
• If you prefer to walk alone or concentrate on photography then you are welcome to do this for the full 3 hours on land. We can direct photographers to the best locations.
• Gannets, Puffins, Razorbills, Guillemots and Kittiwakes will be nesting, breeding, socialising, laying eggs then raising their chicks throughout the season from March until late July. Each species is different.
• Our specialist guide is on board and available on the Isle to give informal information. We have no scripts because nature is different every day.

On this tour you can …

• marvel at the Bass Rock – one of the world’s largest colonies of northern gannets
• experience Isle of May cliff dwelling seabirds
• land at the Isle of May
• learn about this remote island on our optional guided tour
• roam at your leisure to watch different bird species
• visit the historic buildings on the isle

Please note..

• This tour sails only from Dunbar harbour – there are no pick-ups at other harbours
• The Isle of May is a National Nature Reserve so visitor numbers are limited each day. This means that BlueWild tours can visit once with only 12 people per day. If a scheduled tour is fully booked, a separate private tour is not possible, and vice versa.
• There are no shops on the Isle of May

Other information..

• Please arrive at least 20-30 minutes prior to sailing time for a safety briefing and fitting life jackets. If you are late, we cannot wait for you.
• We ask that you select tours suitable to you and consider other passengers on board. Our longer tours are less suited to very young children so our prices reflect this.
• You should be sufficiently mobile to board and disembark at harbour steps which might be steep, or small jetties which might be wet or slippy (e.g. with seaweed or seawater). We’ll help you board and if you have any doubts or concerns, then please contact us in advance.
• Wrap up warmly in the winter and springtime. In summer, bring clothing layers and a waterproof/wind jacket.
• Bring a snack, drink (we recommend no fizzy or carbonated drinks)
• Seating for all passengers is inside the cabin and there is also a viewing deck outside.
• No dogs are allowed because we visit nature reserves.
• Leave no Trace – For safety and to avoid disturbing wildlife please do not throw litter into the sea or on islands. Please put your litter in bins on board or take it back to shore with you and dispose of it responsibly.