WILD SKYE BOAT TRIPS

28/12/2023

Happy New Year & We have News!

Well that's it folks our house purchase in Lochaline has completed, therefore, we are no longer running boat trips from Carbost I'm afraid.
You may be aware that it is my intention to sail the boat around some of the west coast islands creating YouTube videos about my travels and the wildlife that I encounter. If you this is something you wish to follow then please email me using [email protected] saying you wish to be included in a mailing list I can then notify everyone that the YouTube channel has been setup and that there is content to view. You can also keep in touch via my website stephenhoppermedia.com or find me on instagram at stephenhoppermedia
It is our intention to start offering boat trips out of Lochaline (near Isle of Mull) at some point during 2024.
We will also be setting up a Wildlife Filmmaking Workshop/holiday business from Lochaline, again please message me if this is of interest.
It was my honour and privilege to have you aboard our trips and share incredible wildlife encounters over the years, perhaps we will meet again at our new location.

Happy New Year & all the best
Steve

22/07/2023

What a fantastic trip out today with my first fin Whales plus several Minke showing well. Rissos and common dolphin also made appearances and to top it off eagles fed.

15/07/2023

Happy to get my fix for Common Dolphin alongside the boat today - happy customers

07/06/2023

It took a while into todays trip before we came across this pod of Bottlenose dolphin but I think everyone agreed it was worth the wait.

25/05/2023

The familiar view as I make my way along loch Harport on the final leg of my week long journey. It took a week as I was waiting on Mull for good weather and whilst there had the best Otter filming experiences I’ve ever had. Now back to the day job. Both white tailed eagle pairs present but didn’t see golden eagle but the nest is looking used. Oh and nearly forgot both mackerel and po***ck caught on the way in.

25/05/2023

Just rounding Ardnamurchan point. Sailing from Tobermory towards the isle of Muck to give me a bit of shelter from the swell hence the slanted horizon. I normally head straight for canna but that would leave me exposed if the wind picks up. from Muck to Eigg then Rum then on to canna for an overnight so I can spend a few hours filming the Puffin there. Soon home.

08/05/2023

Hurray, it may be a cold and wet Monday but it’s also launch day. It’s felt like an age to get her spruced up and surveyed. She will have her in water survey on Wednesday after passing her out of water survey a couple of days ago, after which I will be free to sail her the 90 mile back to Skye when sea state permits. Two side points is the cabin has been fitted out to sleep Kim, Alasdair and myself on short get aways, it’s only taken me 10 years to finish it. Also I am particularly proud of the plimsoll line this year, any one with a clinker boat will identify with the pain involved in painting one around the boat and getting it to look level.

05/04/2023

Here is my new Logo for the Wildlife filmmaking business many of you will be aware I'm currently setting up - I would love to hear your thoughts

27/02/2023

Common Dolphin hurtling across the sea to join the boat has to be one of my favourite things to see whilst sailing - such joy - this was yesterday 26th February just off Ardnamurchan Point. Im sailing Wild Skye to a boatyard on Seil island near Mull for her spruce up and major survey. Absolutely fantastic weather for a cold February day.

01/01/2023

Wishing you all a very happy New Year and look forward to seeing you aboard. 2022 was a good year with sightings of Orca, Rissos Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin and lots of Common Dolphin. Hopefully the weather is better in the New year as we had far too much rain and wind last year limiting the number of longer trips we could do. Unfortunately both pairs of White tailed Eagles failed to raise any chicks last year hopefully they have better fortune this year.

17/06/2022

As we are all aware prices for everything have gone up (particularly fuel) and unfortunately we are not immune to this, therefore, we now have revised our trip prices which are effective from today.

13/06/2022

As the weather forecast for Skye over the next few days is so poor. I have decided to reacquaint myself with my cameras on the Isle of Mull, therefore, sorry but no trips until I return towards the end of this week.

04/06/2022

We will be offering trips from Monday 6th June. Sorry to all those who missed out on a trip with us so far this year. The poor weather and other factors I had whilst on the boatyard turned what should have been a couple of weeks working on tidying the boat up into a couple of months but it’s all done now and we look forward to showing you this part of Skye from Monday onwards.

01/06/2022

First fish of the season caught and fed to the white tailed eagles

01/06/2022

It’s still a pleasure to see dolphin hurtling over hundreds of yards to come and join the boat

01/06/2022

The Isle of Mull behind me as I sail the last leg back home. Minke Whales, Common Dolphins and several Puffin to brighten up the journey.

31/05/2022

Forecast changed therefore won’t be back today - sailing a short trip from Lochaline to Tobermory on Mull for an overnight stay - then hopefully complete journey tomorrow

30/05/2022

Well the journey home has began - first leg to Lochaline tonight across the sound from Mull. Then the rest hopefully tomorrow. The boat was never meant to be so long on the boatyard but the weather so far this season has been atrocious with respect to rain hampering work - I still haven’t finished everything.

21/04/2022

Our boat is still out of the water and may be for another couple of weeks.

26/03/2022

Last view of Skye as I pass between The Isle of Canna on the left and the isle of Rum on the right.

26/03/2022

I have a stowaway. Lovely out here, lots of seabirds including Razerbills, Gannets and Guillemots also a few Porpoise and a pod of common dolphin a little out from loch Bracadale.

26/03/2022

That’s me leaving Loch Harport on Sat 26th March starting the two day sail down to the Balvicar Boatyard south of Oban. I expect the boat will be on the yard for a couple of weeks while I get her spruced up ready for the season.

06/02/2022

Back in the hide after a wonderful few days away with the wildlife sound recording society, and these two beauties just turned up. Sat together for a while eyeing up the deer carcass. The one on the left is the female known as yellow H

28/01/2022

I joined the Wildlife Sound Recording Society a few years ago but missed out on joining one of their field meetings until now, so I'm quite chuffed to finally get a week of sound recording. Its at Caerlaverock, Dumfries and Galloway to record geese and swans. Its a great society to be apart of and worth checking out.

26/01/2022

I have been sitting in my lochshore hide, this is my fourth day and at last I have an immature White Tailed Eagle in view. It is currently sitting close to the Roe Deer carcass but hasn’t been to it yet. It is very wary and I expect if one of the resident adult pair spot it there would be some activity. Right now though it’s just sitting in the pouring rain not doing much.

14/08/2021

Short loch trip this afternoon and it appears the Golden Eagle Chick has fledged the nest over the last couple of days during my short break from trips. Also it also appears the salmon farm has been emptied of fish.

14/08/2021

We have changed our contact email address to [email protected] as my personal address was getting a bit difficult to manage. My personal address is still in place for those who wish to use it, I have changed over in facebook and our website.

02/08/2021

02/08/2021

01/08/2021

Today’s fishing trip was a bit special. A couple of our passengers have been out with us a few times so I took them to fish at the maidens. When we arrived a minke whale popped up then everyone caught several spurdog shark then on the way back to wiay a pod a common dolphin joined us after that the mackerel rolled it. What a fantastic afternoon with great people.