Fabulous day - enhanced by the generous knowledge of both Tom [Naturetrek guide] and Ross [skipper]. Small numbers on the tour meant plenty of room to view from all sides. Saw several pods of dolphins; porpoises; seals; gannets; kittiwakes; shearwaters (some rare - sooty, cory). This is great day out, whether you're an expert ornothologist or an enthusiast - can't recommend it enough!
J.L.J. Gloucestershire, Aug 23
Tour Itinerary and Reports
Seabirds & Cetaceans of Lyme Bay
Tour Code: GBR09A day cruising in Lyme Bay, off Dorset's Jurassic coast, searching for White-beaked Dolphins and other cetaceans, as well as Sunfish, Basking Sharks and much more!
£135
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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- 2021 Highlights
- 2020 Highlights
- 2019 Highlights
- 2018 Highlights
- Tour report - October 2025
- Tour report - January 2025
- Tour report - September 2018
- Tour report - August 2018
- Tour report - June 2018
- Tour report - August 2012
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Summary
On our full-day cruises we will head out into the deeper waters of Lyme Bay in search of White-beaked and other dolphins, as well as a good diversity of seabirds including skuas, petrels, terns and shearwaters. Other seabirds regularly seen on these cruises include Guillemot, Common Scoter, Sandwich Tern, Fulmar and European Storm-petrel, while Sunfish and Basking Sharks are among the other marine-life we could encounter.
- Full-day trips focusing on White-beaked Dolphins & seabirds, departing from Brixham
- Comfortable, well-equipped, small charter boats & experienced local skippers
- One of the best places in the world to see Balearic Shearwater
- Great & Cory's Shearwaters increasingly seen, associated with Bluefin Tuna shoals
- Gannet, Kittiwake, Great & Arctic Skuas, plus Arctic Tern regularly seen
- Pomarine Skua and British Storm-petrel regularly seen
- Bottlenose & Common Dolphins, plus Harbour Porpoise often encountered
- Possibility of coming across more rarely seen cetaceans & seabirds
- Boats have indoor & outdoor seating, tea & coffee facilities, plus toilets
- Led by expert Naturetrek naturalist
Grading
No walking involved, just a boat trip.NULL
Day Trip Location
What's Included?
- Accommodation:
Accommodation n/a
- Food: Tea and coffee is provided on the boat. Bring your own food.
Reviews
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This was a day trip to view the dolphins and seabirds of Lyme Bay, in Devon. We spent 9 hours out on the sea, it was unfortunately quite rough, and I am not the best of sailors!! We did however see numerous dolphins which was amazing, some with their young, and many swam right up to the boat, and also many many sea birds of differing types. I have had three holidays with Naturetrek, and also this day trip, everything is always organised in an efficient friendly manner and nothing is too much trouble. I travel with Naturetrek as I know they will look after me, and that my holiday will be amazing from start to finish.
D.W. Devon, Aug 22 -
A boat trip from Brixham to look for birds and cetaceans in Lyme Bay. Despite relatively rough seas for the first couple of hours - it calmed down later in the day - I was surprised at the amount of dolphins, porpoise and relatively rare seabirds we saw, all with excellent views and in many cases very close to the boat. The other members of a small party were very friendly and helpful. The guide and boat skipper were excellent, in poor conditions, and although we did not see some of the rarer species, this is always the luck of the drawer, it was a superb day. Naturetrek, who I have now travelled with many times, is a high quality, professional, operation who I would highly recommend to anyone interested in a wildlife holiday/trip.
R. L. Hampshire, Aug 21 -
A wonderful day-trip out into the waters of Lyme Bay from Brixham, with very close encounters of 120+ white-sided dolphins, plus porpoises, grey seals and many sea birds. Naturetrek is a very experienced and efficient operator, with excellent guides who are real experts in their areas.
Q.G. London, Aug 21 -
Great day trip out around the Lyme Bay area, looking for sea birds and dolphins. We saw three good pods of dolphins, two swimming close to the boat and 'playing' around us, young as well as adults. Great views of lots of different sea birds. An enjoyable trip. Naturetrek run a good variety of trips. They communicated well with us about this trip with updates as required. The guide was enthusiastic and knowledgeable about what we saw.
J.A. Essex, Aug 21
Dates & Prices
2026
Tour Leader: Peter Stevens
Pete has had a life-long interest in birds and other wildlife. Brought up on the edge of countryside and within walking distance of the River Teign Estuary in South Devon, he is still based in that attractive area of England. Passionate about travel, Pete's search for wildlife and particularly birds has lead him to travel extensively in Europe, North and South America, several countries in Africa, Turkey, Georgia, Armenia, Syria, India, Vietnam, Cambodia, Eastern Australia and New Zealand. A professional ecologist, Pete specialised in land management and particularly heath and grassland habitats. He has worked for industry, local authorities and for sixteen years as an ecologist in government agencies. Writing management plans for nature reserves and other sensitive wildlife areas broadened his interests to include butterflies, dragonflies and damselflies. Crucial to much of his work has been botanical knowledge and Pete has carried out numerous botanical surveys including surveying and assessing the condition of several thousand hectares of the Dartmoor National Park Site of Special Scientific Interest during 2013. Pete enjoys passing on his knowledge and he has been the guide on numerous wildlife walks around his home county plus conducting many professional training courses, before joining Naturetrek in 2015.
Tour Leader: Tom Brereton
Tom is a highly experienced ecological consultant with a lifelong interest in the natural world, with an MSc in Conservation and a PhD in Butterfly Ecology. Tom has worked for various wildlife conservation and research non-governmental organisations including the Northumberland Wildlife Trust, as an RSPB Warden and Reserves Ecologist, as Associate Director of Research at Butterfly Conservation, and as co-founder and Research Director of the UK charity Marinelife.
Tom is now a Visiting Professor at Bournemouth University, Visiting Researcher at Exeter University, and Head of Ecology at the Mapperton Estate, carrying out ecological work across England and also Mainland Europe and the Middle East. Tom has been an ecotourism guide since 1997, leading over 100 bird, butterfly, mammal and botanical tours mostly for Naturetrek. He is also a Brand Ambassador for Kite Optics.
Tour Leader: Tom Brereton
Tom is a highly experienced ecological consultant with a lifelong interest in the natural world, with an MSc in Conservation and a PhD in Butterfly Ecology. Tom has worked for various wildlife conservation and research non-governmental organisations including the Northumberland Wildlife Trust, as an RSPB Warden and Reserves Ecologist, as Associate Director of Research at Butterfly Conservation, and as co-founder and Research Director of the UK charity Marinelife.
Tom is now a Visiting Professor at Bournemouth University, Visiting Researcher at Exeter University, and Head of Ecology at the Mapperton Estate, carrying out ecological work across England and also Mainland Europe and the Middle East. Tom has been an ecotourism guide since 1997, leading over 100 bird, butterfly, mammal and botanical tours mostly for Naturetrek. He is also a Brand Ambassador for Kite Optics.
Tour Leader: Tom Brereton
Tom is a highly experienced ecological consultant with a lifelong interest in the natural world, with an MSc in Conservation and a PhD in Butterfly Ecology. Tom has worked for various wildlife conservation and research non-governmental organisations including the Northumberland Wildlife Trust, as an RSPB Warden and Reserves Ecologist, as Associate Director of Research at Butterfly Conservation, and as co-founder and Research Director of the UK charity Marinelife.
Tom is now a Visiting Professor at Bournemouth University, Visiting Researcher at Exeter University, and Head of Ecology at the Mapperton Estate, carrying out ecological work across England and also Mainland Europe and the Middle East. Tom has been an ecotourism guide since 1997, leading over 100 bird, butterfly, mammal and botanical tours mostly for Naturetrek. He is also a Brand Ambassador for Kite Optics.
Prefer to Travel in a Private Group?
For any interested natural history club or society, we can arrange for a private departure of this tour.
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Why Naturetrek?
At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:
- The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
- Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
- Outstanding value and exceptional customer service
Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!
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