Some help with visiting Skomer please gang?

[stephen p]

Hello Everyone!

Im planning a trip to Skomer for next year and im after some advice.

What is the best month to visit, obviously i want to see the Puffins (girlfriend has insisted we see the Puffins )

I've been told May, june early part of July. But when would be best?

Also what boat trips have people used, would be good to know what people have used in the past?

Cheers,

Steve

[eeyore]

i was on skokholm (which is next to skomer) in the first week of july in 05 and we were swamped in puffins including this guy



as to the boat trip operators there are only three and they all operate from the same quay at martins haven so all you need to do is turn up and buy a ticket

more info here Visit Pembrokeshire - Wildlife

there is also a camopsite at martins haven which is very reasonable if a bit basic , and if you stay there you can park there and pondle down the cliff path to the quay rather than having to park in the limited quayside parking.

[Jonsfotos]

Would just like to add a couple of points. The car park adjacent to Martins Haven is run By the National trust so if you are not a member, it`s a 4 quid charge for the day to park the motor.Also, get to the embarkation point early, it`s not unusual to see a hundred or so people waiting at 9am !.Best time to go ??? .Specifically to see the Puffins, 2nd/3rd week of June.Hope this has been of help.

Jon

[stephen p]

Thank you Eeyore and Jon thats great.

I was expecting a queue, i want to plan a mid week trip so it wont be as busy as the weekends.

Cheers,

Steve

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by stephen p

Thank you Eeyore and Jon thats great.

I was expecting a queue, i want to plan a mid week trip so it wont be as busy as the weekends.

Cheers,

Steve

in that case it would be wise to call the boat operators and check sailing times as they are less frequent in the week - also note they dont sail at all in rough weather.

finally if you have a sizeable group or a fat wallet both dale princess and dale boat tours will also do a charter trip specially for you which avoids the whole queues question and they will pick up charters from either dale or pembroke dock if you want to avoid the martins haven parking

if you get the chance it is also well worth taking the RIB trip out to grassholm to see the diving gannets (you dont actually land - just circle the island a few times) - however note that if you intend photographing the gannets you need a waterproof cover for your camera as on a rib trip there is a lot of spray - this was how i killed my 10D

[NicolaB]

The puffins will be there from May to mid July, but you'll only get the classic shots of them carrying beaks full of sandeels from mid June onwards (when their chicks have hatched). May is still a nice time to go though, as they're all frantically nest building and fighting over burrows, and the bluebells and red campion are at their most spectacular then.

Hope you enjoy! I usually try and go there at least once a year

[stephen p]

Originally Posted by eeyore

in that case it would be wise to call the boat operators and check sailing times as they are less frequent in the week - also note they dont sail at all in rough weather.

finally if you have a sizeable group or a fat wallet both dale princess and dale boat tours will also do a charter trip specially for you which avoids the whole queues question and they will pick up charters from either dale or pembroke dock if you want to avoid the martins haven parking

if you get the chance it is also well worth taking the RIB trip out to grassholm to see the diving gannets (you dont actually land - just circle the island a few times) - however note that if you intend photographing the gannets you need a waterproof cover for your camera as on a rib trip there is a lot of spray - this was how i killed my 10D

Thanks Eeyore i was wondering how they set out sail times in the week. I will call them closer to the time i go.

I just had a look at the RIB trips they look great and well priced by the looks of it. D'oh not good i can imagine the spray is bad!

Originally Posted by NicolaB

The puffins will be there from May to mid July, but you'll only get the classic shots of them carrying beaks full of sandeels from mid June onwards (when their chicks have hatched). May is still a nice time to go though, as they're all frantically nest building and fighting over burrows, and the bluebells and red campion are at their most spectacular then.

Hope you enjoy! I usually try and go there at least once a year

Thanks Nicola thats great. Where do you stay when you go? I've been looking at B&B's which are pretty close to Martins Haven

[AlphaZeroOne]

I did a fair amount of conservation and restoration work on Skomer years ago. We worked on the jetty and started the restoration work on what is now the research center. I was lucky enough to be able to spend a number of weeks on the island in all.

For me some of the lasting joys of my stays were to be had at night time when the Manx Shearwater return to their underground nests. To the uninitiated, their calls in the black of night sound like manic demons and can scare even the most hardened person.

Again at night, Skomer is the only place that I have seen the bracken lit up at night by countless Gloworms. I can also remember lifting a sheet of corrugated metal (left in place deliberately) to see a seething mass of Sloworms of all sizes and colors!

The sight of the Bluebells and Red Champion growing together is another unforgettable sight. The seabird colonies are legionary. My only advice to you when you visit is to drink in every last second of what I think is one of the most magical places to visit. In my mind, it is impossible to be unaffected by a visit to Skomer!

[stephen p]

Originally Posted by AlphaZeroOne

I did a fair amount of conservation and restoration work on Skomer years ago. We worked on the jetty and started the restoration work on what is now the research center. I was lucky enough to be able to spend a number of weeks on the island in all.

For me some of the lasting joys of my stays were to be had at night time when the Manx Shearwater return to their underground nests. To the uninitiated, their calls in the black of night sound like manic demons and can scare even the most hardened person.

Again at night, Skomer is the only place that I have seen the bracken lit up at night by countless Gloworms. I can also remember lifting a sheet of corrugated metal (left in place deliberately) to see a seething mass of Sloworms of all sizes and colors!

The sight of the Bluebells and Red Champion growing together is another unforgettable sight. The seabird colonies are legionary. My only advice to you when you visit is to drink in every last second of what I think is one of the most magical places to visit. In my mind, it is impossible to be unaffected by a visit to Skomer!

Sounds absolutely brilliant!

I would love to work a project like that, what a privelege! Do you still do any maintenance on the island?

The amount of wildlife on one small island is brilliant!

[AlphaZeroOne]

Hi Stephen

Unfortunately I have no contacts with Skomer any more - just wonderful memories. However I was involved in setting up a network of oiled bird rescue centers around the Pembroke coast - a third of the worlds population of the Manx Shearwaters nest on Skomer just a few miles from the oil terminals at Pembroke Docks.

I still have contacts with some of the vital voluntary work that continues rescuing and rehabilitating birds and seals injured from oil spillages. I would be very happy to provide you with an introduction to some of these fantastic people while you are visiting the area, if you like. One lady in particular must rank among the world experts on the treatment of auks and has a established a rescue center that is well worth a visit.

Late April to mid May is the very best time to visit Skomer IMO. The Pembrokeshire coastal walks are breath taking with wonderful wildflowers and birds to be seen.