Pembrokeshire Islands - Boat Trips

31/05/2024

How is half term coming to an end already?
As everybody starts returning to work, school and normal life, we will be heading … straight to bed - We wish 😴

Joking aside, it has been a crazy busy week here at PI and it’s been fantastic seeing so many new and returning faces 👋🏼

Happy half term weekend (is that a thing?) and as always, we’ll see you on the beach.

13/05/2024

What a weekend 🌞 The northern lights, Dolphins AND sunny days, we’ve been spoilt. Let’s just a raise our wings to celebrate that and forget about todays weather 👀😂

📸 - .m.smith_

01/05/2024

Well April was wet!

Well done and thank you to all who braved the rain and took a trip with us this April.
We can’t say it’s been the easiest start to 2024 but with a new month brings new... Hope, lots of hope🤞🏽

Come on May... We believe in you.
📷 - .ep

20/04/2024

Emerging from the burrows, wondering what this bright ball of light may be? 😍🌞

Fancy a little sunny trip with us today?
We still have availability on our Skomer Cruise & Sea Safaris.
Head over to or website to book your spot!

www.pembrokeshire-islands.co.uk

📸-

13/04/2024

After an unseasonably rough start to the season, we finally have a few days break in the weather and are back up and running to Skomer Island.

Can we tell you who doesn’t seem bothered by the weather … the Puffins!!

With huge numbers of Puffins on the island, on the water and in the air, the early season numbers are looking incredibly strong. We even have birds already on eggs! 😨 🤯

We still have plenty of spaces available for our Skomer Landings over the next couple of weeks, the perfect time to visit the Island before the main season rush!

📸-

09/04/2024

MEET THE TEAM 🐦

Meet Tonto
Age:  Unknown
Role:  Gull

Before we introduce you to any more of the human members of our team, we thought it only right that the real star of the show got a mention.

Enter Tonto.

For the past few years, Tonto has been getting more and more comfortable with our boats and team, and his journey has been a fantastic one to watch.

Tonto began following us from Martin's Haven over to Skomer on the odd occasion, looking for the odd scrap sandwich. These days, however, Tonto joins our crew on almost every crossing. He's even been known to chip in on the commentary every now and again!

Jim and Tonto have become very good friends, and recently, Jim has even managed to teach Tonto to land on his shoulder!

Favourite vessel:
The Dale Queen (or any vessel with Jim aboard)

Favourite seat:
On your head, well, to be particular on your hat.
If Tonto is on board and you're wearing head wear...you might just become his favourite seat of the day.

If you're lucky enough to have Tonto on board, make sure you take a snap and tag us...we love watching this beautiful gull's hilarious personality.


(Please be aware that all treats fed to Tonto are recommended snack options that are safe for gulls. The safety and well-being of wildlife is our number one priority.)

08/04/2024

What a glorious weekend … somewhere in the world 😬

Skomer on the other hand, may have seen lots of stormy swells and damp puffins 🌊

📸-

01/04/2024

✖️✖️ COMPETITION NOW CLOSED ✖️✖️

This is NOT an April fools … This is a boat trip GIVEAWAY 🏆

To be in with a chance of winning, all you have to do is follow these three steps;
🚤 Like this post.
🛥️ Make sure you’re following us.
⛴️ Tag the person you’d like to bring with you.
➕ (For an extra entry) Share this post to your story & remember to tag us.

The giveaway ends 8th April at 09.00am.
The winner will only ever be announced by this page, keep an eye out on our stores after the above date.

Good Luck 🤞🏽
📸 -

31/03/2024

The 2024 season has officially begun!🙌

Yesterday saw us welcome our first visitors of the season, with (mostly) clear skies and thousands upon thousands of Puffins!

We couldn't be happier to be back up and running, and looking forward to another exciting season ahead!

Head over to the link in our bio to book your tickets 🔗

27/03/2024

With just three days to go, we have been busy!

Every winter our boats get completely stripped down, serviced and put back together, ensuring the highest level of safety across our fleet.

Whilst a lot of that hard work is over, and the boats are back on the water, this week sees our final checks taking place ready to get our trips underway this weekend!

A big thank you to all our team for your continued hard work and exceptional knowledge. Not long now until you can change out of those overalls and get back in that helm seat!

22/03/2024

Spring? … Is that you?

YES IT IS!!!

It’s so great to see that bright yellow ball in the sky ☀️ it’s making us all excited for the season ahead.
We still have a few Skomer dates available so head over to our website to avoid disappointment.

📸- .planet

17/03/2024

We’ve noticed a few new faces across our socials recently. So, we thought it time to re-introduce ourselves.

We are Pembrokeshire Islands Boat Trips, part of Dale Sailing Company. We are a small family run business, founded in 1961. We have been operating boat trips to Skomer and the surrounding islands since 1980, and we are extremely privileged to be the only boat operator permitted to land on Skomer Island.
Back in 1961 Campbell Reynolds began Dale Sailing from a small shed on Dale seafront with the first ever boat ‘Sea Empress’. Fast forward 63 years, Campbell's two sons and grandson now operate 8 vessels, regularly welcoming over 400 passengers a day during our summer season.

That being said, its not always smooth sailing (pardon the pun) but we are very proud of where we are today and look forward to welcoming passengers for many years to come.

10/03/2024

I mean, sometimes there are no words needed…this is giving us all the feels 🤩 We can not wait to be back, T-Minus 20 days before we open for the 2024 season...have you booked your ticket yet?

Happy Sunday!

📸 -

06/03/2024

MEET THE TEAM

Each week throughout 2024 we'll be introducing you to a member of our wonderful team, and who else could we start with than...the infamous Captain Karl!

Meet Karl - AKA Captain Karl, Karlos
Age: 62
Job: Skipper

Karl is our longest standing Skipper - in fact, chances are, if you've been to Skomer Island in the past 34 years, then you'll have met Karl!
Karl has unrivalled experience in these waters, playing a key role in our operation, safely transporting hundreds of thousands of passengers to and from Skomer and the surrounding Islands over the past 3 decades!

A bit from the man himself:
“I have been with Dale Sailing for 34 years. Before that, I worked for a Milford fishing trawler, I was on that for 12 years. This was back in the days before the marina!”

Favourite Trip:
"If I was to take a trip myself, it would definitely be the evening Seabird Spectacular. That’s my favourite, it's the best trip for me, you get to see so much more wildlife that you don't see in the daytime."

Favourite Vessel:
"Has to be the Dale Queen. She’s just so comfortable and takes the sea with no problem at all, in a gale she's so stable and just glides through it. People will be shocked I’ve said the Queen mind, I never thought I could like a boat more than the Dale Princess."

Favourite moment:
“One of my best memories was seeing a fin whale in St brides bay. We were in the middle of a gale and all of a sudden it was just there, right along side. It was massive!
I tell you what, if it was a calm day, I'd have though about getting in for a swim.”

You’re on a desert island…how do you survive?: Who am i there with?...Is it Jim?! It's Jim isn't it?!
I'd survive no problem. I'd eat him.

06/03/2024

'World Wildlife Day'

Today we celebrate just how lucky we are to be able to share with you, one of the most magical places, not only in Pembrokeshire, but in the entire world - Skomer Island.

As well as being home to over 42,500 Puffins, Skomer Island is also home to 350,000 breeding pairs of Manx Shearwaters, Guillemots, Razorbills, Kittiwakes, Fulmars, and much more. We think we can all agree just how important it is to look after and protect this little piece of paradise.

What's even more exciting is that we get to share all this with you in just a couple of weeks - 2024, who's coming to visit? 🎉

📸-

01/03/2024

WE’RE BACK 👋🏼 Happy 1st of March, and of course, St Davids Day. We thought it was only right to finish our social detox in time to celebrate our patron saint of Wales, and to remember what is still a well known maxim in Wales today ‘Gwnnewch y pethau bychain mewn bywyd’ - ‘Do the little things in life’.

Whether that means a cup of tea in the sunshine, a gorgeous Pembrokeshire coastal walk or maybe getting some exciting dates (like a trip to Skomer 😉) in the diary, we hope you’re enjoying the small things this winter!

📸 - .p

25/12/2023

🎄We can't wait to see you all in 2024!🎄

28/11/2023

Everyone's favourite Skomer resident 🐧

Just 2 more days until tickets go live for 2024 🙌

👉 Book & find out more - Link in bio

📸 Mike Alexander

28/11/2023

Everyone's favourite Skomer Island resident!🐧

Just 2 more days until tickets go live for 2024 🙌

May is a fantastic time to meet Skomer’s most well-known resident, the puffin. With 42,000 puffins recorded on Skomer in 2023, it’s one of the most important and best places to see these seabirds.

Day trip bookings open on 1st December.

👉Find out more: www.welshwildlife.org/skomer-island-day-trips

Skomer Island Pembrokeshire Islands - Boat Trips Dale Sailing Company Ltd Wales Visit Pembrokeshire

27/11/2023

As we count down the days until tickets are released for 2024, our partners The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales - WTSWW are giving you a fantastic month by month guide to the flora and fauna you can expect to see on Skomer Island throughout the season!

Head over to their page to find out more!

Just a few more days to go until tickets go live from 00:01 on this Friday December 1st - get those alarms set!

April is a great time to visit Skomer as seabirds start to return to the island. Look out for razorbills and guillemots courting on the cliffs. You may spot puffins out at sea or on the island as they start to build nests and lay eggs in their burrows.

Day trip bookings open on 1st December.

👉Find out more: www.welshwildlife.org/skomer-island-day-trips

Skomer Island Pembrokeshire Islands - Boat Trips Dale Sailing Company Ltd Wales Visit Pembrokeshire

24/11/2023

✨ 2024 tickets are almost here! ✨

Save the date! Set those alarms for 00:01 on December 1st - there’s just one week to go until you can book your 2024 day trip to Skomer Island! 🙌

We’re proud to work in partnership with The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales - WTSWW as the only boat operator who land on Skomer Island, and we can't wait to welcome you once again in 2024.

Trips can be booked through our website - stay tuned this week for further updates.

👉Find out more:
www.welshwildlife.org/skomer-island-day-trips

10/08/2023

A trip of epic proportions for our first Pelagic trip of the season with
The Celtic Deep did not disappoint - Minke Whales, Fin Whales and ORCA - a first for all of us in these waters!

Add to the mix Great Shearwaters, Cory's Shearwaters, a Pomarine Skua, and tons of European Storm Petrels and it truly was a trip to remember!

31/07/2023

Well … that’s July pretty much over!
As the puffins start to wave their puffin friends good bye, we sit and enjoy the last ones remaining.

It’s been an unforgettable year with a record breaking amount of puffins and visitors. So, Thank you as always, for choosing Pembrokeshire islands and remember, we are still operating through August.

Check out our website for trips over the next month.

📸

18/07/2023

Pufflings after pufflings 🥹 It is the season after all and the island has an incredible amount of babies to be seen. We love July!

12/07/2023

09/07/2023

It’s all about the details, lovely shot

05/07/2023

It feels like yesterday we were preparing for our summer season to begin and yet we are just over half way through.

We have loved reading about your experience and seeing Skomer through your eyes, now, Let’s enjoy the last month of these gorgeous little sea parrots.

28/06/2023

Mam! Can I go out to play yet?

Thanks to Drew Buckley Photography for the capture.

16/06/2023

Rare white puffin spotted near Skomer Island!

We had such a goose pimple moment yesterday spotting this little puffin. The lack of pigmentation is caused by a genetic condition called leuism.

Keep a look out over the coming days and let us know if you spot this beautiful bird. 😍 HOW COOL!

An incredible shot

09/06/2023

Do you ever get that feeling you’re being watched 🧐

When cruising on our Skomer Cruise, we can’t help but look up and out as the Puffins, guillemots and Tonto (our resident gull) often steal the show.

But sometimes, there’s something pretty special happening right next to the boat.
We love our local sea dogs and the curiosity they bring to our waters.