Bass Rock

I think that actual landings on Bass Rock are possible through the Scottish Seabird Centre but the landings are rather expensive and dependent upon weather/tides etc. I’ve been around Bass Rock a few times on both the Scottish Seabird Centre boat and also on the wooden boat Sulla. My personal preference is easily the Sula, especially if you want to photograph the birds. The Sula is very open and you are permitted to freely move around on board once out of the harbour. My personal feeling is that the large cabin on the Seabird Centre boat was quite a restriction in regards to blocking part of the view for photography. The Sula is very open and unrestricted in this respect. Both boats sail from North Berwick harbour and online booking is strongly advised. The trips last around an hour or so and are reasonably priced. You will be taken out and around the Rock, with very close approaches to the Gannets nesting there. There are some Guillemots and Razorbills around but the Bass Rock is really a Gannet colony. If it’s Puffins, Eiders, Terns etc that you’re looking for in the same area I can highly recommend the Isle of May for this. The Isle of May can also be accessed via the Scottish Seabird centre but my personal preference is to sail on the May Princess from Anstruther in Fife. Again, advanced booking is strongly advised for this. If you're planning to go around Bass Rock and then onto the trip from South Queensferry I would easily advise an hour’s Travel from North Berwick to South Queensferry. On an average day (and knowing the roads) the actual journey time may be a wee bit less than this but always better to leave a bit of time to spare. I hope this may be of help. A trip report on the Sula can be found here for anyone interested. I did video the Gannets at the Rock on a different trip aboard Sula and add it (with some foot stomping music) to a different post, but unfortunately I can’t remember which post it was.!! :-)

Thanks Paul. Your report on the Sula is excellent! I am aware one needs to apply for permission to land on the rock and that has been our intention. Cruises are great but if the weather is rough it's a bit difficult to get the shots you want - plus boats can get so crowded that you get home and have most of the photos wrecked by half shoulders and heads in the frame. On the plus side if the weather is good they are ideal for the 'dives'. The idea re: the rock is to pick an 'area' of nests, sit very quietly and observe the birds / take photos.

The Isle of May sounds like an interesting prospect too. Don't know what the light conditions are up there - and if one can land on it or just cruise around it - but the blog does mention 'residents' so I take it landing is allowed? I'll follow it up.

wonderful thread and stunning photos

We are going up to Embleton in Northumberland in a couple of weeks time and maybe we can fit a boat trip in to Bass Rock,not too far up the road.

I just remembered that I still had this. Posted last year on another thread and taken on my phone from on board the Sula. It was taken in August so the numbers of birds may have been slightly past their peak. The music was added by me but I’m sure that if you wanted to sing or hum on the way out no-one would really object.!! :-)

Wow! what an amazing thing to see. Thanks for sharing Paul!

What a magnificent sight Paul, if that was a decline in numbers for the time of year, I can't imagine what it looked like in full swing!!

A couple of our club members went to Bass Rock and their pictures,like yours, were inspiring enough to put it on our wish list.