Wild Rathlin: Puffins, Seals & Lighthouses Experience
This tour is finished for the season. We are back in March. See the tours sailing now.
Do you want to see puffins and set foot on Rathlin too? Discover the wild side of Rathlin, Northern Ireland's only inhabited offshore island. On this boat tour we sail along the cliffs, the caves and the lighthouses (those are guaranteed) in search of puffins, seabirds such as razorbills and guillemots, and seals. Then you get a whole hour ashore to explore the island itself.
On the water
- We head out of Ballycastle harbour with the North Coast behind us and Rathlin ahead. On a clear day you can pick out the Mull of Kintyre and Islay in Scotland.
- We also sail by Fair Head, the tallest cliff face in Northern Ireland.
- You will see Rue Point Lighthouse, where the seals like to rest on the rocks, basking in the sun (if it is out).
- Depending on the best conditions on the day, we sail by the East Light or the West Light.
- Additionally, we swing by Bruce's Cave, where Robert the Bruce sheltered in 1306. Our guides have some amazing stories about it.
- And you will experience Northern Ireland's largest seabird colony: around a quarter of a million seabirds come back to these cliffs every year to nest in season.
Wildlife you may see
- Puffins from April to mid-August, often bobbing on the water close to the boat.
- Razorbills, guillemots, kittiwakes, skuas and fulmars on the nesting cliffs.
- Gannets flying by or diving. If you catch one on camera, that is your photo of the day.
- Seals on the rocks and in the caves, and sometimes swimming close to the boat with their heads bobbing above the water.
- Dolphins and porpoises turn up occasionally on this tour. We never promise them, but it happens.
- A minke whale is rare, but now and then one surfaces, and it makes the day.
- Once or twice a season we get a sunfish or a basking shark. If you see one, that is a day nobody forgets, not even our crew.
Your hour ashore at Church Bay
- Pop into the Boathouse Visitor Centre.
- Wander the harbour and the village. Sometimes there are seals basking in the sun there too.
- Coffee or a bite at the Manor House or McCuaig's (not included).
Good to know
- Bring warm, waterproof clothes and a coat. It is colder on the water than on the pier.
- Wear flat shoes with a good grip.
- Seats inside and out, and toilets on board and on Rathlin.
- We never promise wildlife, but our crew will always help you spot it.
- Every sailing depends on the sea conditions.
More from this tour
Common questions
What should I wear?
Layers, always: a warm layer and a windproof one, even when the harbour is sunny, plus flat shoes with grip. Every week someone boards in a t-shirt and regrets it by the first headland.
Where do we depart from?
Ballycastle harbour, right beside the town. Selkie waits on the outer pier, on the pontoon just after the Rathlin ferry: follow the ferry signs, walk on past the ferry and you'll find us. Please be at the boat 15 minutes before departure.
Can I bring my dog?
Yes: dogs sail free, no ticket needed. Keep them on a lead. Most people forget how cold it can get on the water, so please make sure you have your dog covered.
What if the weather turns?
Every sailing depends on safe sea conditions. If we have to cancel because of the weather, you hear it from us fast and you get a full refund or credit, as our refund policy says. The sea makes the final call on this coast.