Marine Eco Boat Trips
Each day on the water
Brings a sense of mystery and discovery as you never know in advance what you'll see. Whales, dolphins, seals, basking sharks, sunfish as well as gannets, shags, cormorants, kittiwakes, skuas, shearwaters and peregrine falcons.
West Cork has a rugged coastline, riddled with islands, castles, harbours and inlets that provide a haven for seals and bird life. If the weather does not lend itself for an offshore adventure, then there is always the beautiful Roaringwater Bay, Carbery's 100 Isles, Kedges, Cape Clear, Sherkin as most islands provide a sheltered / lea side for calmer conditions.
Boat Trips - Whale & Dolphin and Marine Wildlife Tours
For groups or individuals wishing to book a half day excursion on the "Wave Chieftain" for a whale & dolphin tour or eco-trip, we have unpolluted waters, warmed by the Gulf Stream, pristine topography, colourful and spectacular scenery - and a great chance of seeing whales, dolphins, harbour porpoises, sunfish (also known as moon or mola / luna luna fish), seals & the occasional leatherback turtle and a great variety of birds.
(subject to weather & minimum numbers)
Online ticket purchase options close 24 hrs prior to each tour so for last minute availability call +353 877961456
Book (online with live calendar) to reserve your spaces commission-free with a credit card or enquire about a bespoke tour or date if the calendar appears full and we will help you.
For groups or individuals wishing to book a half day excursion on the "Wave Chieftain" for a whale & dolphin tour or eco-trip, we have unpolluted waters, warmed by the Gulf Stream, pristine topography, colourful and spectacular scenery - and a great chance of seeing whales, dolphins, harbour porpoises, sunfish (also known as moon or mola / luna luna fish), seals & the occasional leatherback turtle and a great variety of birds.
- Morning tour (up to 3 hrs) pp € 40.00
- Afternoon tour (up to 4 hrs) pp € 50.00
- Children under 12 get a discount and all young people under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
- Recommended minimum age 4 (call us to check as this recommendation is made in view of sea conditions / safety on board).
- Please feel free to bring refreshments on board but remember to take all left overs & packaging home with you after the tour.
- We provide lifejackets on board (all under 18 years of age must wear these during the cruise whilst for adults it is optional).
- As spaces are limited we have to operate a strict cancellation policy. Free cancellation - 48 hours prior to your booked tour.
- All boat trips are subject to minimum numbers & weather. We will therefore confirm your trip 1 to 2 days in advance. In case we have to cancel the tour, you will be offered an alternate trip, a voucher or a full refund.
Additional Informations
In the early 1990s the Irish Government declared its coastal waters a Whale & Dolphin Sanctuary (the first of its kind in Europe). The West Cork coast line is a feeding area for a number of whales and dolphins particularly between Galley Head and The Fastnet Lighthouse and to date 24 species have been recorded. From early May to late November you might see minke whales, fin whales, orcas (killer whales) and humpback whales whilst common dolphins and harbour porpoises are resident year-round. At other times you might see bottlenose dolphins, risso dolphins, killer whales (orca) and long-finned pilot whales.
Although there are no guaranteed sightings, this area is renowned for great whale watching and we can confidently state that our success rate is 80%+. The whales are migratory, which means they spend much of the year travelling between summer feeding grounds at latitudes further north of Ireland and winter breeding grounds in tropical waters. They pass close to our coastline at certain times of the year. You’ll have a great outing on board the Wave Chieftain which is a large stable vessel with indoor and outdoor seating, a toilet on board, hot drinks, reference books, binoculars and all safety equipment under the Department of Marine licensing rules & regulations.
We aim to provide you with a memorable whale & dolphin watching trip and will give information about the species’ biology and their environment, feeding patterns but emphasise the animals’ wellbeing, protection and conservation. To do so we work to a code of conduct which includes keeping a minimum distance to them, slow speeds and appropriate angles to approach them, limit the time the boat is spending with the animals, and if a number of other boats approach or are in their vicinity we move away for a little while. We do not “chase” annimals as that may negatively impact on their behaviour of feeding, resting and other important activities.
- Trips are weather dependant and subject to minimum numbers.
- If we have to cancel a trip, you will be offered an alternative date OR a full refund.
- You must confirm your reservation with us ideally 2 days/48 hours prior to the tour but certainly no later than 24 hours beforehand, either by email info@aquaventures.ie or text/sms +353877961456 (use WhatsApp).
- There is no refund for “No Shows” on the day OR cancellations not confirmed by email to info@aquaventures.ie
- If you cancel giving a minimum of 48 hours’ notice you will be offered an alternate date OR a voucher OR a full refund. Refunds for cancellations giving less than 24 hours are at the discretion of Aquaventures Ltd.
- All cancellations, request changes to your dates or increase / decrease of passenger numbers must be notified to Aquaventures NOT 3rd party / booking agents / hotel reception staff etc. giving a minimum of 24 hours’ notice.
- All prices are in Euros and include any sales tax where applicable.
- Dogs or pets are generally not accepted on board except for guide dogs / trained assistance dogs (please advise us in advance).
- Not wheelchair accessible.
To book or make an enquiry please Contact us
