Daily Wildlife Noss Boat Tours
+44 (O) 7595540224
Daily Wildlife Noss Boat Tours+44 (O) 7595540224
Travel with highly experienced Noss Boat crew to experience an amazing wildlife spectacle. Our daily cruises take you around Bressay & Noss National Nature Reserve – one of Europe’s most sensational reserves. Our catamaran sports panoramic views so you can take in the breath-taking sights of this magnificent seabird metropolis, fully and uninterrupted. No guarantees but If you’re extremely lucky, you might even see Orcas, Minke Whales, Porpoises, dolphins or otters.
This unique experience gives amateur and professional photographers, a chance of spectacular early morning light on 20,000 birds in the Noss gannetry. Our spacious boat gives passionate photographers a golden opportunity to snap some extraordinary wildlife.
Experience wildlife so prolific in our Lerwick Harbour and Shetland's rich aquatic environment, with our 'underwater viewing'. We use a remotely controlled submarine video camera, which releases amazing underwater views to display screens in our sheltered cabin to show you a variety of sealife below.
Founded in 1992 by Naturalist Dr Jonathan Wills, Seabirds-and-Seals is Shetland’s most established and longest-running Noss Boat Tour Business and has its own Original Business Branding – ‘The Noss Boat’. This year the business celebrates 33 years of trading and looks forward to welcoming many new and returning customers onboard.
Skipper & Co-owner Brian has been part of the business since the beginning, and alongside with his wife Marie…has had extremely positive reviews since they took over the sensational wildlife tour business in 2017. Like any business takeover a new series of TripAdvisor/Google Reviews started and our popular tours are consistently ranked NO.1 on TripAdvisor. As born-and-bred Shetlander’s, we have a lifetime of experience with boats, the sea, nature, wildlife, geology, and history. That experience is shared with our guests, and that is why people rate us the best.
Our welcoming Noss Boat Crew are beyond excited to share their passion for Shetland’s beautiful wildlife aboard our comfortable & spacious catamaran, M.V Seabird – the top choice for viewing/photography with our extremely spacious viewing platform. We come highly recommended and without a doubt, offer the best value, boat, crew, and experience due to all our fabulous onboard services. We are Shetland’s No.1 choice for tourists, locals, tour groups/agencies, and film crews, most recently Simon King Wildlife & BBC Scotland.
TO FIND OUT MORE…CLICK ON THE HEADINGS BELOW TO EXPAND.
A trip aboard The Noss Boat 'Seabird' is a highlight for many as shown in our many fantastic reviews and from the number of awards won. We are the NO.1 choice for comfort, viewing and photography. There is an extremely spacious decking area to enable you to move around freely, to achieve that particular lighting angle, background or framing for the perfect shot. Our daily and early morning photography tours last up to 2.5hrs. This gives you ample time on the water to fully absorb the prolific wildlife and spectacular scenery which is omnipresent en route.
Safety is paramount to us at Seabirds-and-Seals. We are not a solo operation, along with our highly-experienced Skipper and in the interest of passenger welfare, safety and comfort, we always have an expert local guide at your service on every tour. This invariably results in a much richer and more satisfying customer experience!
Experience the sea like never before. On this amazing wildlife spectacular, you get to enjoy Shetland's abundant wildlife, guaranteeing close up views of Noss National Nature Reserve - one of Europe's most sensational reserves. If you’re extremely lucky, you might even see Orca, Minke Whale, Porpoises, dolphins or otters.
We bring fresh fish to give you the guaranteed opportunity to see gannets encircling and diving right alongside the boat - Always a great highlight!
Shetland born and bred, we can give you a 'Taste of Shetland' by sharing our strong dialect. Our experience and knowledge of the sea, nature, wildlife, history, geology and local heritage is unrivalled and it is why we are consistently ranked NO.1 on TripAdvisor!
By listening to our customer feedback over the years, we have tailored our tours to suit all ages and interests. We have onboard educational activities for our younger sailors, one of which has a monthly prize-draw. These activities keep our young ones engaged throughout and even the adults enjoy participating.
We anchor in a tranquil little bay to enjoy hot or cold drinks and a selection of biscuits…always a great highlight with plenty more wildlife/photography opportunities. If you have any dietary requirements, please let us know when booking.
We provide all you need to have an incredible experience at sea, this includes binoculars, seabird/wildlife identifications charts (also available in Braille), and in 5 different languages. Lifejackets are made available to all during our important safety briefing.
A unique feature of M.V Seabird is the boarding platform which facilitates easy wheelchair access, we strongly believe in inclusitivity for all.
As a long-time nature tour leader, I am always delighted to find partners to work with who provide the very best experiences for my clients. The seabird cliffs of Noss are one of the most spectacular sights on the planet and Seabirds and Seals provides the very best viewing of that spectacle. Marie and Brian were fantastic to work with; from the initial booking, to the day-of-details. Their knowledge of, and passion for the seabirds and other wildlife of Shetland is evident every step of the way. My group of American visitors were in awe. Brian’s boat skills allowed for breathtaking photo opportunities and jaw-dropping views. Marie’s narration gave them a broad understanding of the lives of these birds and the history of the island. The Gannet feeding at the end was the perfect conclusion to a memorable trip. I will be back in Shetland with another group soon and the first planning email will be to Seabirds and Seals to make sure we schedule our trip to Noss. . . . THANK YOU!
I have known this company since the first time I came to Shetland. I started with Jonathan Wills, now Marie and Brian continue this work with great professionalism and passion. I am an Italian guide who has been organizing trips to Shetland with Italian groups for 15 years. The Noss tour with Seabirds-and-Seals is an event that cannot be missed. It is an integral and fundamental part of the entire journey. I have always worked very well with Marie and Brian, and they have always been available to help me to find the best solution even when the sea told us no. They are two very special people…first of all ‘Good’, then they are excellent professionals who know how to put customers at ease and know how to make you experience the unique magic of Noss and Bressay. I will return every year, hopefully for a long time, waiting to say hello to my adventure friends and have the best tea with biscuits in the world in some cove in Noss or Bressay.
If you want a magical journey take a cruise with Seabirds-and-Seals! An expert skipper and knowledgeable guides will get you close to seabird cities, plunge diving gannets and great skuas. You should have a close approach from confiding seals and lay eyes on the house of Jimmy Perez, Shetland’s iconic TV detective! I’ll never forget my adventure with Marie and Marvyn.
The seabird cliffs of Noss rank as one of the most stunning wildlife spectacles in Britain and Ireland, and there is no better way to witness their splendour than with Marie and Brian onboard The Noss Boat ‘Seabird’. Brian will get you into the best possible position for the finest views whilst always respecting the wildlife you are watching and Marie will regale you with fascinating facts about the wildlife, geology and Island history, punctuated with the beauty of the Shetland dialect. The boat is ideal for observation and photography, with a spacious rear deck that allows standing room for all, but compact enough to venture into some of the caves around the island on calmer days. Even life beneath the waves will be brought into the comfort of the cabin via the ROV – a remotely operated submersible with a camera sending live images to screens at the surface. All that, plus a fine cuppa and a biscuit – a first class experience in every way!
The BEST visitor experience – We were a group of locals (family visiting from the mainland) and we really did have the best day. From start to finish was a please to be onboard. Marie, Brian and Crew were so knowledgeable and very kind to our younger members of family. We did this trip last Summer and everyone still speaks about how good it was and asking when we can go again! This trip was a reminder of just how stunning Shetland is and made us all appreciate what is on our doorstep. It also made me proud to showcase to family this brilliant tour business.
Our boat ‘Seabird’ is licensed to take up to 12 passengers and because she’s a catamaran – a very stable craft, with two hulls, and twin 370hp engines which gives her unparalleled sea-keeping ability. Another unique feature is the boarding platform which facilitates easy wheelchair access, we strongly believe in inclusivity for all. You can find out more about our accessible & inclusive aspects via the accessibility guide below.
https://seabirds-and-seals.com/accessible-inclusive-tourism/
We have many unique features, another is our extremely massive decking platform and clear to see from our homepage video and photographs, that we offer by FAR, the best for viewing and photography. From feedback, customers tell us that it never feels overcrowded, even when at full capacity and love the fact that they have the huge space to move around freely without worrying where they step and not confined to their seat or the one space…Free As A Bird. As all locals know or if you have been to Shetland before, we can have 4 seasons within a very quick time-frame, but we have the added bonus of a fixed canopy above the outdoor seating area.
Our spacious 13.5m catamaran offers 360° panoramic viewing, making it ideal for the best photography opportunities. There’s seating on deck for all, but if you prefer to be inside our heated saloon you’ll still have panoramic views. You can sit around the table to chat, or browse our small but informative ship’s library. There’s also dry storage space inside the cabin where you can securely stow any baggage and belongings, accessible at all times throughout the trip.
We have an accessible toilet on deck level and equipped with hand sanitizer, hygiene bags etc. Always reassuring to know there is easy access to a toilet on-board and especially after those welcoming refreshments.
Welcome to our multi-award-winning boat tour business, operated by Brian and Marie Leask. We are a husband and wife team with extensive seafaring experience which you can read more about by clicking on ‘Meet The Crew’ below. We are both Shetland born-and-bred, allowing us to give you a ‘Taste Of Shetland’ with our unique Shetland dialect and a lifetime experience of boats, the sea, nature, wildlife, geology, history, our rich heritage and much more.
Our passion for work and exceptional customer care has earned us top accolades, most recently ‘Service Excellence’ in Scotland, and ‘Scottish Family Business Of The Year’. With over 30 years of experience, we pride ourselves on showcasing the beauty of Lerwick’s harbour, Bressay, and Noss, ensuring a memorable experience for all. Our extensive seafaring expertise, led by highly experienced Skipper, Brian and Marie’s commitment to inclusion and sustainability, ensures the highest safety and service standards at all times. From 5-star ratings to Green Gold Tourism awards, we continue to lead the way in sustainable and inclusive tourism in Shetland.
We are often joined by relief crew members/guides, including business founder, Dr Jonathan Wills, along with others who have been part of the business since the early days.