Name: Orca Sea Safaris
Rating: 5.0

Orca Sea Safaris

Orca Sea Safaris, North Quay, Falmouth TR11 3HH, United Kingdom

1-90 Years

Paid

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Description

Orca Sea Safaris offers unforgettable wildlife boat trips along the stunning Cornish coastline. Based in Falmouth, this eco-friendly sea safari experience lets visitors explore Cornwall’s natural beauty while searching for incredible marine life. śLed by passionate and knowledgeable skippers, each trip combines adventure, education, and respect for the marine environment.

Visitors can choose from the 2 Hour Coastal Explorer, the 2 Hour Sunset Safari, or the 1 Hour Bay Discovery trip. Wildlife sightings may include Common Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin, Atlantic Grey Seals, Basking Shark, Harbour Porpoise, Sunfish, Humpback Whale, Peregrine Falcon, and a wide variety of seabirds such as Gannets, Cormorants, Manx Shearwaters, Guillemots, Razorbills, Terns and Osprey. Private whole boat charters are also available, allowing groups to customise their own coastal adventure, wildlife search, celebration or special event.

Prices start from £42.50 for the 2 Hour Coastal Explorer and 2 Hour Sunset Safari, and from £32.50 for the 1 Hour Bay Discovery. Private boat hire pricing varies depending on the chosen itinerary and duration.

A trip with Orca Sea Safaris offers a unique chance to experience Cornwall from the sea while spotting amazing wildlife in its natural habitat. The combination of breathtaking scenery, exciting boat rides and expert commentary makes it both thrilling and educational. It is a perfect choice for nature lovers, families and anyone looking to create lasting memories on the water.

Features

Paid
Host birthday parties: No

Features

2 Hour Coastal Explorer: This 2 Hour Coastal and Wildlife Safari explores our stunning local Cornish Coastline and the amazing wildlife our county has to offer. Look for wildlife, listen to an informative and entertaining commentary from our skipper, cover up to 30 miles of coastline and hear all about our fascinating area including its history, shipwrecks, smugglers tales and the marine environment. Whether you're a wildlife enthusiast, a nature lover, or just looking for an exciting way to explore the sea, this trip is perfect for you.
2 Hour Sunset Safari: There’s nothing quite like the Cornish coastline at sunset. Join us on this 2 Hour trip to explore the ocean bathed in golden light. Look out for dolphins, seals, and a host of seabirds in a peaceful and serene setting! As the sun dips towards the horizon, the waters of Cornwall come alive with a unique blend of tranquility and wonder. The 2 Hour Sunset Safari is more than just a boat trip—it's an immersive experience where you’ll witness the magic of golden hour transforming the coastline into a masterpiece of color and light.
1 Hour Bay Discovery: The 1 Hour Bay Discovery is a great taster of the area. Although we can't cover as much ground it's perfect for a boat ride. We usually only run this trip on demand however it is a popular private evening charter during the summer. This trip is perfect to give you a taste of the area and our trips. Although we can't cover as much distance as our 2 Hour trips, it allows us to explore the waters closer to the shore. Bottlenose Dolphins, Basking Sharks and Harbour porpoises love the shallower waters!
Whole boat charter: We offer the opportunity for private boat hire, allowing you to discover Cornwall on a personalised adventure with your own group! Whether you're looking to plan a unique and memorable party, reward your team for all of their hard work, or celebrate a special occasion, our private boat hire option provides a unique and unforgettable experience. Enjoy the freedom to customize your itinerary and focus on specific wildlife sightings, coastal exploration or just to have fun on the water.

What to see

Wildlife & Conservation

Common Dolphin: The Common Dolphin (Delphinus Delphis) is a very intelligent and playful species that love to bow ride and interact with humans. They inhabit deep waters off our coasts and luckily for us, off Falmouth. Commons live in pods of 50 - 100 and are the most seen dolphin in the area. Join Us on a sea safari to get a chance of seeing some of these incredible animals.
Bottlenose Dolphin: The Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops Truncatus) is an incredibly intelligent and playful animal of which we are very lucky to have them down here in the South West. There are multiple pods along the sheltered coastline where we travel on our safaris. Scientists actually suggest that dolphins are capable of highly developed communication which closely resembles humans which is unsurprising due to the fact that their brains are ever so slightly bigger but have great interaction with humans.
Seals: We can see resident Atlantic Grey Seals (Halichoerus Grypus) on a large number of our sea safaris either basking on rocks or swimming in the sea close to shore. Sometimes they seem to be as curious of us as we are of them! Seals are the most common mammal we spot on our sea safaris. On a very low spring tide we can see them basking in the sun on black rock in Falmouth- it's a great spot to get close and observe them out of the water! Come on a trip and help us find them.
Basking Shark: At least 21 species of Sharks can be found in British waters with Blue, Shortfin Mako, Thresher and Porbeagle being among species either resident or seasonal to Cornish Shores. However, it is the Basking Shark, the second largest fish in the world that Cornwall is famous for.
Harbour Porpoise: Harbour Porpoise (Phocoena Phocoena) are one of the smallest mammals living in the sea. We have a resident pod on the south coast of Cornwall of between 8 and 10 individuals (they're a bit difficult to count!) They are quite hard to spot due to the small size of their dorsal fin so we tend to see them on relatively calm days. They are generally shy and don't interact with the boat as much as the dolphins might do.
Sunfish: The sunfish (Mola Mola) are strange looking creatures; they are a disc shaped fish that can grow up to 2 metres in diameter! We most often see these animals on their side, floating on the surface either just basking in the sun or attracting seabirds (such as Herring Gulls) to pick the parasites off their skin. Their dorsal fin sticks out of the water when they're at the surface and flops from side to side as though it's trying to propel the fish along.
Peregrine Falcon: We know of three pairs of Peregrine Falcons (Falco Peregrinus) that nest around the coast of Falmouth and we always enjoy seeing these birds of prey against the backdrop of the cliffs. They sometimes put on great aerobatic displays for us, swooping to chase each other or with deadly intent to catch their prey. A pair of binoculars is a must for trying to spot these birds as they blend in very well to the surrounding cliff and can stay still for a very long time! Book online to come on a sea safari and help us try to find them.
Humpback Whale: The Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is becoming a more regular sighting in Falmouth, and an amazing sight it is! The Humpback has a distinctive body shape, with long pectoral fins that look like wings and tubercles on its head. It is known for breaching and other distinctive surface behaviors, making it popular with whale watchers. Males produce a complex song typically lasting 4 to 33 minutes.
Birdlife: We are so incredibly lucky to have such a diverse range of birdlife here in Cornwall. Gannets, Cormorants & Shags, Fulmars, Manx Shearwaters, Guillemots, Razorbills, Turns, Osprey, Peregrine Falcons. A number of these species have regular nesting spots and are often seen in the same areas. We see most of these birds on a regular basis but if there is an inparticular species you would like to see, talk to your skipper on the day and they'll try their best to make it happen!

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Price

Price: Paid

Price Details

2 Hour Coastal Explorer: From £42.50
2 Hour Sunset Safari: From £42.50
1 Hour Bay Discovery: From £32.50

Pricing URL: https://www.orcaseasafaris.co.uk/book

Birthday Parties

Offer Birthday Parties: No

Contact the venue for timing information.

Address: Orca Sea Safaris, North Quay, Falmouth TR11 3HH, United Kingdom

Post Code: TR11 3QY

Council: Cornwall

County: Cornwall

We are located at the top of Falmouth Haven Marina, directly next to Custom House Quay. We recommend that you park in 'The Dell' long stay car park which is a 5 minute walk from our departure point. If you have trouble finding us, give us a call!