Whales and Seabirds of the Minch, Sula Sgier and North Rona

Whales and Seabirds of the Minch - in collaboration with Hebridean Adventures

In collaboration with Hebridean Adventures

The remote and deep blue waters around Scotland's North Minch, North Rona, Sula Sgeir, Lewis, Shiant Isles and Skye, offer outstanding opportunities to observe and photograph marine life such as Whales, Basking Sharks and Seabirds against a backdrop of long summer days and golden sunsets. 

Join award-winning seabird photographer Rachel Bigsby and the expert crew of Hebridean Adventures on a remarkable expedition, designed for wildlife enthusiasts and photographers alike. This small-group voyage offers a rare opportunity to witness and photograph ceteceans and extraordinary seabird colonies in some of the most dramatic island scenery in the North Atlantic.

Species recorded on past voyages include Fin, Sei, Humpback, Minke and Northern Bottlenose Whales, along with Risso’s, Bottlenose, White-beaked and Common Dolphins, Harbour Porpoise, Orca and Basking Shark, plus a host of iconic seabirds such as Gannets, Shearwaters, Petrels and Auks.

Spaces on this special departure are limited in order to maintain a small group environment and ensure every guest receives meaningful photographic guidance throughout the voyage. £100.00 per person will be donated to the Scottish Seabird Centre.

👉 For full itinerary details and booking information, please visit: https://www.hebrideanadventures.co.uk/cruises/whales-and-wildlife-of-the-north-minch-2027/

What awaits you...

Intimate small-group voyages, exclusive to just 8 guests

Access to some of the UK’s most remote marine environments

Curated itineraries for optimal wildlife photography

Balance exploration at sea and carefully chosen landings

Golden evenings in secluded anchorages

Personalised on-board learning experiences

Expert field guidance

Tuition focused on action, behaviour and environment

Exploration of ‘natural artistry’ and creative techniques

1:1 image reviews

Creative dialogue throughout the voyage

Pre and post-expedition online support

Further Information About the Expedition

Hosted by Rachel Bigsby in partnership with Hebridean Adventures, this carefully designed itinerary maximises opportunities to observe and photograph Scotland's most iconic marine life and remote environments.

Mid-summer is an ideal time to focus on whales and dolphins in the North Minch as warmer waters support plankton blooms, which in turn attract fish, and where the fish gather, cetaceans follow. Basking Sharks also move North at this time tracking the plankton, and encountering one of these eight-metre oceanic giants at close quarters is an experience few people ever forget. Among the species we will look for are Minke Whales, Harbour Porpoise and Common Dolphins, along with Risso’s and White-beaked Dolphins which will seek out Hjalmar Bjørge, riding her bow wave, frequently a highlight of the voyage.

The high, open viewing decks of Hjalmar Bjørge provide excellent vantage points for a close watch on seabirds such Northern Gannets, Manx Shearwaters, Fulmars, Guillemots, Razorbills, Great and Arctic Skuas, and Storm Petrels.

Most days there is also an opportunity to go ashore, ensuring a balance of time at sea and time exploring on land. Each evening, we will anchor in a carefully chosen spot, where you can enjoy the setting sun at the finest anchorages, often leaving you with the feeling that you have the islands entirely to yourself...

A Photography Expedition Designed for Opportunity

This voyage has been designed with photographers in mind. The flexibility of the expedition vessel allows us to position ourselves carefully around marine mammals and seabird colonies, maximising photographic opportunities.

By joining this expedition, you will experience:

• Close encounters with immense seabird colonies

• Opportunities to photograph Gannets in flight, diving behaviour and cliff nesting scenes

• Whales, Basking Sharks, Dolphins, Seals and Seabirds

• Late departing Puffins, Guillemots and Razorbills

• Dramatic island landscapes and towering sea cliffs

• Wildlife interacting with the ever-changing Atlantic light

Equally important are the quieter photographic moments the voyage offers. With long summer days in the Hebrides, we often experience soft golden evening light, atmospheric sunrises, and peaceful twilight hours when wildlife continue to move around the cliffs and waters.

Photographic Guidance with Rachel Bigsby

Throughout the expedition, Rachel will work closely with guests in a relaxed small-group setting, offering personalised guidance tailored to all levels of photographic experience. Drawing on years of experience photographing seabirds in remote environments across the Arctic, Antarctic and the wild coastlines of the British Isles, Rachel will help guests develop both their technical approach and creative vision in the field.

With Rachel, you can expect:

• Practical field tuition while photographing seabirds in their natural environment

• Guidance on photographing flight behaviour and colony dynamics

• Advice on composition, storytelling and capturing natural artistry

• Opportunities for image review and creative discussion during the voyage

By the end of the expedition, guests will return home not only with a portfolio of striking images, but with a deeper understanding of seabirds and the wild Atlantic islands they inhabit. Few experiences rival witnessing tens of thousands of seabirds wheeling above the cliffs of St Kilda, and fewer still offer the chance to photograph it in such an intimate and immersive way.

Spaces on this special departure are limited in order to maintain a small group environment and ensure every guest receives meaningful photographic guidance throughout the voyage. £100.00 per person will be donated to the Scottish Seabird Centre.

👉 For full itinerary details and booking information, please visit: https://www.hebrideanadventures.co.uk/cruises/whales-and-wildlife-of-the-north-minch-2027/

For more information about the vessel, click here.