Welcome to

Shetland's Only Naturalist led, carbon neutral NOSS BOAT tour company.

The ultimate Shetland wildlife boat experience.
Come & join us & experience one of Europe’s finest wildlife spectacles with the longest running, No.1 Noss boat. Voted 1 of the top 10 Boat Tours in the UK by The Guardian - Summer 2021

Tripadvisor 2021 Travellers' Choice
Our famous Noss Boat tours offer you the ultimate Shetland wildlife experience, unrivalled wildlife spectacles, close seabird & seal encounters & photographic opportunities with the awe-inspiring Noss 'seabird city' backdrop.
Did somebody shout WHALES? Sightings of Orca are increasing in Shetland waters, they are not guaranteed, but what a bonus when they appear! With an eagle-eyed expert crew with a passion for cetaceans, you couldn't be on a better boat if whales are in the area. As seasoned professionals, we fully adhere to the strict guidelines for watching marine mammals as set out by SNH/Nature Scotland.
Join us for a real 'gannet's eye view' with the incredible sight of over 25,000 gannets and other seabirds around the towering 180 metre weathered sandstone noup of Noss NNR. Enjoy the beautiful scenic views & iconic landmarks of Lerwick Harbour, Bressay Lighthouse, Orkneyman’s Cave, the striking natural arch of the Giant’s Leg & breath-taking geology around the coastline of Noss & Bressay.

We offer a unique, spectacular gannet feeding & diving experience, right alongside the boat. We supply the fish - a large bucket of locally caught mackerel - and give you time! Our gannet feeding frenzy, encapsulating what fishing boats entering the busy northern harbour have done for centuries, is our speciality & the highlight for many.
We are the longest operating Noss Boat & Crew, our tours are a must for all major film crews, including BBC Springwatch, Wild Shetland & Nat Geo TV. We are the boat of choice for tour groups, families & photographers.

We are consistently No.1 on TripAdvisor, have been awarded the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence Award in 2018 & 2019 & Nature Tourism Award Finalists 2017. We have also been awarded the TripAdvisor Traveller's Choice Award 2021 and have just qualified as a Carbon Neutral business.

The Noss Boat

AYDA RUBY II
AYDA RUBY II
We have a very comfortable, streamlined, stable wildlife boat with a partial on/off canopy if needed, 360º panoramic viewing, ample room to sit, stand, photograph & enjoy. Our boats low position in the water is perfect for viewing & photographing wildlife & the perfect boat for navigating Shetland waters. We move around the marine rich Shetland waters with a sensitive approach to the local area & it's abundant wildlife. We can also move at a good speed between the main sites to maximise your time at the hot spots!
We have a TOILET on board for piece of mind whilst out on the water. We have a small private room below deck at the front of the boat for passengers to use our toilet. Out of season this room turns into a twin-bedded mini cabin! Our tours focus on wildlife sightings to maximise your time & value for money. We think there are fabulous cafes in Lerwick to enjoy your refreshments post tour, though you are welcome to bring your own onboard! We have also collaborated with The 'Peerie Shop Cafe' for the 2022 season offering every passenger a discount card for post trip refreshments! We are pleased to support other local businesses & collaborate in this way.
Unique benefit of 12 fully upholstered, forward facing seats with backrests for the ultimate comfort at sea. It’s a great feature on our tours to have the ability to both sit down in comfort & safety whilst on the water & to be able to move around comfortably on deck. We also have a canvas roof canopy we can take on & off depending on weather. If the weather is mixed, we can keep you warm and dry out of the elements (still keeping the fully exposed large decking area free for photo shoots & panoramic viewing).
Our famous Noss Boat trips run from April - October every day (weather depending) from Victoria Pier Slipway, Lerwick Harbour, just opposite the Tourist Office. We run scheduled daily boat trips at 09.45am & 12.45pm (departure approx 15 mins later) which last for 2-2.5 hrs.
We have binoculars at hand for all passengers to use, sponsored by Opticron, as well as seabird & cetacean identification charts & little eco-activity packs for young children. We also have our online shop with quality SST merchandise for sale.
Being the photographers boat of choice, we also run our original scheduled 'Early Bird' sunrise tours for the best of Shetland's early morning light at the cliffs of Noss. These tours depart on Mon, Wed & Sat at 05.45am. with prior booking only (minimum 2 persons).

Small Groups

WORLD CLASS EXPERIENCE

We take up to 12 passengers per trip and are the perfect choice for tour groups visiting Shetland.

Our tours have not changed price since we started our business, we feel the price is right at £45 for adults & £25 for under 16’s. We are without doubt the best boat, offer the best wildlife experience & the best value for money. Come & join us to see why!

The Crew

Phil Harris is your highly experienced  skipper, birder, naturalist & guide on all tours. Rebecca is a professional wildlife photographer, global wildlife photo judge & wildlife author who joins some of our more bespoke photo tours.

They have worked "out in the field" for many years, honing their field skills, ready to deliver fun, personal, informative & interesting tours to suit all interests & ages. SST has a responsible, sensitive approach to Shetland's rich marine natural environment & tourism.

Phil was formally a fire fighter & worked on rescue boats at sea, so safety out on the water is paramount to all our tours. All our passengers wear our slimline lifejackets upon embarkation & for the duration of our tours.

Conservation & environmental education is fundamental to SST companies ethos. We literally live for birds & wildlife & have been on Shetland ‘living the dream’ for nearly 20 years. We were delighted to gain Carbon Neutral status in 2021, another step in the right direction.

Book Now Online

Booking your trip with us is easy using our online booking system where you can pay using credit card or PayPal. Or please contact us directly.

BOOK NOW

You can also book through the Lerwick Tourist Office.

We are very busy, so please do book well ahead to avoid disappointment.

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