10 Best Cruising Destinations For Wildlife Watching

One of the great pleasures of cruising the waters of the British Isles is wildlife encounters. The diversity of species around the coastline means there is a plethora of flora and fauna to see.

As sailors, we are in the lucky position to be able to cruise to secluded spots, often denied to those on land, where wildlife flourishes. Encounters can vary from sailing alongside whales and dolphins off the Irish coast to anchoring in a Scottish loch to witness otters teaching their cubs to hunt. Depending on where your boat is based, each of these destinations could be a long weekend cruise or the focus of a longer voyage. Whatever species you plan to watch, remember to keep your distance, leave no trace of your presence and don’t interfere with the animal’s natural behaviour. There is plenty of advice at www. yachtingmonthly.com/wildlife

1 Shetland Islands, Scotland

LOCAL EXPERT Jonty Pearce The British Isles harbour a superlative range of wildlife, but few venues can rival its northernmost outpost — wild Shetland. Fringed with vertiginous cliffs home to over a million seabirds, ringed with beaches providing sanctuary for otters and seals, and dotted with folds of hillside pasture sheltering Shetland ponies, cattle, and sheep, nutrient-rich seas race through this archipelago’s numerous sounds attracting aquatic life; it is easy to see why so many naturalists visit Shetland.

Along with its nature reserves, highlights include wheeling gannets over Muckle Flugga, secretive red-necked phalaropes on Fetlar, busy seabird colonies of Sumburgh Head, the storm petrels of Mousa Broch, and a circling resident orca pod.

Wherever you turn, those with knowledgeable eyes can relish the wildlife wonders thronging the area. Other unmissable treats include sightings of puffins, dolphins, minke whales, great skuas (‘bonxies’), fulmars, guillemots, kittiwakes, razorbills, golden plover, whimbrel, sandpipers, eider ducks, and arctic terns. Wild and remote Shetland has it all.