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1 Hour Puffin Safari Boat Trip

White waves
White waves

Perfect for:

Puffin lovers of all ages
1 Hour

A one hour tour dedicated to catching sight of one of Britain’s most beloved seabirds – the Atlantic puffin! Nesting on nearby “Puffin Island” from mid-April to mid-July, puffins can be best spotted in the morning as they bob on the water between dives for sand eels, flying at speed past the boat or popping out of their nesting burrows.

*These trips only run from late April to early July to give the best chance of sightings

 

PLEASE NOTE: Due to the nature of the boat and the unpredictability of sea conditions we do not permit pregnant women, children under the age of 2 or anyone with current or historic back, neck or bone problems. If you need further advice about if our trips are suitable for you, please contact us.

Adult

£27.50

Child

£20.00

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“We were very lucky to see puffins catching fish and flying right past the boat! The puffin island boat trip guide was excellent, and we had great fun on the RIB.”
Rob Doncaster
30+ years experience
State of the art boats
Safe & comfortable
Stunning coastline

Boat Trip features

Sealife spotting

Experience "Puffin Island", an untouched landmark, and surround yourself with its wildlife from the water.

Bird watching

As well as puffins, guillemots and razorbills also use this island to breed and nest from mid-April to mid-July.

Sites of interest

View the rugged coastline around Padstow Bay and learn about our local heritage.

Safety Onboard

Our state of the art RIBs are custom-built for comfort and safety, with a highly experienced skipper at the helm.

What to expect

The Route

The 1-hour Puffin Safari is a fantastic way to experience Cornwall’s only remaining puffin breeding colony. Spending plenty of time around the island in hope of great views of these charismatic birds,  if there is a time, we may take a spin around the bay, keeping an eye out for any other wildlife that may be around. It’s exhilarating and interesting, and the best way to see Cornwall’s wildlife!

What we're looking for

We’re mindful of not disturbing wildlife, so once we approach “Puffin Island”, we’ll slow down and remain on board so we can take time to watch the puffin colony in all its glory. Our guide will give you insights into the behaviours on display. Puffin Island is also a popular spot for grey seals to hunt for fish at high tide or bask on the rocks at low tide, and close relatives of the puffin – guillemots and razorbills – can be found nesting here in large numbers at this time of year too.

Professionally guided

Our boat trips are professionally guided, offering you the chance to learn a little about the wildlife we see as well as local points of interest and our rich local heritage. Your knowledgeable guide will be happy to answer any questions you have about the wildlife. You will have ample opportunity to snap some great photos of exciting wildlife and the rugged coastline. Every boat trip is a non-stop mixture of sensitive wildlife observation and exploring the wild North Cornish waters.

Guide giving information out on a cornwall boat trip
Darkl blue waves
Darkl blue waves

Reviews of Sealife Safari Tour

carmenrosca27
"A wonderful holiday"
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A Sealife Safari was like a dream for me. Finally I was able to book and try with Padstow Sealife Safari. My dream comes true and I enjoy every minute! All over was safe trip, professional and the guide was knowledgeable and kindly responded to all the questions. Well done!!! Recommend
Sophie Harrison
"Perfect start to our honeymoon"
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Perfect start to our honeymoon and my husbands' first trip on a rib and his first dolphin experience! We loved every minute! Lithanuel was very knowledgable and told us cool wildlife facts! You can tell he loves his job! He always checked to see if everyone was ok which was a really nice touch! I can't believe how much wildlife we saw! It was magical! Thank you so much!
MollyMoo1999
"Absolutely brilliant."
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What a blast, loved it. Yes you get wet and it’s fast. We also saw sea lions. It was very informative and we had a blast. The weather was a bit rough but we thought that was better. Absolutely soaked, A1.
DanielleGue88
"What a fantastic little trip"
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To begin with I was sceptical about paying the price for this trip - but wow it did not disappoint. It was a gorgeous sunny day in Padstow, making the scenery that bit more beautiful on our trip out. We really did cover some miles. My 2 children just loved the speed and thrill of the rib boat. And wow, we got to see seals, porpoises and dolphins - just amazing!!
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1 Hour Puffin Safari Boat Trip FAQs

We take from ages 2 and up (babies are not permitted). Please be advised that our boats travel at speed and can be very bouncy which some young children enjoy but others are not so keen on. Individual children’s suitability is at your discretion.

Our trips still run on rainy days. Rain does not deter the marine life (they are wet anyway!) so we simply wrap up in waterproofs and go for it! Please dress extra warm on rainy days with lots of layers to avoid getting cold. If you would prefer not to go out on a rainy day, please keep an eye on the weather and you may cancel your booking yourself. As long as we receive at least 24 hours notice, we can issue you with a full refund.

If we cancel your trip due to rough sea conditions or minimum passenger numbers (5) not being met, we will contact you as soon as possible to offer to reschedule you to a later date. If this is not possible, we can issue you with a full refund. Please note: If you cancel a booking yourself, we require at least 24 hours notice to be able to issue a refund.

Due to the bouncy nature of the boat and the unpredictability of sea conditions, our tours are not suitable for pregnant women.

 

All of our trips travel at speed and can be very bouncy in places so are not suitable for those with back/spine/bone problems.

Well behaved, small to medium sized dogs are permitted on our boats, however, often dogs do not like the sensation of being on a bouncy boat so please take this into consideration. If you can make other arrangements for your dog, it might be best to play it safe and leave them on land.

Wildlife you might see on your adventure...

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Padstow Sealife Safari rib from the front out at sea. People on the boat looking at dolphin popping out of water on the left of the image.

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