Three Puffin Island Cruise - Lunga, the Shiants, and St Kilda.

This cruise intends to focus on the Outer Hebrides, home to some of Europe’s most extraordinary and important sea-bird colonies including puffins, razorbills, guillemots, and gannets. Island archipelagos like the Shiants (above) are definitely part of our intended itinerary and, if we are lucky enough to have a weather window, being in the Outer Hebrides means that we will be positioned to head for the UK’s only dual UNESCO World Heritage site of St. Kilda.

Cruising aboard the Hjalmar Bjørge is very different from large-ship cruising with its, ‘If it’s Tuesday it must be Barcelona’ ethos. Hjalmar and her crew are dictated to by wind and tide and this fits with the spirit of our adventure cruises. We quite literally ‘go with the flow,’ having as little impact on the environment and wildlife as possible (we are WiSE accredited). However, some things are fixed. You will experience fabulous on-board cuisine which utilises the best of Scottish Island produce. Your home for the trip will be a comfortable cabin and use of the saloon which has plenty of space for you to relax and read, paint or write. There is outdoor space, both covered and uncovered, to sit and look out for whales, dolphins, or even rarities like the sunfish which occasionally appear in our waters.

Breakfast

Fruit, porridge, toast, jams and a selection of cereals are the basic start to your day. Depending the days itinerary there may also be a fresh free-range farm eggs or a cooked breakfast.

Lunch

Being at sea we plan our passage around the shipping forecast and our skipper’s knowledge and experience. You will be kept informed as to that days passage plan so that you can make the best use of your time, whether that be doing something industrious or simply wave watching from the wheelhouse. Usually we will be on passage in the morning with an opportunity to go ashore in the afternoon. Lunch is often at anchor and might be a homemade soup, light cooked meal, or maybe a packed lunch to allow you more time to explore a secluded island. On days in port you might arrive back aboard to the smell of fresh scones or cake.

Dinner

Your crew aim to be at anchor by 7pm allowing time to settle the boat, the crew, and the passengers ready for a delicious boat-cooked meal. Dinner consists of two courses alternating between entrées, main dishes, desserts, and cheese. Feel free to chat to your chef about local food and recipes. We can cater for most dietary requirements aboard and we are committed to using fresh local produce as much as possible. End your day with a wee dram on deck from our small selection of Highland spirits.

There are always fruit, biscuits, tea, coffee, water, and soft drinks available throughout the day.

Your Crew on this cruise will be; –

Skipper: 

Chef: 

Crew:  

Interesting Fact

The Blue Men of the Minch

These mythical beings are localised only to the Minch, the stretch of water between Lewis and Harris and the West Coast of Scotland. Often also known as Storm Kelpies, these beings were feared in Celtic legend as drowning sailors and capsizing ships. Legend says when they are sleeping the waters are calm, but once awake storms can whip up from nowhere. One often repeated claim is that the Blue Men would often target skippers, calling out two lines of poetry to which the skipper had to reply with two of their own to complete the verse. If they liked it then you were safe to carry on, but if they were unimpressed or should the skipper fail to complete the task …, well you can guess the rest. Please be sure to let your skipper know of any Blue Men sightings immediately and maybe test his poetry to ensure your safety!