Weekend Magic – Da Voar Redd Up & Wildlife & Photography Noss Boat tours.

Da Voar Redd Up & The Noss Boat Wildlife & Photography Tours Weekend April – 2024

We had a fun weekend with both our Noss Boat Team beach clean-ups for Da Voar Redd Up and our wildlife & photography boat tours to Noss with a small break in the weather! There was a wonderful sense of community as we passed so many people on beaches and on the roads brandishing litter pickers and the large green collection bags. We filled 3 enormous bags on one small beach alone and what was clearly evident was that the vast majority of litter was rope & line from the fishing industry. This is something we also come across and remove from the ocean surface on a regular basis during our boat tours and we see hanging in great clumps from gannet nest sites. Other items included many plastic bottles, a shoe, sheep ear tags, cans and sea-worn sections of buoys. 

We also found a hand-full of eggcases (mermaid’s purses), a Starry Skate, several Small-spotted Catshark and Thornback Ray! These will be uploaded and recorded to the Shark Trust website for their ongoing highly successful eggcase recording scheme.

We have really enjoyed taking part in this award winning, community clean up weekend & are looking forward to taking part in the next organised one already whilst still beach-cleaning as and when we can throughout the year! 

“Da Voar Redd Up is the UK’s most successful community litter-picking event, with around 4,500 people (20% of Shetland’s population) volunteering each year. The Redd Up makes a huge contribution to the protection of Shetland’s natural environment and wildlife, clearing Shetland’s beaches, coastlines and roadsides of litter and the debris washed up by winter storms.

We also enjoyed sharing the delights of Noss with with our famous Noss Boat tours over the weekend during a break in the weather – So elated to be back out on the water sharing the wonders of Shetlands incredible natural marine environment with guests from all over the world, this weekend, Australia, Germany and Italy and closer to home some passengers from here on the Isles. Hope you will be joining us this season to experience the breathtaking seabirds around Noss, a true highlight of many holidays on Shetland!

 

3D WOODEN DIVING GANNETS – FREE GIFT FOR NOSS BOAT KIDS 2024

NEWLY SOURCED – SCOTTISH SMALL BUSINESS COLLABORATION

Diving Gannets 3D Pop Up for all children aboard the famous Noss Boat for the 2024 season.

We are delighted to have sourced and are now both selling via our online shop and giving for FREE to every child aboard our boat this year, a Pop Up DIVING GANNETS eco-card. Pop up cards are quick to make, easy to assemble, need no glue and all have pop out parts to make them 3D. Pop up cards are designed and made in Scotland by precision laser cutting. They are made from a sustainable and recyclable poplar plywood.

The cards come with a C6 coloured envelope, a C6 cellophane wrap and a paper insert with a picture of a completed model on it. This wooden card measures at L 140 x W 95 x T 3 mms and weighs 19 gms. This card can be posted for the same price as a normal letter in the UK.

THE STORY BEHIND THEM

These diving gannets are one of many pop up designs made by Andy Cox who started a small business in 2012 in order to raise funds to support two children a year (or more) through compassion UK.  This charity gives long term support  to children in some of the world’s poorest places. This goal was achieved for two years by selling a range of products that were made in  Gordonstoun School,  Moray, Scotland mainly for the Christmas Gift market. (Andy had been Head of Design there for 15 years and Fiona was in charge of Careers and Cooking.)

In the Summer of 2015 Andy and Fiona left teaching to concentrate on the business. They set up as a partnership, built a workshop and now have several Laser cutters making pop up designs.  They went full time into wood gift designing, making and packing in 2016.  After selling 80 000 cards last year, in 2019 they hope to sell many thousands of products and  raise many thousands of pounds for good causes.  They have started the funding of a workshop through compassionUK (one of the top 10 British charities), providing tools, materials and  teachers to help 30 boys and girls in Kenya to get a vocational education in one of the most poorest areas of the country and of our world. This year they are hoping to sponsor a project in Tanzania for a vocational workshop for wood and cooking. In 2018 they started working with adopt-a-child as well helping with child sponsorship projects in Guatemala and Albania. in 2019 they had the wonderful opportunity to visit one of the projects we help support in Guatemala.  In 2021 they moved south of Edinburgh to a bigger workshop, to be closer to their children and new Grandchild.  Post covid they are still hoping to give away £8000 to £20 000 a year to the two main charities we support adopt-a-child and compassion UK.

The Noss Boat is delighted to support this business by giving every child passenger (under 16) aboard The Noss Boat a free diving gannet pop up gift as part of our spectacular Noss Boat wildlife experience for the 2024 season. This is a unique and original design we have sourced and a fabulous new asset to our ever expanding boat tour business here on Shetland. 

NOSS BOAT – EUGY STOCKISTS – Eco-friendly 3D cardboard crafts for 2024

We are delighted to become a EUGY stockist for the 2024 season, both in our onboard THE NOSS BOAT Seabird Gallery shop & in our Ortolan House Bed & Breakfast shop. We are big fans of these wonderful products & can see why EUGY have become an extremely successful business since their launch in 2019. We are stocking PUFFIN, ORCA & SHEEP while stocks last for the 2024 season – check out our Etsy shop! These 100% eco-friendly products are a superb addition to our original Noss Boat eco-shop range. Read all about their story here & more about the products we have for sale here on Shetland.

Eugy sales set to exceed £10m by 2024

“Since launching in 2019, the eco-friendly craft brand Eugy has steadily grown in popularity with retail sales, in the UK & ROI, due to surpass £10 million by the end of the year. Now instantly recognisable among consumers, Eugy’s longevity as a staple collectible looks promising thanks to new SKUs consistently added to the range.

Eugy was created by New Zealand manufacturer Dodoland and more specifically the brainchild of the company’s founder Hoon Kim. Hoon set about creating a sustainable 3D cardboard animal puzzle which connects people to nature and the wild, following a trek to Mount Everest base camp where he saw piles of plastic waste left behind for decades to decompose.

The UK Eugy range now features 58 models with four unique Christmas Eugys. From parrots and penguins to platypus and ptero, there are lots of Eugy animals to collect and create by following a simple number sequence to build a 3D model made from environmentally friendly, FSC accredited card.

Nick Saunders, sales & marketing director at Eugy, commented: “As a company which creates its own brand products, we always look to work with partners who share the same goals and ethos. The team at Dodoland have created something completely unique with Eugy that captures the imagination of everyone who comes across it. The sales have been phenomenal, and we love seeing how our retailers are capitalising on the craze themselves. Thanks to its price point, eco-creds and all-important collectability factor, it crosses multiple retail channels and we are staggered by the response to it year on year.”

New Eugy models will be launched in September and will include the bat and badger, followed by puffin and stingray in October.

Nick added: “Everyone is looking to make more sustainable choices and we think it is important consumers can also be assured that purchasing a Eugy is not just an eco-friendly choice but money from sales of many of the models such as the elephant and gorilla support various wildlife charities around the globe.” Toyworld Business Magazine Sept’23

 

SHETLAND SEABIRD TOURS – WILDLIFE TOUR COMPANY OF THE YEAR 2024 – TRAVEL & HOSPITALITY AWARD WINNER 2024 …..

 

We are delighted to announce that we have yet again won an award, this time in the Travel & Hospitality Awards 2024…… WILDLIFE TOUR OPERATOR OF THE YEAR – SCOTLAND 2024

 

NOSS BOAT GEOPARK SHETLAND PARTNERSHIP 2019-2023

We have been proud partners of Geopark Shetland since being invited to join forces in 2019 & are delighted to continue our journey with them into 2023/4 & beyond. We are excited to include aspects of Shetland’s incredibly diverse geology during our live Noss Boat commentary & to offer geological information enthusiastically to our many passengers each year. We are very happy to raise the geological profile of Shetland where we can & to offer direction for further exploration in this important area of Shetland’s natural history. Look out for the very colourful geological map onboard & please ask for our new free geology leaflets.

 

3 billion years in the making…

WHAT IS A UNESCO GLOBAL GEOPARK?

A UNESCO Global Geopark is an area with internationally important rocks and landscapes, all of which are managed responsibly for tourism, conservation and education. Whilst geology may be their foundation, UNESCO Global Geoparks build upon that by bringing it together with other aspects of heritage, such as archaeology, history, culture and biodiversity, all of which are intricately linked with the ground beneath our feet. Shetland UNESCO Global Geopark is managed by Shetland Amenity Trust.

WHAT HAPPENS IN UNESCO GLOBAL GEOPARKS?

Tourism:Geoparks are places of thriving responsible tourism and development, where people live and work. They act as catalysts for community enterprise, innovation and business for the benefit of everyone.

Conservation: UNESCO Global Geopark status does not offer statutory protection and places no restrictions on development or on farming practices. Instead, UNESCO Global Geoparks work in conjunction with existing designations to promote the protection of our local environment.

Education: Geoparks are outdoor classrooms and living laboratories, where the stunning landscapes inspire learning and discovery, contributing to environmental education that helps deepen our understanding of the world around us.

 

 

THE NOSS BOAT – Sponsored by Opticron – Binoculars for All

We are thrilled to have The Noss Boat sponsored by Opticron again this season, who, since the Spring, have embellished our new Noss Boat upholstered seating with a pair of their wonderful binoculars in every front pocket, so that every one of our thousands of passengers we welcome aboard each year, has the opportunity to ‘get close & personal’ with Shetland’s marine wildlife. We understand that not everyone is an ornithologist or keen naturalist with their own binoculars to hand, so we are delighted to give everyone aboard, young, old, experienced or novice, the opportunity to handle & use these lightweight, clear, bright & sharp optics to heighten their Noss Boat wildlife boat experience with us. Opticron have supported us since our first season  – Do check them & their range of optics out!

THANK YOU OPTICRON – Phil & Rebecca SST

  Adventurer II WP 8×32

Adventurer II WP roof prism binoculars offer the first-time and casual user of optics terrific quality and value for money. Suitable for all types of general and wildlife observation, the models deliver bright, clear images with full field of view for spectacle wearers. Nitrogen waterproof and finished in quality textured rubber armour, the binoculars are well balanced in the hand and incorporate BAK4 roof prisms and fully multi-coated lenses. A great choice for anyone wanting a sturdy and reliable binocular with sound handling and a high standard of fit and finish.

Features

  • Roof prism design finished in textured rubber armour
  • Nitrogen waterproof construction
  • Fully multi-coated optical system
  • Long eye relief eyepieces for spectacle wearers
  • Twist-type retractable eyecups
  • Wide band focusing
  • Tripod adapter socket

Sea Watching

The study of sea-going creatures requires patience and sometimes a good deal of luck! When that special moment occurs – a whale breaching or a pod of dolphins appears ship-side – make sure you have the right equipment to get a close up view.

Birdwatching

Opticron products have been chosen to meet the needs of birdwatchers of all abilities and types. See their website for their range and choice based on your budget or basic specification requirements.

 

“Founded in the UK in 1970, Opticron is a family-owned business with over forty years experience in consumer optics. In that time we have met and exceeded the demands of tens of thousands of enthusiasts and occasional users looking for a pair of high quality affordable binoculars, a telescope or an accessory to help them pursue their pastime, hobby or obsession!

We continue to specialise in delivering the best solution to wildlife enthusiasts irrespective of age, budget or experience. We aim to provide the very best mix of quality, choice and value backed up with customer service worth the name.

The company’s maxim “smaller, lighter, brighter, sharper” is the driving force behind the compact and lightweight equipment on offer. Designed and engineered to meet the varied demands of often highly discriminating customers who really use their equipment, we also try to offer a wide range of individual models and model variants to ensure people get to own the very best instrument suited to them.

Quality and value are two factors critical to the success of our business. Both have been developed and are maintained in partnership with a small number of trusted manufacturers. The benefits of these relationships are best seen in the optical performance of the equipment, the prices and guarantees offered and the value for money which we believe is second to none.

Innovation is a key part of our philosophy – bringing new and better solutions to our customers as they demand more and different things from their equipment. One of the first companies outside Europe’s ‘big three’ to launch an internally focused, 2m close focus roof prism binocular in 1995, we were a forerunner in the development of the Travelscope (a high quality interchangeable eyepiece spottingscope that meant larger scopes could be left at home), and we offer the widest range of quality full-size field monoculars of any company in the business” Opticron About Us – Website

Promote Shetland – Highlands & Islands Tourism Awards WINNERS November 2022

Blog Post Extracts from Promote Shetland
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By Promote Shetland November 7th 2022

Shetland enjoyed a highly successful night at the Highlands and Islands Tourism Awards as two isles businesses came out on top in their respective categories.

Wild Skies Shetland, based in Unst, won an award in the ‘working together for tourism’ category at the HITA ceremony in Inverness. Shetland Seabird Tours – The Noss Boat, meanwhile, triumphed in the ‘best visitor attraction experience’ category.

A total of four islands businesses were nominated for HITA awards: popular Lerwick restaurant No.88 Kitchen and Bar was highly commended in the ‘best eatery experience’ category, won by Coll Hotel, while Chris Dyer of Garths Croft in Bressay was nominated in the ‘food tourism award’ category, won by distillery Beinn an Tuirc.

“It’s a great result for Shetland, wonderful to see the range of businesses highlighting the diversity and quality of Shetland’s tourism offering.”

Steve Mathieson of Visit Scotland.

VisitScotland’s islands manager for Shetland, Steve Mathieson, said: “It’s a great result for Shetland, wonderful to see the range of businesses highlighting the diversity and quality of Shetland’s tourism offering.

“Just making the shortlist for the final is a great feat in itself, considering the numbers competing in each category, and to have two winners out of our four finalists is something special.

“Wild Skies and Shetland Seabird Tours now go on to the national final in February where we wish them every success.”

Rebecca Nason and Phil Harris of Shetland Seabird Tours, which runs boat trips around the Noss National Nature Reserve and Bressay during the summer months, said they were “truly shocked but utterly delighted to be named as the winners”.

“What an incredible accolade to have achieved and a massive thank you to #HITA2022 and everyone who helped make this happen for us, the support has been quite overwhelming.”

Jane Macaulay of Wild Skies Shetland, a charity that has developed a sky trail to showcase the marvels and enormity of the skies in the most northerly inhabited island in the UK, described the ceremony as an “extraordinary night” and an “extremely productive networking opportunity”.

Meanwhile, journalist Simon Parker – who worked with Promote Shetland on a three-minute feature film on winter in the islands – scooped the Travel Writers’ travel broadcaster of the year award at a ceremony in London’s Hammersmith this weekend.

 

Da Voar Redd Up – Community Beach Clean – Shetland

Da Voar Redd Up

Saturday 22nd to Friday 28th April 2023

“Da Voar Redd Up is the UK’s most successful community litter-picking event, with around 4,500 people (20% of Shetland’s population) volunteering each year. The Redd Up makes a huge contribution to the protection of Shetland’s natural environment and wildlife, clearing Shetland’s beaches, coastlines and roadsides of litter and the debris washed up by winter storms”Shetland Amenity Trust

Shetland Seabird Tours family have been beach cleaning for some years now, it is something we have been happy to do on a regular basis through the winter months as we love beach walking and beach-combing, have a passion for our coastal environment, and it has been a source of fun and pleasure with our daughter who is very good with the pick up grabbers! This year Shetland Seabird Tours also took part in the popular annual clean up community event held by the Shetland Amenity Trust, something we will be doing every year now we are registered. We had a designated beach to clean and battled the elements over the weekend to get the job done. It is lovely to see so many folk taking part in this event and all the bags of bruck being removed from our roadsides and shorelines. Some folk have been doing these annual beach cleans for many many years, and active litter-pickers range from toddlers to folk in their late eighties –  what a great reason to hit the beaches together!

“Thanks to Shetland Islands Council for providing rubbish collection. We would also like to thank Shetland Charitable Trust, Enquest Sullom Voe, and Tesco Bags of Help for funding the event and to for Marine Conservation Society for their continued support” Shetland Amenity Trust

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rebecca Nason – NEW MONTHLY i’i SHETLAND – WILDLIFE & PHOTOGRAPHY COLUMNIST

Shetland Seabird Tours – joins the team at i’i Shetland with a monthly double page Shetland Wildlife article. A wonderful opportunity for Rebecca to share some super local wildlife encounters and photography! First article out now in the JANUARY 2023 ISSUE. We hope you enjoy the forthcoming articles…..

“Home of i’i shetland and Malcolm Younger Photography
Here at Millgaet Media we have been creating exciting and cutting-edge media for our local community and beyond since 2004. Based in the beautiful surroundings of Shetland, we take our inspiration from the stunning landscapes and of course, the people who make our islands what they are.

We are best known for our popular monthly magazine, i’i shetland telling the stories of the people and happenings in the lively Shetland community. Our office and studio is also the base of experienced Shetland photographer Malcolm Younger, capturing beautiful individual and family portraits for any occasion”.

                

 

BEST VISITOR ATTRACTION EXPERIENCE FINALIST Highlands & Islands Tourism Awards 2022

 

We are surprised & thrilled to have been shortlisted as finalists in this year’s Highlands and Islands Tourism Awards in the “BEST VISITOR ATTRACTION EXPERIENCE” category. We could receive no greater accolade to be nominated in this highly regarded Scottish tourism award and are delighted for the other Shetland-based companies who have also made it into the 2022 shortlist in other categories, Garth’s Croft Bressay in the Food Tourism Award, Wild Skies Shetland in the Working Together Toursim Award & No 88 Ltd in the Best Eatery Experience.
THANK YOU to all our passengers, followers, friends, family & supporters who have helped make Shetland Seabird Tours – The Noss Boat, a strong, successful, leading wildlife & photography tourism attraction on the Isles. We are now enjoying the last month or so of our 7th year in business and our busiest year to date. We are already working on new plans for the 2023 season. Rebecca & Phil x

HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS TOURISM AWARDS SHORTLIST IS REVEALED!

THE shortlist for the Highlands & Islands Tourism Awards (HITA) 2022 has been announced.

The return of the Awards this year, sponsored by Royal Bank of Scotland, saw a record number of entries.

BEST VISITOR ATTRACTION EXPERIENCE

Sponsored by Port of Cromarty Firth Authority

Highland Wildlife Park

Loch Ness by Jacobite

Shetland Seabird Tours ‒ The Noss Boat 

 

The judging panel was delighted with the strong field of submissions, particularly after such a challenging two years for the sector.

Chair of the judging panel, Calum Ross, Loch Melfort Hotel, near Oban, said: “Not only did we have a record number of entries for the Awards’ return this year but the standard of submissions was exceptional. We had an incredibly strong field this year which is all the more remarkable given the huge challenges and disruption to our industry over the past two years.

“It is fantastic to see so much resilience and work that went into each entry and so many businesses that took the time to apply. Of course, that made our job of shortlisting the entries all the more difficult!”

HITA chairman Laurence Young added: “After two long years, it’s exciting to be able to bring the Awards back. Everyone can now look forward to a wonderful Awards night where we can celebrate the achievements of our sector and recognise the dedication, professionalism and excellence shown right across the Highlands and Islands.”

https://www.shetlandseabirdtours.com/booking/

BOOKING NOW BEING TAKEN FOR 2023

 

 

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