seal island trip st ives

Seal Island

"a seal watching tour is one of the most popular things to do in st ives, cornwall.", sea safari boat rides to seal island,   join little mermaid on our seal watching tours, head west from the harbour, towards lands end where we soon pass st. ives landmarks such as the island, st ives head, porthmeor beach, and the tate gallery. our trip is approximately 3.5 miles following the rugged cornish cliffs and coves onward to seal island. along the way keep a lookout for the local wildlife. dolphin sightings have become more frequent as both common and bottlenose dolphins pass the bay. a wide array of sea birds are seen and sometimes sharks and even whales are spotted. seal island boasts an inlet allowing the boat to enter astern and allow close viewing of the seal colony in the most natural of habitats, we stay for around 20 minutes before beginning the journey back to st. ives.   chat to crew ian and dougie about their time as ex-commercial fishermen, and deep-sea diving, all while seeing some of the uk's most stunning scenery and amazing wildlife.  , a boat trip suitable for all ages, this is a dog-friendly boat trip and go free, pricing | adults £25.00 ,                 under 12's £15.00,                 under 1's go free, why not try....

Depart St Ives Bay

Check in on Smeaton's Pier for you tour 30 minutes prior to your trip time, for life jacketing, boarding guidance, and a safety briefing before taking the trip.

Join Ian and Dougie for a trip to Seal Island, a tour of stunning rugged coastal scenery, and stunning wildlife. 

Once we arrive at Seal Island, the boat will be put in astern towards the island where the Seals are usually basking in the sunshine on the rocks. After around 15 minutes of viewing, we make our journey back to the harbour.

Return to St. Ives harbour

Return to harbour, and enjoy the rest of your day.

Godrevy Island

Sunset Charter

Private Hire 1 or 2 Hours

Sea Fishing Experience

St. Ives Sea Trips - Little Mermaid  Boat Trips from St. Ives Cornwall     075080 94702 ​ [email protected] ​ Smeatons Quay, Wharf Road, St.Ives Cornwall TR26 1LP

St Ives Sea Trips

Godrevy History and Wildlife

Fishing Trips

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• Seal Island (Kids go free, T&Cs apply)
• Sea Safari (1.5hrs) Kids go Free off peak (T&Cs apply)
• Sea Safari (2hrs) Kids go free off peak (T&Cs apply)
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• St Ives Boat Trips...``From the salesman in the town to the crew on board they were amazing, made our holiday experience in Cornwall amazing. Even got to see the seals on a lovely sunny day...`` Trip Advisor Review.
• ``The trip was incredible, this was our first time and we weren't disappointed!`` Trip AdvisorReview...
• ``On the way back to the harbour the ride was really exciting - lots of splashes and all the children (and adults!) loved it.`` Trip Advisor Review....
• ``A fabulous session out in the boat to see the seals with Isla Bea. David the skipper was fantastic - well informed, polite and knowledgeable....`` Trip Advisor Review....
• ``We had a superb trip aboard the Isla Bea, saw seals a plenty and even dolphins. Kids were ecstatic. The perfect way to spend an hour, I would whole heartedly reccommend this trip. The skipper was super friendly and really knew his stuff....`` Trip Advisor Review....

St Ives Boat Trips | Boat Rides

Start your adventure in St Ives Bay!

Going on a boat tour in St Ives has never been easier or more enjoyable than with The Four Sisters. When you climb aboard, the safety and enjoyment of our customers is of our upmost importance. Rest assured that you’ll receive exactly what you hoped for and more! We have a great selection of tours to match every person and every budget. We invite you to come visit us for a one of a kind boat trip.

Our goal is to offer the very best boat trips in St Ives. We strive to provide our customers with the most enjoyable and leisurely trip around one of the UKs most breathtaking coastline. We are here to help with your every need. Check out our selection of trips below. Chat to us about Private Charters, Ash Scatterings, Proposals and more so we can create a bespoke package tailored to your individual requirements.

Why Choose Us..

• Kids go free!!  (off peak, 2 max, Ts & Cs apply)
• Family friendly boat trips
• Largest passenger vessel in St Ives
• Dogs welcome
• Relaxed & Traditional cruising
• Experienced & knowledgable local skipper
• St Ives Boat Trips | A boat trip you will never forget

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We are looking forward to a great 2023 season and we can’t wait to meet you all!

Book your seafaring adventure now,  or email us for general enquiries.

Call 07582 033757.

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Underwater Sea Safari

1 hour 15 mins

Adult: £35

Child: £25

Seal Island/Godrevy Lighthouse

Our ever popular 'Underwater Sea Safari' trip will take you away from St Ives harbour, depending on the conditions on the day you will go westward to Seal Island or Eastward to Godrevy Lighthouse. As well as spending a bit of time to peer through the glass viewing area to see below.

This trip is absolutely fantastic for observing such a large variety of wildlife. We regularly see Atlantic Grey Seals, not only at Seal Island but at Godrevy Lighthouse as well, usually hauled onto the rocks or spotted in the water.  If you are lucky, you may even see Common Dolphins, Sun Fish or even Basking Sharks; seabirds such as cormorants, gannets and gulls are also great to watch from the boat.

Want the boat all to yourself?

All of our boat trips are available as a private charter. perfect for birthdays and special occasions or even if you just want the boat all to yourself .

Suitable for all ages and enjoyed by all the familly!

Dog friendly!

Bring your pooch along at no extra cost

Infants 12 months and under go for free!

Hot & cold refreshments available onboard

Seal Island

A small rocky island just off the coast, the Western Carracks are known locally as 'Seal Island' due to the colony of Atlantic Grey Seals that are there year-round. People have been taking passengers on boat trips to Seal Island for over 70 years.

Godrevy Lighthouse

Standing proudly across St Ives Bay is Godrevy Lighthouse. It was built in 1859 to protect passing boats from the treacherous 'Stones Reef', the light within the tower has not been in use since 2012 and was replaced by an LED light mounted nearby on the island.

Created 2021 by C.Jones

Nemo and cornish crest are a trading name of atlantic boat tours ltd. company no. 12816361. registered 16th august 2020 at companies house, cardiff..

St Ives Boats The best boat trips in St Ives

Call us today.

• 0777 300 8000

Call Us: 0777 300 8000

Looking after st ives bay wildlife

We are an accredited wildlife safe operator ( WISe Scheme ) in St Ives Bay and our sea safari crew includes a British Divers Marine Life Rescue marine mammal medic who volunteers in a rescue role working with dolphins, whales, seals and much more.

St Ives Boats “Dolly P”

• [email protected]
• Smeatons Pier, Wharf Rd, Saint Ives, TR26 1LP

St Ives Boat Trips

• Sea Safari to Seal Island
• Godrevy Lighthouse Tour
• Sea Fishing Boat Trip
• Private Boat Hire
• Ashes Scattering at Sea

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   Prime Time

ST IVES BOAT TOURS ABOARD THE                                 PRIMETIME!

 godrevy lighthouse - seal island - mackerel fishing - private charters.

When you climb aboard, the safety and enjoyment of our customers is of our upmost importance. Rest assured that you’ll receive exactly what you hoped for and more!

We have a great selection of tours to match every person and every budget. We invite you to come visit us for a one of a kind boat trip.

What We Off er

Browse our boa t to ur opt ions b elow  .

Our goal is to offer the very best boat trips in St Ives!  We strive to provide our customers with the most e njoyable and leisurely trip around one of the UKs most breathtaking coastlin es.  We are here to help with your every need.

Check out our selection of trips below. Chat to us about Private Charters, Ash Scatterings, Proposals and more so we can create a bespoke package tailored to your individual requirements. 

Seal Island Tours

1 hour and 15 minutes

Sit back and enjoy the views as our talented and highly qualified skipper takes you on an adventure out of the bay towards the famous Seal Island. This area is often inhabited by seals, dolphins, sunfish and a large variety of sea birds. Life jackets and children's buoyancy aids are available on board and can be provided at your request. Suitable for all ages. Perfect Family Fun. Babies Under 12 months do not require a ticket.

Godrevy Lighthouse Tours

Please enquire if you wish to take a trip to the Lighthouse. Hop aboard The Prime Time! Sit back and enjoy the views as our talented and highly qualified skipper takes you on an adventure around the bay and beaches towards Godrevy Lighthouse. This area is usually inhabited by seals, dolphins, sunfish and a large variety of sea birds. Life jackets and children's buoyancy Aids are available on board and can be provided at your request. Suitable for all ages. Perfect Family Fun. Babies under 12 months do not require a ticket.

Mackerel Fishing

1 hour and 30 minutes

Come aboard The Prime Time! Take a trip around the coast and try your hand at a spot of mackerel fishing. Our skipper is a very experienced local fisherman who can teach you the ropes; this is perfect for beginners! You can keep what you catch so take it home and give the famous Cornish mackerel dish a try - as fresh as it gets! All tackle provided and included in the price. We are the only traditional hand line mackerel fishing operators in St Ives.

Private Charter

The Prime Time is available for private charter with our highly qualified skipper Jago Lethbridge . Private charter of the boat can be used for special occasions such as small wedding parties, intimate private ash scatterings, engagement proposals and much more. Up to 12 people can attend private charters. Please chat to us for more information and we would be more than happy to help.

Why Choose Us?

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Need to contact us about something? Reach out, we’d be happy to hear from you.

St Ives, Cornwall UK

[email protected]

07869793453

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St. Ives Boat Charters

Stunning trips around the cornish coast.

0737 5758 123

Fantastic boat trips aboard our lovely traditional wooden boat. Excursions to Seal Island, Godrevy Lighthouse and around St Ives Bay enjoyed by all the family.

☀️🐬 £3.50 For UK Royal Mail Delivery 🐬☀️

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Amazing boat trips from st ives - see the seals, the boat trips on offer in st ives.

You can't come on a visit to St Ives and not go on a boat trip. The seas around the coast are stunning and being out on the sea looking back at the land is breathtaking. The change in perspective always amazes me, especially seeing the town from the sea. It looks so different!

There are 2 main trips which the boats take from St Ives - Seal Island and Godrevy.

From what I understand the skippers choose according to the weather and what there is to see on the day of your trip.

Seal Island

This journey takes you about 3.5 miles down the coast, hugging the coastline. You will go round The Island, past Porthmeor Beach, round Clodgy Point and down the coast. Seal Island is a rocky outcrop before you get to Zennor and is the home of a colony of Atlantic Grey Seals. The boats can get quite close to the rocks where you can see the seals sunbathing. The captains usually linger here for about 15 minutes, before making the return journey back up the coast.

Godrevy Lighthouse

This journey takes you right across St Ives Bay and over to the Godrevy Lighthouse, which stands at the Northern end of the bay. Godrevy Lighthouse marks the Stones reef and was made famous by the Virginia Woolf novel "To The Lighthouse" (she could see it from her house on Talland Road in St Ives). The journey takes you past Porthminster Beach, Carbis Bay and the stretch of 3 miles of golden sand of the Hayle Beaches. Near Godrevy lighthouse is Mutton Cove, which is another colony of Atlantic Grey Seals. Depending on the sea conditions, you will get to see the lighthouse towering close above you, which is really impressive!

St Ives Beaches & Coves

This other boat journey takes you up the coast, past Porthminster Beach and Carbis Bay, out towards Porthkidney Sands and Hayle Estuary. It then comes back and heads to The Island, before returning past Porthgwidden Beach, Smeaton's Pier, and back into the harbour. The focus of this trip is all about fascinating facts about St Ives, the local wildlife and the sea.

This journey takes you up the coast, past Porthminster Beach and Carbis Bay, out towards Porthkidney Sands and Hayle Estuary. It then comes back and heads to The Island, before returning past Porthgwidden Beach, Smeaton's Pier, and back into the harbour. The focus of this trip is all about fascinating facts about St Ives, the local wildlife and the sea.

Wildlife In The Area

Look out for

• lots of seals
• dolphins (both common and bottlenose)
• Risso dolphin (less common)
• Whales (minke but others too)
• Basking sharks (becoming less common)
• Seabirds including cormorants drying their wings
• Lots of jelly fish in the warmer months

Please do be aware that despite their best efforts, the boat trip operators cannot guarantee sightings of wildlife. You will have a high probability of seeing something, especially the seals which are there all year round, but dophins, whales and sharks are more tricky to predict!

Please do be aware that the running of the trips is weather and sea dependent. If conditions are too rough or the weather too harsh, the trips will be cancelled.

Boat Trips on The Great St Ives Pasty Dash Game

We of course had to include boat trips in our game, The Great St Ives Pasty Dash. After all, what would a trip to St Ives be without going on a wonderful boat trip?

How To Book A Boat Trip

Most of the boat operators have stands and helpers around the harbour slipways. When they boats are running there are boat touts (nice ones!) by the RNLI station, over by The Sloop slipway, and there is a kiosk on Smeaton's Pier.

You can also easily book a trip online or ring them to book.

Wavedancer boat is run by John and Mel with Frank the dog. John, the skipper, talks of the history the town has to offer, the smuggling and the shipwrecks. He’s a born and bred St Ives man, so knows everything there is to know about St Ives! He’s also served with the RNLI here for over 30 years, now as head launcher.

• well behaved dogs are welcome
• family friends
• lasts about an hour
• adults cost £20 and children under 12 cost £15
• WiSe accredited

Contact: 07967 902916 or visit their facebook page here >>

Click here to read all about my boat trip on Wavedancer St Ives >>

Dolly P - St Ives Boats

Dolly P is the lovely grey/blue blue boat in the harbour. It runs trips to Seal Island and Godrevy Lighthouse. It is the one I see most regularly going to seal island when I'm walking on the cliffs by Clodgy. They seem to be very busy!

• dog friendly
• they offer one hour and two hour trips
• suitable for all ages
• one hour - adults £25, under 12s £15, dogs and under ones go free
• wildlife safe operator

Visit their website >>

Nemo Glass Bottom Boat Trips

Nemo is one of the largest glass bottomed boats in the UK. It has eight glass viewing panels which lets you get amazing views of the wildlife from both above and below the sea. They run trips to both Seal Island and Godrevy Lighthouse.

• lasts about 1 and a quarter hours
• adults £35, children £25, dogs and under ones go free

The Black Pearl St Ives - Boat Trips St Ives

The Black Pearl offers trips to either Seal Island, Godrevy Lighthouse, or Mackerel Fishing.

• Seal Island and Godrevy trips last about 1 and a quarter hours
• Mackerel Fishing trips last about 1 and a half hours
• £25 for adults, under 16s £15 - under ones go free
• Mackerel Fishing costs £30 per person

Tiger Lilly - St Ives Boat Cruises

Tiger Lilly is the beautiful 39ft yellow boat which takes passengers to either Seal Island or Godrevy Lighthouse. They are family and dog friendly and are one of the longest running boat trips run by a local family.

• the trips last approx 1 hour
• adults £25, children £15 and under ones go free
• mackerel fishing trips are also available

Seahorse Boat Trips

The Seahorse runs trips to either Seal Island or Godrevy Lighthouse. It is the oldest running boat trip in St Ives, offering pleasure cruises from the harbour for nearly 40 years!

• the trips last approximately 1 hour
• adults £25, under 12s £15 and under ones go free

The Little Mermaid - St Ives Sea Trips

The Little Mermaids runs fun , family friendly trips to Seal Island and Godrevy Lighthouse.

• dog friendly - on a leash please
• the trips last about an hour
• adults £25, children 12s £15 and under ones go free

Primetime have been running trips to Seal Island and Godrevy Lighthouse since 2007.

• Adults £25, children £20
• private charters and fishing trips are also available

James Stevens No 10 - St Ives Lifeboat

Built in 1899 James Stevens No.10 served as the St Ives Lifeboat from 1900 to 1933 saving 225 lives in those years. Now lovingly and carefully restored our historical boat trip offers a chance to explore the bay and Godrevy Lighthouse on a truly iconic vessel.

• lasts about 1.5 hours
• aduilts £25, under 12s £15, dogs and under ones go free

I'm not sure if this boat is in the water yet - as of May 2024. I've not seen it in the harbour yet.

Where To Board The Boats

Depending on the tide, there are 3 places you will be told to go to to board your boat.

Boarding Point A - West Pier

To get there, walk along the harbour to the RNLI station and turn left behind the barriers and walk along West Pier. There are some steps down to the boats just behind the boarding point sign.

Boarding Point B - Rampers (behind Smeaton's Pier)

This one is only accessible at low tide. Walk towards Smeaton's Pier and just by the loos there you will see a slipway. At low tide you will see a jetty stretching out into the sea. This is where you will board your boat.

 Boarding Point C - at the end of Smeaton's Pier

Walk all the way down to the end of Smeaton's Pier. You will see some steps down to the boats by the sign.

**Disclaimer**

I have tried to be as accurate as I can with times and prices etc. Please always check with the boat operator for the most up to date information as this may sometimes change. I have nothing to do with the running of any of the boats - 100% land lubber here.

If there are any other St Ives boat trips you think should be on here, please contact me and I will do my best to add it.

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Boat trip from St Ives Harbour to Seal Island in Cornwall

I had the pleasure of a boat trip from St Ives to Seal Island. The trip was to see the coastline and a Grey seal colony. The trip involved catching a boat from St Ives in Cornwall . Tickets needed purchasing in advance from one of the many kiosks in the town. You can also organise via their website where they have a BOOKING FORM .

Seal Island near St Ives in Cornwall

Seal Island is a small rocky island 3.5 miles to the west of the town. The island is home to a colony of Atlantic grey seals that live and swim nearby. There are many tiny islands or rocks on this part of the coast. These make up an archipelago of tiny islands called The Carracks. Other species call the islands home. This includes anglerfish, dogfish, and sea anemones. There is also a century-old shipwreck adds a bit of extra excitement to the tiny island.

The other island habitat they boat tours to is Godrevy Island. Godrevy is roughly 3 miles to the East of St Ives. Both locations are where the seals feel safe from predators and the forces of the Atlantic Ocean.

Seal Island Boat Trip Details

St Ives Boats market this trip as a “Sea Safari”, which is a pretty excellent description. The trips last an hour and cost £20 for adults or £15 for children. They are also dog-friendly, thus well behaved dogs can enjoy the trip too if you travel with your pet. They are the only accredited wildlife safe operator (WISe Scheme) in St Ives Bay. Also, the crew of the boat included a BDMLR marine mammal medic who specialises in the rescue of dolphins, whales, and seals.

British Grey Seals

The grey seal is the bigger of the two species that call the UK home. Their scientific name is Halichoerus grypus , which means hook-nosed sea pig. Grey seas spend their days out at sea catching and eating fish. Between fishing, they return to land to have a rest on beaches or islands. They give birth to white fluffy pups in the autumn, which are rather cute. The pups stay on land after birth, that is until they have increased theor weight three times and lots their white fur.

The Boat Trip

The first part of the boat trip was to get to the boat on a jetty. First, meeting at the designated spot on the harbour wall. The Jetty was under water, thus required getting my wet feet. I recommend wearing shorts for this trip. The boat for this excursion is Dolly P, which has room for 12 passengers. The boat is dog friendly and a few passengers had their canine friends for the journey.

A pleasant surprise on the way to the boat was the friendly harbour seal that calls the town home was nearby. This was a pretty close up experience and enjoyable. These have become used to human interaction, but there are warning signs not to get too close or feed them.

Once the party was all aboard, the boat set off round the headland and down the rugged Cornish coast. I went on a dull autumnal day, but imagine it is pretty spectacular on a blue sky day.

On reaching the small islands, the boat slowed down to give all aboard the chance to see the seals on the rocks. There were quite a few seals out basking, and others were going about their daily tasks of swimming and fishing. This was fascinating to watch, especially when the larger males got vocal. There was ample time to take some photos. This is one of those days I wish I have a better zoom or proper camera to take some great shots.

The boat then turned around and returned us back to St Ive’s. The trip was about an hour long and an absolute delight to learn about and see wild seals.

Is The Seal Island Boat Trip Worthwhile?

The boat trip is great fun and interesting, thus it’s very worthwhile. You get to learn about the seals, see them in action and also enjoy the views of the Cornish coast.

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St Ives and the surrounding area is a beautiful part of the Cornish coastline perfect for a boat trip. There are swathes of stunning beaches with golden sands, rugged cliffs and rocky out crops and marine life in abundance. It is a fun way to see the coastline and marine life. You can view our local seal colony, go to Godrevy Island, take a mackerel fishing trip, a wreck fishing trip and even enjoy a glass bottom boat sea safari. If you’re in luck you may see dolphins or even whales. Within minutes of arriving on the harbour front in St Ives, you will be sure to be greeted by cries of “Seal Island Boat Trips” by the ticket sellers. This is one of the top must do things in St Ives so why not take a boat trip on our recommended operators…

St Ives Boats – Little Mermaid

Yellowfin boat trips, black pearl boat trips, jaws sea safari rib, prime time boat trips, bluefin boat trips, tiger lilly boat trips, st ives boats – dolly p, nemo glass bottom boat trips, the seahorse boat trips, four sisters boat trips.

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