THE BEST PENZANCE BOAT TRIP FOR SEALS, WHALES & DOLPHINS IN CORNWALL: OUR HONEST REVIEW!
LOOKING FOR THE BEST PENZANCE BOAT TRIP TO SEE SEALS, WHALES AND DOLPHINS IN CORNWALL THIS YEAR?
ABOUT MARINE DISCOVERY PENZANCE
WHY SHOULD YOU BOOK WITH MARINE DISCOVERY?
WHAT TO EXPECT ON THE DAY
MAKE YOUR WAY TO THE MEETING POINT
In the morning, make your own way to Marine Discovery Penzance’s main office, located here on Albert Pier in Penzance.
On rare occasions, you may instead depart from South Pier instead due to the tides. The confirmed departure pier location will be stated on the top of your specific confirmation e-mail. If unsure, always confirm with Marine Discovery in advance.
Top Tip: There is one below-deck toilet to use on-board! Just ask one of the crew to direct you to it if needed.
Top Tip: There are also free public toilets at South Pier, should you want to use them beforehand on route to Albert Pier.
BRIEFING & BOARDING
On arrival, you will be greeted by two friendly members of the Marine Discovery crew. They will first you check in and offer complimentary use of waterproof thermal coats and, of course, compulsory life jackets.
What we really appreciated was how they took the time to ensure everyone had jackets that fitted them the best and were secure for both optimal wearing comfort and safety.
Once all passengers are present, and after a short briefing on the sailing itinerary and possible wildlife to spot was completed, you board and set sail on their eco-friendly catamaran!
SAILING ON THE CATAMARAN
As you exit out of Penzance harbour, the crew head straight over to St Clement Isle, a small isolated cluster of rocks just off the shore of nearby Mousehole village.
St Clement Isle is a known hotspot for grey seals, who are commonly spotted lazing around in the sunshine here!
We were very lucky to see quite a few beautiful grey seals at this location, you can spot them moving around on our video below:
Dependant on what tour duration you booked with Marine Discovery, the crew will steer the catamaran out to open seas. They will do their upmost to search for marine life for you, visiting frequently known hotspots plus using nearby birdlife activity as another indicator too!
During our Penzance boat trip with Marine Discovery, as well as the grey seals we were lucky to have a large pod of Common Dolphins take a great interest in the boat, having tremendous fun bow riding the waves and travelling alongside us. It was such a great experience!
Crucial note: Though the crew will do their absolute best to pinpoint the best of Cornwalls marine life, please do note that wildlife sightings are not always fully guaranteed.
SPOTTED WILDLIFE: WHAT COULD YOU SEE?
COMMON & BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS
The worldwide Common Dolphin are the easiest species to spot on the Penzance boat trips, travelling in large pods of up to 20-30 members in UK waters, and distinctive by their yellow side markings. These playful creatures love to bow-ride wildlife boat tours, breach and leap out of the water to put on a show!
It is also possible to spot the larger and most acrobatic Bottlenose dolphin species in Cornwall, though sightings are slightly less common.
The best time to go dolphin spotting in Cornwall are the warmer Summer months, particularly between July – October.
Fun Fact: Though the Common dolphin are preyed on by sharks and killer whales elsewhere in the world, in Cornwall, they are in fact top of the food chain and have no known predators!
HARBOUR PORPOISES
The Harbour porpoise is another regular sighting on Penzance boat trips, with the Cornish waters being a hotspot!
Growing to a maximum of 1.8m, the Harbour Porpoise is a relatively subdued, shy and quiet species, who don’t tend leap out of the water or willingly draw attention to themselves.
Look out for their dark grey complexion, short-beaked nose and small, distinctively triangular shaped fin!
The best time to see Harbour Porpoises in Cornwall are the warmer Summer months, particularly between July – October, where they can be seen in groups of up to 30!
GREY SEALS
Cornwalls coastline is home to numerous colonies of grey seal, one of the rarest species of seal in the world! They are the UK’s largest land mammal, though females are slightly smaller and paler than the males. They are drawn to Cornwalls inset coves and irresistible rock formations.
Though grey seals can be spotted on Cornwalls shores all-year round, the best time to see grey seals in Cornwall is through Autumn mid-September to January, as this is the perfect time to see seal pups!
RISSO DOLPHIN
Though usually found in deeper waters, the more elusive Risso dolphin can often be spotted off the Cornwall coast, particular in the warmer Summer months! They have incredibly distinct markings, which visually look like scarring all over their body.
They also have a very tall hooked fin (much larger than the Common and Bottlenose dolphins), which is actually commonly mistaken for an Orca’s fin!
The best place to see the Risso dolphin in Cornwall is around the Land’s End peninsula, where Penzance is located.
MINKE WHALE
Minke whales are the smallest species (between 7 to 9 metres) of the rorqual family; a family which includes the fin and infamous blue whale.
These gentle giants are baleen whales, meaning they do not have teeth, but small fronds which allows them to sieve small fish from large mouthfuls of water.
The best time to see Minke Whales in Cornwall is between the late Summer and Autumn.
BASKING SHARK
Though alarming and almost frightful on first glance, the Basking Shark (which is actually the World’s second largest fish species) are in fact gentle giants and very docile in nature.
They are often seen on the waters surface, as this is where they feed on plankton! Basking Sharks are notoriously slow moving and, when feeding, with swim with their mouths literally wide open to filter zooplankton out of the water, and finally close their mouths to exert excess water through their gills.
The best time to see Basking Sharks in Cornwall are in the warmer Spring and Summer months.
OCEAN SUNFISH
When the sea temperature reaches 14 degrees celsuis or above, there is the chance to spot the fascinating Ocean Sunfish off Cornish shores!
Considered the ‘heaviest bony fish’ in the world, juvenile Sunfish (approx. less than 1-metre across) can be seen basking horizontally on the ocean’s surface, warming up after long food-driven dives to colder depths!
The best time to see the Ocean Sunfish in Cornwall is in the warmer Summer months.
Fun Fact: Though the Common dolphin are preyed on by sharks and killer whales elsewhere in the world, in Cornwall, they are in fact top of the food chain and have no known predators!
WHERE TO STAY IN PENZANCE
⭐ The Beach Club, Penzance
(19 minute walk / 5 minute drive to Marine Discovery office. Nautical design, seafront location, private parking, good breakfast included)
GETTING TO THE MARINE DISCOVERY OFFICE: ALL OPTIONS
BOOKING YOUR PENZANCE BOAT TRIP
WHAT BOAT TRIPS DO MARINE DISCOVERY OFFER?
WHEN DO MARINE DISCOVERY BOAT TOURS RUN?
CONCLUSION: PENZANCE BOAT TRIP WITH MARINE DISCOVERY
To conclude, it would be a crime for anyone who is interested in wildlife to visit Penzance without undertaking a wildlife boat trip with Marine Discovery!
From our personal experience, we found their 3 hour ‘Ocean Discovery’ cruise option to be extremely fun, engaging, safe and super interesting. Plus, seeing the multiple grey seals and common dolphins was a bonus!
If you are looking for the best Penzance boat tour, look on further than Marine Discover. You won’t regret it!
This blog post was written by Jordie Flain!
Founder of TheFlainsTravel.com
A travel-obsessed Sagittarius creating honest, easy-to-follow guides. Powered by tea, chocolate and a slightly concerning amount of tomato ketchup.
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