Skelligs Rock Cruises — Local services in Kenmare Municipal District

Phenomenal day on Skelling Michael - A highlight of our trip to Ireland! Our trip to Skellig Michael with SEQ QUEST SKELLIG TOURS was an amazing experience. inspiring location, breathtaking views & knowledgeable crew made the excursion a true highlight of our two-week trip to Ireland. We booked early (April for trip in July) because seats sell out way ahead of time but worried knowing the weather was a HUGE factor and could cancel the trip- we kept our excitement in check. Seanie Murphy contacted us by text two days prior and said the trip was a go barring any unexpected weather conditions. Met Seanie and his daughter at the Portmagee dock and they talked with us about what our interest was in Skellig Michael and the local history of Portmagee. We boarded our boat and headed out. Our expedition was led by the colorful and knowledgeable Derrick who told us all about Skellig Michael, what to expect when we got there, history and nature we could hope to see on our trip. The 45-minute ride to the island was relatively calm and an easy arrival to the island as the weather was good. However, we could definitely see how if the weather/seas were bad it would be quite difficult to unload at the dock on the island. The OPW guide, Magee, gave us our safety briefing and we began our climb of the 640 narrow stone stairs to the top of Skellig Michael. Amazingly, Puffins nesting on the ground right next to the steps made for great close-up pictures and entertainment during the tiring climb. Stopping to take pics enabled us to catch our breath though. The views to the sea and of Little Skellig were breath-taking and while you need to be careful on stairs, it was not as scary or unsurmountable as some make it out to be. On the summit of this awe-inspiring rock you will find a remarkably well-preserved sixth century monastic settlement. The beehive stone huts of the monastery illustrate the very spartan existence of these early Irish Christians. An OPW guide at the summit led an archaeological and historical discussion of the ruins and helped us imagine the trials these monks met with during their time on Skellig Michael in 600 AD. It is mind-blowing these structures are still standing roughly 1400 years later. The descent down the staircase was exciting and the need to practice patience with fellow travelers was important, nothing however, took away from the beauty of the island. Adorable Puffins stared at us from their burrows or from the side of the cliffs and made the descent seem to go quickly. Safely back on our boat, the trip continued with a tour circling Skellig Michael and an additional treat to circle Little Skellig to view more geological sights, birds and sea mammals. With the ever-informative Derrick, we saw Gannets, Puffins, Guillemots, Razorbills, and Seals all making the Skelligs their home. Derrick also provided information on the Lighthouses, pointed out other stairways leading to the summit of Skellig Michael and further discussed the history (human and nature) of the Skelligs. The day was one my family and I will always remember. The crew and team at SEA QUESTS SKELLIG TOURS were wonderful and informative. They gave us an adventure...

I would recommend choosing Sea Quest for the landing boat trip to Skellig Michael run by Seanie & Mary Murphy. They take great care in organising their trips. On the day of sailing they were in direct communication with Monica, the owner of our guest house, which was very reassuring. Due to sea conditions landing on Skellig Michael requires the approval of the guides on the Island and cannot be guaranteed. After reading many reviews it was unclear if any of the boat companies offer a refund if the boat doesn't land, Sea Quest do. On the day I was booked the report from the island was that conditions at the landing jetty were unsafe, but a final decision would not be made until later. Sea Quest offered a cruise around the islands and a 50% refund which I gladly accepted. I could have declined the trip, however I would only receive a full refund if the boat was unable to land - although this looked highly unlikely. Despite my disappointment I thoroughly enjoyed the choppy boat trip to and around the islands. Our guide for the day took great care to ensure everyone was comfortable and entertained. Other reviews will tell you of the conditions and safety considerations of this trip, so please be fully informed and assess your own openness to adventure! As a Star Wars fan I was disappointed not to land on the island, but had a wonderful experience all the same. I will definitely book with SeaQuest when I try again -...

I went out two days in a row on an incredible Eco Tour with boater Derek. Originally, I had booked a Landing Tour which was cancelled due to a court case. My disappointment about that vanished as soon as we left Portmagee harbour! I did a boat tour before with another company, but Skellig Rock Cruises (also due to Derek) was my favorite. You felt right from the beginning that he cared about making each trip as remarkable as possible for everyone present. It was amazing! I was very lucky with the weather too. The first day, it was sunny and as calm as it gets out at sea. The second time, there was a palpable swell, but that made it even more exciting for me (nothing better than watching the waves break against the rock of the islands!). We saw gannets, guillemots, puffins, common and risso dolphins and a minke wale😍 I guess that was a good bit of luck too, however, I'm sure the trip would have been great with only half the sightings because Derek also told many interesting facts about the wildlife, islands, movie prodouctions etc. To conclude, I would do this tour a hundred times more, and I'll make sure to return some time in the future. This Eco Tour contributed a lot to my appreciation of the wildlife here at Ireland's west coast. It's magical. I'm not the least sad anymore that my landing tour was cancelled because these two boat trips with Derek made more than up for it. 100%...