Our sustainable tourism policy outlines how we take a sustainable tourism approach for our cruises. We are passionate about the natural landscapes and wild places we visit and we are committed to operating in a manner that does not harm these pristine environments.
Committed to the Culture and Heritage of Local Communities
Our cruise itineraries take in the coastline and islands of Argyll and we have a commitment to the local communities which we engage with; their way of life, culture and heritage add enormously to the positive experience our guests have while onshore. We are committed to working with local businesses and communities to ensure we bring benefits which help the local economy Many guests will require on-shore accommodation before and after their cruise and we will recommend the best places to stay. Our cruising area is dotted with delightful communities along the coastlines and we love to introduce our guests to these through shore visits. Any local event such as food or music festivals, may be included in our itinerary to give our guests a true flavour of the area and meet the locals.
We only use local produce in our menus and will highlight the food specialities of the area, which are of excellent quality. We take our guests onshore to find out more about the history and culture of the area and find authentic local food, drink and craft gifts to purchase and take home. Local trades are used in the maintenance of our vessel, with berthing fees supporting the local marina.
During the skippers briefing, before casting off, passengers are advised on our environmental responsibility, for example not to throw anything overboard. Our vessel “Splendour” is a wonderful example of re-using materials as she is a converted wooden trawler, which had outlived her usefulness as a working boat but serves magnificently in her new role as a small-boat cruising vessel.
Locally Sourced Produce
All food and drink on board is sourced locally to keep the carbon footprint to a minimum and also because no finer provisions can be found elsewhere, especially seafood from the Skipper’s birthplace of Tarbert, Loch Fyne. Our guests will love going ashore with our Chef to buy live seafood from Neil Prentice in Tarbert who only sells seafood which has been caught in a sustainable way, i.e. potted or hand dived. All fresh produce is sourced within our cruising grounds. All waste on board is brought ashore for recycling.
Low Carbon Footprint
Our vessel “Splendour”was chosen for our cruises because she boasts a magnificent Gardner engine, which is known worldwide for economy and reliability. The engine is also perfect for economical cruising and good for the marine environment. The engine is ‘keel cooled’ which means there is no overboard discharge from the cooling system and therefore no possibility of heavy metal contaminants entering the ecosystem.
There is masses of space on the deck for stowing passengers own bicycles or kayaks. This encourages guests to explore the waters we visit and also onshore “under their own steam”, thus causing no pollution through their activities.
We cruise in an area which is a magnificent habitat for a large variety of bird and animal species. When these are spotted we are very careful to observe at a respectful distance to ensure we cause no disturbance to the presence of wildlife
“What a wonderful adventure. Thank you Ted and Thomas.” Michael and Ginger Barr
Private Charter | May 2023
“Fabulous trip, good to be aboard Splendour.” Paul and Elaine Taylor
Arran and Ailsa Craig Wildlife Explorer | May 2023
“A gem of a holiday. We think we’ll definitely be back in the future to enjoy another trip with Ted and his top team.”
Skye and the Small Isles | July 2023
“A wonderfully relaxing trip, great company, Iggy’s wonderful food and calm and sunny weather. Thank you!” Helen
Arran and Ailsa Craig Wildlife Explorer | April 2022
“One of my very favourite adventures.” Ron Domin
Private charter | May 2023