Seascape Expeditions

Seascape Expeditions runs guided marine-wildlife boat trips from Ullapool’s pier out to the Summer Isles and along the Loch Broom and Coigach coast. The operation is run by marine biologists rather than dedicated tourist-charter operators, which is the distinguishing feature: the commentary on the trips is research-grade rather than scripted, and the route varies day-to-day depending on where the wildlife is sitting.

The boat is a RIB-style fast passenger craft, kept on the harbour at Ullapool. Standard trips run two hours out to the Summer Isles and around the islands for puffin colonies, seal haul-outs and gannet plunge-dives; longer trips work the deeper water at the edge of the Minch for harbour porpoise, common dolphin, minke whale and basking shark in the summer months. White-tailed sea eagles are reasonably reliable along the Coigach cliffs, and the Tanera Mòr cliffs carry seabird colonies that the route loops through.

Trips are weather-dependent, the open-water passages get cancelled in heavy swell, and the operator confirms departures by mid-morning on the day. Sailings run from late spring through autumn; the basking-shark and minke-whale window is mid-summer (July–August typically); puffins are May to early July; sea eagles are year-round.

The harbour position means the boat is a short walk from the village; the CalMac ferry slip is two minutes away. Schedules, trip types and current bookings at the Seascape Expeditions website.