Thousand Islands Expeditions

17/02/2025

RAMSEY ISLAND

Ramsey Island, situated just off the Pembrokeshire Coast, was purchased by the RSPB in 1992. In 1996, it became a designated National Nature Reserve due to its vital ecological significance. The island is home to over 20 rare plant species, breeding populations of Chough and Lapwing, and the largest Grey Seal colony in Wales.

From May to September, Ramsey Island bursts into vibrant colours with bluebells, pink thrift, and purple heather, attracting a flurry of bees and butterflies.

The western cliffs, rising nearly 120m high, are among the tallest in Wales. They are a haven for Ravens, Peregrines, and Buzzards. In spring, these cliffs come alive with the return of Guillemots, Razorbills, Fulmars, and Kittiwakes for nesting. Choughs also breed on these cliffs, seeking deep fissures and caves to build their nests. By mid-July, the cliffs quiet down as the auk chicks venture out to the open sea.

August marks the beginning of pupping season for Atlantic Grey Seals, with hundreds of fluffy white seal pups born each year on Ramsey's beaches and in the caves.

The southern heathlands of Ramsey feature a unique blend of heather, gorse, and coastal plants that bloom together in August, creating a stunning display. This habitat is home to Stonechats, Meadow Pipits, Linnets, and Skylarks.

The summits of Carn Ysgubor and Carn Llundain offer breathtaking views of the mainland, Skomer Island, and, on clear days, even the west coast of Ireland.

The main trail, approximately 3.5 miles (5.6 km) long, loops around the island, offering an incredible scenic walk. This trail can be divided into two loops for those seeking a shorter trek.

Ramsey is also home to dedicated RSPB wardens who reside on the island full-time during the public visiting season. With the help of volunteers, they work tirelessly to maintain the island, monitor habitats, conduct bird count research, and ensure the island remains safe for both visitors and wildlife.

To explore Ramsey Island, you can join one of the day trips"Ramsey Island Landing" allowing you to explore the island's terrain, while the "Ramsey Island Adventure" trip offers a closer look at the hidden caves and coves.

14/02/2025

Happy Valentine's Day to all the lovebirds out there! 💞

In honour of this day of love, we'd like to share some heartwarming romances we encounter on our wildlife trips. Love and courtship play significant roles in the lives of our marine and bird life, essential for their survival, reproduction, and social structures.

Puffins, for example, mate for life, making them a symbol of true love. These charming seabirds form long-lasting monogamous pairs and often reunite with the same partner year after year. Their beaks become colourful during breading season as they assess for potential mates.

Grey seals, commonly seen around Pembrokeshire, form strong bonds during the breeding season. Their courtship rituals include playful splashing and gentle nuzzling—doesn't that sound romantic?

Bottlenose dolphins exhibit complex social structures and are often spotted around Pembrokeshire. These intelligent creatures form tight-knit pods and engage in cooperative behaviours, which can be seen as a form of 'dolphin love.'

Manx shearwaters are remarkable seabirds that also exhibit monogamous behaviour, returning to the same nesting sites and partners each year. Their devotion is truly admirable.

Harbour porpoises, another marine mammal in these waters, display fascinating social behaviours. They are often seen swimming in pairs or small groups, suggesting strong social bonds.

Gannets are also monogamous and mate for life. Pairs form and renew their bonds at their breeding colonies, called gannetrys, which can house thousands of pairs in close proximity.

😍 This Valentine's, why not treat your loved one to a special gift like one of our romantic evening cruises or a day trip to Ramsey Island?

🖥 https://thousandislands.co.uk/gift-vouchers/

☎ 01437 721721

09/02/2025

THE SMALLS LIGHTHOUSE

The Smalls Lighthouse, which is the most remote lighthouse operated by Trinity house, stands on the largest of a group of wave-washed basalt and dolerite rocks, known as the smalls, approximately 20 miles (32 kilometres) west of St David’s Peninsula.

In 1859 Trinity House, having bought out the previous leaseholders in 1836, began the construction of the current Lighthouse, with completion of the Tower taking place in 1861.

In 1978, a helideck was erected above the lantern, and in 1987 the lighthouse became automated.

It became the first wind-and solar-powered lighthouse in the UK, and although it has only a 35 watt bulb, with the aid of lenses, it can be seen up to 21 miles (34 km) away.

It was the first lighthouse in the country to have an installed flushing toilet.

In June 1997, the red and white stripes which had been associated with the tower, were no longer considered to be necessary for navigation, and so the tower was grit blasted back to natural granite.

The lighthouse is now monitored and controlled in full, from Trinity House’s planning center in Harwich, Essex.

The original Smalls Lighthouse, which was erected over 1775 and 1776, was constructed using the plans of Liverpool musical instrument maker Henry Whiteside. It stood on nine oak pillars, which allowed the sea to pass through beneath. Although it suffered from some rocking, it stood for 80 years.

During its life a significant number of extra struts were added beyond the original nine. The pillar-based design has since been used successfully in many sea structures.

Learn more about our Pembrokeshire Islands on the link below ⬇

https://thousandislands.co.uk/the-islands

07/02/2025

FULMAR PETRELS

Fulmars, also known as Fulmar Petrels (Fulmarus glacialis), are fascinating seabirds that can be found around the Pembrokeshire Islands. They are part of the petrel family, and are referred to as the Foul Gul.

Did you know?

Fulmars are well-adapted to life at sea. They have a straight-winged, gliding flight similar to albatrosses, which allows them to cover great distances with minimal energy. Their feet are positioned far back on their bodies, making takeoff from the water easier but making them clumsy on land.

Fulmars have a unique self-defense mechanism, they can project their stomach contents at predators, which is a sticky, foul-smelling, oily substance. This can deter predators and even render them flightless.

They primarily eat small fish, squid, and crustaceans, but they are also known to consume carrion. They have an incredible sense of smell that helps them detect rotting flesh and fish oil from up to 15 miles away.

Fulmars have one of the longest breeding seasons, with eggs being laid in May and chicks not leaving the nest until early September.

Pembrokeshire's rich waters and diverse coastal habitats make it an ideal spot for spotting these amazing birds, and can often be seen whilst out on one of our wildlife boat trips.

🖥 https://thousandislands.co.uk/

☎ 01437 721721

06/02/2025

FEBRUARY HALF TERM

Our Office will be open over the February half term.

We will be open Monday to Friday, both weeks, from 1000-1600.

We have a collection of gifts from from nautical and coastal themed, to local Pembrokeshire honey, RNLI items and a wonderful collection of Puffin souvenirs.

As the boat trip season draws closer, we are also taking pre-bookings, and have a range of vouchers perfect for gift.

We have some exciting new plans for this season, so pop in for a chat and we can reveal all.

🖥 https://thousandislands.co.uk/

☎ 01437 721721

06/02/2025

Make sure go along and join Sea Trust for a fascinating look into 'Whales in Wales', joined by Iolo Williams.

Super excited to have Iolo Williams coming to speak at Theatr Gwaun with Cliff Benson and Sea Trust Wales ☺️ - Thursday 20th at 11:00am, see you there!

Join us at Theatr Gwaun for 'Whales in Wales' with Iolo Williams, Cliff Benson and Sea Trust Wales - an illustrated talk, diving into the detail of the incredible marine life here in Wales, and particularly Pembrokeshire.

🎟️ https://theatrgwaun.com/production/whales-in-wales/
📅 Thursday February 20th at 11:00am

Ymunwch â ni yn Theatr Gwaun ar gyfer ‘Morfilod yng Nghymru’ gydag Iolo Williams, Cliff Benson ac Ymddiriedolaeth Môr Cymru – sgwrs ddarluniadol, yn plymio i fanylion y bywyd morol anhygoel yma yng Nghymru, ac yn arbennig Sir Benfro.

Iolo Williams supporters page

31/01/2025

Only a couple months to go until we are back out exploring our diverse waters, and this includes of course, the notorious, Bi***es and Whelps.

The Bi***es and Whelps is a reef of rocks in Ramsey Sound. This area is known for its strong tidal currents, which can reach speeds of up to 18 knots over the reef during spring tides.

The tidal race creates dramatic white water conditions, making it a popular spot for kayakers and a challenging area for navigation. The Bi***es have been the site of many shipwrecks over the years, including the tragic wreck of the St. Davids lifeboat, the Gem, in 1910.

Despite the dangers, the area is also known for its natural beauty and wildlife, including daily sightings of Harbour Porpoises, who are seen feeding just off the reef.

We explore the Bi***es and Whelps on our Ramsey Island Adventure, we get up close to the impressive tidal race, giving passengers the perfect opportunity to experience, and capture, the crystal clear, yet extremely challenging waters, which provide a thrilling experience for those on our boats.

🖥 https://thousandislands.co.uk/boat-trips/ramsey-island-adventure/

☎ 01437 721721

27/01/2025

Ramsey Island Guided Walks - 2025

We are delighted to announce that the Ramsey Island Guided Walks will be back in 2025.

The walks will take place on the dates seen below, and will be run by Alys, one of the RSPB wardens at the island.

The guided walks departs at 0930, and will return at 1600, so please ensure you are prepared for a full day at the Island. The walks have a maximum of 16 spaces, so make sure you book early to guarantee the date you wish to visit the island, these walks are likely to sell out.

RSPB Ramsey Island Guided Walk Dates (2025):
-Wednesday May 14th
-Wednesday May 21st
-Wednesday July 2nd
-Wednesday Sept 3rd
-Wednesday Aug 27th

You can book your guided walk in advance, by clicking on the link below, or by calling us in the office, where we can also answer any questions you may have regarding the walk.

🖥 https://thousandislands.co.uk/boat-trips/ramsey-island-guided-walk/

☎ 01437 721721

🦭For some more information about Ramsey Island click on the link below.

https://thousandislands.co.uk/the-islands/ramsey-island-rspb-nature-reserve/

24/01/2025

No boat trips today! If you have to go near the coast today, please follow the RNLI’s advice.

24/01/2025

Today kicks off the start of the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch.

The birdwatch, which is the worlds largest, takes place from the 24th - 26th January. Its very simple to take part, all you have to do is register (Link below), and take 1 hour out of your day watching the birds on your patch, and record the highest number of each bird species you see at any one time.

Across the UK, over 600,000 people took part in Big Garden Birdwatch 2024, counting a whopping 9.7 million birds, and below are the most common sightings recorded;

1 - House Sparrow - 1,442,300

2 - Blue Tit - 1,094,401

3 - Starling - 879,006

4 - Woodpigeon - 835,408

5 - Blackbird - 708,004

Why not comment below or send in a picture of you in the comment section, with some of the different birds you spotted in your garden.

We look forward to hearing about your sightings, and hopefully seeing some positive feedback regarding garden bird numbers.

REGISTER HERE ⬇

https://www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happening/big-garden-birdwatch

RSPB

22/01/2025

Don't forget to join in on the worlds largest garden wildlife survey this weekend. Each year hundreds of thousands of passionate, nature lovers take part, helping us understand how garden birds are fairing.

REGISTER ON THE LINK BELOW ⬇️

Our last one of these this year with only days away now.

Have you spotted any of these on your patch recently? Any you hope to?

Don't forget to register: https://brnw.ch/21wQ4R5

20/01/2025

Great to be featured as one of the attractions in this from The Times highlighting some of the best things to do on holiday in Wales. Roll on the 2025 season!

From seaweed soaks and dark-sky glamping to 100mph ziplines and trampoline mines – make the most of a Welsh stay

16/01/2025

A 100-tonne boat with engine failure is currently stranded on Newgale beach following an unsuccessful rescue mission

11/01/2025

A lovely photo of Ramsey island’s south harbour featured in the winter/spring 2025 editrion of ‘Y Barcud’, the RSPB Cymru’s quarterly publication sent out to all RSPB members in wales. The front cover photo has been used for an article on the important bio security work carried out by the RSPB and Biosecurity for Wales in protecting glabally important seabird colonies on many of Wales’s offshore islands. The article highlights the important work of ‘Jinx’ the Conservation detection dog and his handler Greg Morgan.

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07/01/2025

Do you know a young person who loves wildlife and the outdoors? We have spaces available in our marine biology club for the current term! We have groups available for ages 10-17 and activities include rockpooling, cetacean surveys, birdwatching walks, helping out in our aquarium as well as lessons and games to learn more about our local wildlife! 🌊🐋
Contact [email protected] for more information or if you'd like to sign up.

Thank you to the South Hook LNG Community Fund for their support of this club.

01/01/2025

Happy New Year from all the team at Thousand Islands Expeditions and Blue Shark Charters!
We have been verry busy behind the scenes over the last month so our social media has been very quiet! A few exciting new trips to offer this year and we cant wait to be back on the water with all of our lovely customers old and new!

11/12/2024

14 days to go!🎄⛄🎅

🎄With Christmas only two weeks away, we wanted to update you with our plans over the festive period.

☃Our office will be open Wednesday, Thursday & Saturday, until the 23rd December, from 1000 - 1500, which means you still have time to pop in and get some last minute Xmas gifts from our shop, we have recently stocked some new items, perfect for a gift for a loved one, so pop in for a browse.

🎅If your still looking for something special to gift someone, then why not purchase a voucher for one of our many trips, and give a memory which will last with someone for a lifetime.

❄️We may look at running trips over the festive period, if conditions allow, so please keep and eye out for updates, or pop into our office and we can let you know our schedule and if we think we can run our trips.

📞01437 721721

🖥 https://thousandislands.co.uk/