Seal Island
Seal Island, (Western Carracks), lies 3½ miles (6km) to the West of St Ives, along the rocky Cornish coastline. This rocky outcrop, near Zennor, is home to a colony of Grey Atlantic Seals, where they feel safe, protected from predators and the forces of the Atlantic Ocean.
Visitors to St Ives have been taking trips to Seal Island since the 1930’s, hence the seals are used to boats visiting their home and they don’t seem to mind the intrusion, indeed, as seals are naturally inquisitive and friendly marine mammals, they often swim up to the boat to say hello. This popular Sea Safari, runs (weather permitting) on a daily basis, several times a day. Our boat, Dolly P, offers a fast, stable and comfortable ride to seal Island.
Tickets for the boat trip to Seal Island on Dolly P, are purchased from Derek who you will find outside the St Ives Lifeboat Station. Trips are available at all times of the day, subject to favourable weather and sea conditions.
Depending on the state of the tide, the boat trip to Seal Island may depart from one of several different points within St Ives harbour. After leaving the harbour, we round The Island, St Ives Head, passing Porthmeor Beach, the Tate Gallery, the beautiful rugged Cornish cliffs and secluded coves, heading Westward to Seal Island. On arrival there is a small inlet where the boat goes astern to allow undisturbed seal watching for 15-20 minutes.
At times, there may be as many as 30-40 seals visible, basking on the rocks or swimming in the sea and at other times there may be only 2 or 3, mostly it is a figure somewhere between the two. The Grey Atlantic Seals at Seal Island are wild animals and whilst we cannot guarantee seal sightings, it is only very rarely that there are no seals here. Our Seal Island boat trip, is probably one of the most popular Sea Safari in Cornwall.
Occasionally, St Ives is lucky to have other marine wildlife, such as Basking Sharks, Dolphins, Porpoises and Whales hunting for food or playing close to the shore and it is on the excursion to Seal Island where these magnificent animals will be spotted. Our skippers have had training from Wise(Wildlife SafE) and St Ives Boats is an Accredited Wildlife Safe Operator.
The trip to Seal island, aboard Dolly P, lasts around one hour and is suitable for all ages.
Departures are from St Ives Harbour.
Insist on Dolly P, for a fast comfortable trip.
Phone Derek on 0777 300 8000 to book your places.
Godrevy Lighthouse and Hell's mouth
Lying 3½ miles (6km) ENE across the bay and visible from most parts of St Ives can be seen the famous Godrevy Lighthouse. The lighthouse popularised by Virginia Woolf in her classic book “To The Lighthouse”.
Built in 1859 to warn mariners of the dangers of the Stones Reef, Godrevy Lighthouse stands 26 metres on a small island just off the shoreline near the North Cliffs.
With its characteristic pair of white & red lights flashing every 10 Seconds, Godrevy lighthouse has been a familiar and welcoming sight for generations of St Ives seafarers.
Godrevy Lighthouse was built after a public outcry, when the the iron screw steamer Nile, ran aground and was totally wrecked with the loss of all passengers and crew (60 in total) in 1854.
Further East along the North Cliffs lies Hell’s Mouth a vast circular chasm, probably a collapsed cave, with steep sided cliffs, perhaps 300ft high. This popular beauty spot and notorious suicide spot, is the breeding ground for several varieties of seabirds, that take advantage of it’s lofty and inaccessible nooks and crannies.
Our skipper Mike is well versed in this coastline and delivers an informative narration, pointing out the smuggler’s coves, the site of the 1989 shipwreck “Secil Japan”, as well as the history of Godrevy Lighthouse and other snippets of useful information. Seals abound on this stretch of coastline and Mike will hopefully include a spot of dolphin watching, if they feel in the mood!
This boat trip skirts the coastline from St Ives to Godrevy island, giving passengers a close-up view of, Porthminster, Carbis Bay, Lelant and Hayle beaches. The boat passes the mouth of the Hayle Estuary and the infamous Hayle Bar. We pass both inner and outer sounds of Godrevy Island.
The boat trip along this stretch of North Cornwall coastline lasts for about 1 hour 20 minutes.
Our boat Dolly P, is the ideal choice for a fast, fun and comfortable ride.
Phone Derek on 0777 300 8000 to book your places.
To The Lighthouse
New for 2010, our boat trip, To The Lighthouse, is ideal for those interested in visiting Godrevy Island and it’s lighthouse. The lighthouse, visible across the bay from St Ives, was the inspiration for Virginia Woolf’s novel “To The Lighthouse”.
We leave the harbour at St Ives and cling to the coastline, enabling great views of St Ives from the sea, passing Porthminster Beach, Carbis Bay Beach, Lelant Beach (Porthkidney Sands), Hayle Estuary and the golden sands of Hayle Beach, before reaching Godrevy Island. Our skipper, Mike, will keep a look out for dolphins, as they often visit this part of the bay.
Godrevy Island marks the Eastern boundary of St Ives Bay, beyond which the North Cornwall Coast stretches towards Portreath, St Agnes and Newquay.
The lighthouse on Godrevy Island was constructed in 1859 to warn mariners of the dangers of the Stones Reef, which stretches out into St Ives Bay.
The island is home to a small colony of Grey Atlantic Seals as well as a resting place for migrant seabirds. Mike, our skipper on this trip, will be glad to inform passengers of the history of the lighthouse and you will find he has a wealth of anecdotes about the island and it’s surrounds.
The trip will completely encircle the island before heading off directly across St Ives Bay, to return to St Ives Harbour. The boat trip lasts one hour.
Our boat, Dolly P, is the ideal choice for this trip, being fast, fun and comfortable.
Phone Derek on 0777 300 8000 to book your places.
Seal Island, (Western Carracks), lies 3½ miles (6km) to the West of St Ives, along the rocky Cornish coastline. This rocky outcrop, near Zennor, is home to a colony of Grey Atlantic Seals, where they feel safe, protected from predators and the forces of the Atlantic Ocean. 
