Skellig Rock Boat Tours (@timmysboat)

I can't tell you how beyond impressed I am with Skellig Rock Boat Tours and everyone there that makes these trips possible on Timmy's Boat. I rang and got their man Kieran on the line and after chatting a bit were able to figure out where my place would be on the schedule. We went out on Friday June 3rd from the Skellig Experience Visitor Center and museum (the only boat to leave from there, no crowded docks and front road) with perfect weather and calm seas, a rarity I'm told for such a stellar day but I wasn't going to complain. Leaving from here also affords you access to the museum and a brief video in the theatre room on the history of the Skelligs. Well worth the visit. As my luck would have it it's also Puffin season and Skellig Michael was sprinkled with them like a cupcake in the North Atlantic. Timmy captains the boat and we had Noel as his mate. The ride to Skellig Michael is only about an hour and we had smooth sailing. Exploring the island and walking every one of the 618 stone steps up to the bee hives and monastery was like a fantasy. The puffins all around practically posing for photos. The landscape is unreal and the sheer magnitude of the physical labor involved in hand crafting every piece to sustain life for over a thousand years presses upon you in a majesty that's difficult to put into words. With 2½ hours to explore I found my time felt quite leisurely as climbed each step, discovering the monks living spaces and the craftsmanship of men long gone, their place of worship and learning about how they were able to sustain life and thrive in such a harsh landscape. The history of the island is incredible, a true testament to the perseverance and strength of will of mankind. After departing from the dock Timmy took us on a loop around Skellig Michael to see the lightouses there as well as the other historic landing sites used by the monks depending on the weather and the waves. Qe then adventured close by little Skellig where lives some 35,000 pairs of Gannet birds, incredible to see. An...

My visit to the Skelligs with Skellig Rock Boat Tours, on Timmy's boat, was perfect. We were very lucky with the weather, the sea was calm, the sun was shining. On our way across, we saw many dolphins, some right beside the boat. Timmy took us around the Little Skellig island first, which holds the world's second largest Gannet colony in summer. Their nesting season was in full swing (it was May 24th) and tens of thousands of Gannets were present. We then went on to the island of Skellig Michael, a UNESCO World Heritage site, where monks lived in drystone-wall beehive-shaped huts, which they built over generations from the sixth century onwards, on a very steep rocky island. It is utterly astounding. The island is inhabited in summer by hundreds of nesting Puffins, now an endangered species worldwide but still doing well here. The skipper played relevant soundtracks, for example playing the Star Wars theme tune as we approached Skellig Michael, as a few scenes in the latest episode were filmed there. He also played monks' Gregorian chant, to remind us of the monks who lived here in splendid isolation. The guide onboard, whose name I didn't catch, was entertaining and full of stories about everything. He knew his stuff, even the birdlife we could see from the boat. The boat's owner was also onboard and chatted with us, he was a very friendly host. When we went onto the island, we were given a safety talk first, as the steps to the ancient monastery are very steep and dangerous, and then, at the monastery, we received a short talk from a very well-informed guide, telling us about the history of the site and how the monks managed to live on such an exposed rock, at the mercy of sea storms and colossal waves. Altogether, I'd give this a ten out of ten experience, a bucket list item you will never ever forget. But if you go, please be careful not to do any damage to the historic monuments or go too near the nesting birds. Thank you, and thanks to Skellig Rock Boat Tours for a once in a life time experience. A truly...

I don't know what was more special for me while on my trip to Skellige Michael, the trip itself or the circumstances under which I went on it. Obviously, the island is breathtaking. Spending even five hours is a blessing for anyone who wants to either admire the monastery, watch beautiful landscape or just adore puffins. When I heard about Skellige Michae for the fisrt time I was on a spontaneous, lowbudget, hitchhiking/hiking and camping trip through werstern Ireland. All of the locals who gave me a ride spoke of this place and told me to visit. They also said that, it is very hard to get there, if you don't have a reservation made 1-2 weeks in advance. So as I was nearing Portsmaggee I took a lucky shot calling the agency, whether they would have a spot on a boat to next day. Obviously, I had low expectations, considering the things the very helpful and kind locals told me. The man on the other side of the phone line was one of the most kind people I've ever met. Eventhough we have never seen me before, he very kindly offered to ask his coworkers, family and familiars whether they could squeeze me in. He kept in touch with me throughout the day and in the end, actually got me on the boat and even offer me a space to put a tent for the night. This was, for me atleast, a once in a lifetime show of peoples ability to be kind and giving to strangers.

P.S. The men who actually run the boat are extremely nice as well. The captain is certainly experienced and his second in command has a weird but heartwarming playlist and a repertoire of...