Scotland West Coast cruise, Skye and the Small Isles

Environment

Loving the area as he does, owner Iain is very careful not to pollute the marine environment. All waste on board is brought ashore, for recycling.

During the skippers briefing, before casting off, passengers are advised on our environmental responsibility, for example not to throw anything overboard.

The company vessel “Splendour” is herself a wonderful example of re-using materials as she is a converted wooden trawler, which had outlived her usefulness as a working boat but serves magnificently in her new role as a small-boat cruising vessel. She was chosen for our cruises because she boasts a magnificent Gardner engine, which is known worldwide for economy and reliability. The engine is also perfect for economical cruising and good for the marine environment. The engine is ‘keel cooled’ which means there is no overboard discharge from the cooling system and therefore no possibility of heavy metal contaminants entering the ecosystem. The fresh water supply on many Islands is very precious to its residents and we ensure to make as little negative impact for both residents, wildlife and the ecosystem in which we are surrounded by.

All food and drink on board is sourced locally to keep the carbon footprint to a minimum and also because no finer provisions can be found elsewhere, especially seafood from the Skipper’s birthplace of Tarbert, Loch Fyne. Our guests will love going ashore with our Chef to buy live seafood from Neil Prentice in Tarbert who only sells seafood which has been caught in a sustainable way, i.e. potted or hand dived. All fresh produce is sourced within our cruising grounds.

There is masses of space on the deck for stowing passengers own bicycles or kayaks. This encourages guests to explore the waters we visit and also onshore “under their own steam”, thus causing no pollution through their activities.

We cruise in an area which is a magnificent habitat for a large variety of bird and animal species. When these are spotted we are very careful to observe at a respectful distance to ensure we cause no disturbance to the presence of wildlife.

The natural environment is very important to all of us. To help understand the environment in greater detail we have formed many friendships with organisations which are committed to protecting the natural environment of the west coast of Scotland, reporting basking shark, porpoise, dolphin and whale sightings to - Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust with as much detail as possible.

Community

Owner and Skipper Iain Duncan believes that his beloved corner of Argyll in Scotland is best viewed from the water, as traditionally this is how people and goods travelled in the area. He intends to introduce his guests to the most idyllic and secret parts of the coastline of Argyll from the sea. During their trip, guests will get to know the true nature of the area; the natural environment, the wildlife, the culture and the heritage through Iain’s expert local knowledge.

Our cruising area is dotted with delightful communities along the coastlines and we love to introduce our guests to these through shore visits. Any local event such as food or music festivals, may be included in our itinerary to give our guests a true flavour of the area and meet the locals.

The operations of the compnay are embedded in the local area and will help the local economy. Many guests will require on-shore accommodation before and after their cruise and we will recommend the best places to stay. We only use local produce in our menus and will highlight the food specialities of the area, which are of excellent quality. We take our guests onshore to find out more about the history and culture of the area and find authentic local food, drink and craft gifts to purchase and take home. Local trades are used in the maintenance of our vessel, with berthing fees supporting the local marina.