fort william boat tours

Seal Island Cruises

• Evening Cruises
• Private Charters
• 1 Hour Rib Adventures
• 4-Hour Rib Adventures

Where to Find Us Cruise Loch Linnhe, Fort William Town Pier, PH33 6DZ

Email: [email protected]

Whether you’re visiting in the peak summer season or the quieter times of year, our Seal Island Cruises are always a Fort William boat trip highlight!

Located along Loch Linnhe between Fort William and Ardgour is Black Rock, affectionately known as ‘Seal Island’ amongst locals. This rocky outcrop is not just an ordinary geological formation; it’s a sanctuary for both the Common and Atlantic Grey seals that call Loch Linnhe home.

Book your Cruise Loch Linnhe Experience

There is a fantastic array of wildlife in and around Loch Linnhe all year round form Atlantic Grey Seals and Porpoise to Eagles and a huge range of Migratory Birds. Not to mention we pass by plenty of sights of local importance and you will also be kept entertained with a detailed live commentary from our Skipper about all of the history, industry, geology, and wildlife that we see on our Fort William boat trips.

Visiting the Scottish Highlands in the off-season? Great! We cruise year-round. A winter cruise on Loch Linnhe offers you the unique opportunity to take in the stunning sights of the autumnal-coloured landscape and snow-capped mountains.

Our Winter timetable is slightly reduced due to visitor numbers, but if you are a group of 10+ people visiting on a day that we are not running please get in touch with us at [email protected] as we may be able to run additional trips to suit your schedule.

Find out more about all things Seal Island here!!

Follow us on  Facebook  and  Instagram  to keep up to date with the latest Cruise Loch Linnhe news!

We also offer Private Charters!

Hire Elsie for that special occasion:

• Fishing trips
• Crew transfers
• Sea bed surveys
• Sunset or sunrise cruises
• Special Events
• Staff Parties

Please get in touch for more details – [email protected]

More about your Cruise on Loch Linnhe

About loch linnhe.

Loch Linnhe is a Tidal Sea Loch at 10miles long about 1mile wide. It is a massive 164metres deep making it the second deepest sea loch on the West Coast with a tidal range of 4.5metres. The seabed keeps a steady temperature of 2-3 degrees centigrade.

Elsie is a Blyth Catamaran 12metres x 5metres she has 2 engines, propellers and rudders. She is powered by 2 x Iveco engines 340hp each and carries up to 65 passengers, she is highly manoeuvrable with a top speed of 21knts (around 24mph). We cruise along at 10knts.

Elsie has both indoor and outdoor seating including our elevated viewing deck and onboard toilet, Tea and coffee facilities along with snacks and juice to keep you refreshed during your cruise.

Our boat also comes equipped with sonar and a lCD screen in the passengers area to allow you not only to see what’s above the water but also the Shapley landscape below.

Coded by MCA category 6 & 6A as well she holds a small commercial vessel certificate.

Stunning variety of Wildlife

Along the way we will come across a large variety of stunning wildlife that may been seen, from Sea eagles, Otters, Seals to Golden eagles and many more. Read More

Sights in the Heart of the Highlands

Other than the Wildlife  there are plently other Breaktaking Sights to see, some of which are:

• Britain’s Highest Mountain  – Ben Nevis
• Glaciation – The Great Glen Fault
• The Black Houses
• West Highland Way
• Caledonian Canal
• Corpach Shipwreck

You will be entertained and informed with live commentary of the area by our extremely experienced and knowledgeable skipper. Read More

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• Cruise Loch Linnhe

Daily 2 hour cruises on Loch Linnhe visiting our local seal colony on black rock as well as some of Fort William's key cultural and historical sights. An informative commentary and refreshments are provided on board by our friendly crew!

Day Cruises Departing Fort William's Town Pier our day cruises to 'seal island' run 3 times a day at 10.30, 13.00, and 15.30 (n.b Nov-March we run a reduced timetable please check our website for departure times). Trips last 2 hours allowing plenty of time for you to enjoy spectacular views of Ben Nevis and the surrounding area. We will begin by visiting the entrance of the Caledonian Canal and the Corpach islands where we have regular sightings of White-tailed eagles, Otters, and porpoises. After that, we will cruise to 'Seal Island' which is home to both common and grey seals. Along the way, we will come across key historical and cultural sights such as fish farms, traditional black houses, and ancient Caledonian forests. Whilst onboard you will be entertained and informed with live commentary of the area by our extremely experienced and knowledgeable skipper Karl and our friendly crew will be on hand to provide refreshments and to take photos. Evening Cruises From April~September , we run our 90 minte evening cruises around Loch Linnhe and up to the very tranquil Loch Eil. Our evening cruises boast the best sunsets over the loch and unbeatable views of Ben Nevis! We also have a well-stocked bar onboard and our crew are on-hand to serve drinks, spot wildlife and talk about points of interest along the route. Our Vessels  Our Vessels have both indoor and outdoor seating including our elevated viewing deck and onboard toilet. Tea and coffee facilities along with snacks and juice to keep you refreshed during your cruise. 

Private charters Are available and can be used for Birthday Parties, School Trips, Fishing trips, Crew transfers, Sea bed surveys, and Sunset or Sunrise cruises. Just send us an email to enquire.

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Loch Shiel Cruises

Bird watching, wildlife & historical cruises on loch shiel, glenfinnan, by fort william, scotland, unique "eagle-watch" cruises aboard the historic mv sileas on the beautiful sheltered waters of loch shiel, the m.v. sileas, join us on an unforgettable cruise aboard the m.v. sileas on the stunning loch shiel..

Join us on a cruise where it is possible to view Golden Eagles, White Tailed Eagles, Red Throated Divers, Hen Harriers, Red Deer plus a wide variety of other wildlife, while learning the History and Geology of this special, remote and unspoiled part of the Highlands of Scotland.

Accessible only by boat, Loch Shiel is one of Scotland's most historically significant and unspoiled natural treasures.

Carved out by retreating glaciers over successive ice ages, this 18 mile long freshwater loch has changed relatively little since then and can truly be called a last wild place.

Friendly and knowledgeable crew

Now you can cruise the magnificent and historical scenery of Loch Shiel in the company of a friendly and knowledgeable crew, with live commentary on the history and wildlife of this beautiful region.

Sileas has a bar, coffee and tea and light refreshments on board. Meals and snacks are available ashore at each end of Loch Shiel. Your well behaved dogs are welcome to join you on board.

Sileas has Marine Coastguard Agency approval to carry 50 passengers, with covered and open seating on deck and a saloon below decks. Binoculars and guidebooks are available for your use on board.

Cruise Loch Shiel

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Southbridge Boat House

Hours updated 1 week ago

Special hours today. This business is open 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM on July 4th, Independence Day.

Review Highlights

“ Now that Spring is here, I'd heartily suggest coming out here, and spending the day paddling up or down the River . ” in 21 reviews

“ We headed toward the Old North Bridge , which is part of the Minute Man historic park. ” in 5 reviews

“ Good prices, equipment is ok, but the best is the excursion to the minute man historic monument and house. ” in 3 reviews

Location & Hours

Suggest an edit

496 Main St

Concord, MA 01742

Upcoming Special Hours

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About the Business

The South Bridge Boathouse offers canoe and kayak rentals to the general public with waterfront access to the historic waterways of the Assabet, Concord and Sudbury rivers. We are committed to making your experience safe and enjoyable. Please call us if you have any questions, we’re happy to assist you. Happy paddling! …

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• 1 star rating Not good
• 2 star rating Could’ve been better
• 3 star rating OK
• 4 star rating Good
• 5 star rating Great

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Overall rating

Perfect spot for some weekend activity! Friendly staff and great location! Cameron did an excellent job in getting my party ready for some enjoyable kayaking experience.

Cash only!! (Only reason it's not a 5!) Plan ahead.... Solid service by Bri, and the young men who launch you and help you back in. Thanks for such an affordable, reliable kayaking opportunity. Part of my summer rituals now.... Know that the website is not current, either.... But what they do, they do well!

On the River

One of our sightings

This goes back some time, but had the same experience as other reviewers here with the "older man" and felt compelled to write this review. Brought extended family (with young kids) to rent some canoes. Found the front desk empty during regular hours. Stepped onto the deck in front of the river to see if anyone was around. Eventually we noticed the "older man" by himself with some canoes. He ignored us. We asked if he worked here and he went ballistic. Started yelling at us and punching canoes. Getting violent and unpredictable. We retreated quickly to our car. Absolutely confused by the incident. We reached out to the owner by phone to report the incident and she basically told us "what do you want me to do about it?" As I understand it, he is related to the owner and she is well aware of this ongoing problem. Read the other reviews, this is not an isolated incident.

Reasonable prices but cash only. Equipments are fine and easy renting. The old man and the young guy both were helpful. 1.5-2 hrs kayak/ canoe is totally worth it. Social distancing and masks are requiredat the dock at these convos times but later can be removed in the boats.

Had lot of geese accompany us!!

I really enjoyed Canoeing here, the concord river is huge so we canoed for 3+ hours but only covered a fraction of the river. The boat house has double kayaks, canoes, and single kayaks. Be aware that this place is CASH ONLY. They had someone help us get in and out of the boat which was nice. The price I believe is changed by hour then after 3 hours, the price no longer goes up. The facilities are on the older side but did not impact our experience. I would make five stars if they accepted credit card and/or could book from their website.

Good prices, equipment is ok, but the best is the excursion to the minute man historic monument and house. Make sure you pick a good, clear, and warm day for your excursion. The rental was quick and efficient. Not much training or "friendliness", just to business and off you go on the water.

Fun expeditions to minute man historical monument

Love this beautiful spot! The new 3rd generation owner is amazing! She is so kind, professional, and hardworking. The customer service is top notch and the views on the river are stunning. Can't recommend this place enough!

David was great. He provided us with maps of the river, advised us on some hidden gems and shallow areas to watch out for, and was generally speaking just a really kind person. I was glad we ended up here - David's warm welcome was a great way to begin a lovely afternoon paddling trip. Will definitely be back.

How can you not be excited about getting on the water in this spot?

What a great place this is. The prices could be a little less, but it's still worth it. The Sudbury River water isn't the cleanest but it's all good...the boathouse has nothing to do with that. They don't take debit or credit cards like the website says. They should update the site. I know that the boathouse may have survived some massive water damage throughout the years with floods...but it still upholds its charm. My experiences have been pretty fair when it comes to the staff. There's a lot of wild life which is a plus!

This is a lovely little spot to come to and have an 1 1/2 canoe or kayak down river through Concord. It's very pretty and we had the opportunity to take some wonderful pictures. The boat house has a working bathroom and lots of boats, the staff are young but helpful. There is an easiness to renting (cash only). They offer a lunch and dinner cruise that could be nice but the menu wasn't of interest. We would recommend this and do it again!

See all photos from Delilah A. for Southbridge Boat House

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