6 fun St Ives boat trips

You haven’t really discovered Cornwall until you explore it from the water.

St Ives boat trips are the perfect way to see St Ives and the surrounding areas from a different perspective.

You can’t beat the feeling of being out on the open water, surrounded by blue skies and turquoise water. Spot seals and dolphins, go fishing, or simply sit back and enjoy the ride.

Imagine gently bobbing on the ocean waves, the sea breeze blowing through your hair and the occasional refreshing spray of sea salt. If that doesn’t tempt you to book your Cornish holiday, we don’t know what will!

Venture to seal island on the Dolly P with St Ives Boats

Western Carracks, which is locally known as Seal Island, is situated just over three miles from the coast of St Ives. St Ives Boats offer daily tours to Seal Island on the Dolly P, as long as the weather allows.

Seal Island, a rocky outcrop near Zennor, is home to a colony of Grey Atlantic Seals. Sometimes you can spot up to 30-40 seals, basking in the sunshine or swimming. Seals are quite inquisitive marine creatures, so they may even swim over to the boat to say hello.

Grab your tickets for one of the most popular sea safaris in Cornwall from St Ives Lifeboat Station. The trip lasts about an hour and departs from various locations depending on the tide.

Go dolphin spotting with St Ives boat services

St Ives boat trips are great for seeing local marine life. Why not go on an exciting adventure to search for dolphins in the beautifully clear waters of St Ives Bay?

Embark on a pleasure cruise with St Ives Boat Services to be in with a good chance of spotting common or bottlenose dolphins. The dolphins often swim alongside the Four Sisters Boat, so you may even be lucky enough to catch them on camera!

Dolphins move up and down the coast at quite a fast pace, feeding on shoals of fish. Therefore, there is no guarantee you will see them. You’ll have fun trying though and will still be amazed by the spectacular sight of the rugged Cornish coast.

Go fishing with experienced skippers from Prime Time St Ives

St Ives boat trips are also a great opportunity to have a go at fishing. Have a memorable day out with all the family on a fishing trip with Prime Time St Ives. Their private charter fishing trips are becoming increasingly popular with visitors to St Ives.

Experience the delights of a lively sea fishing trip with their experienced and knowledgeable skippers.

After a day out fishing on the water, why not head to one of St Ives’ delicious restaurants to sample some locally caught seafood?

Go on an exciting rub ride with St Ives Boat Rides

If you’re a thrill-seeker, you’ll love this. St Ives Boat Rides offer rib tours for up to 12 passengers. It’s an exhilarating way to see the stunning St Ives scenery.

This high speed boat trip takes you on a ride around St Ives and Hayle’s beautiful coastline and beaches.

It is the fastest sea going Rib Ride in the Uk, so grab your tickets and a life jacket and get set for an amazing ocean adventure!

Go on a Godrevy Lighthouse tour

If you’ve brought the pooch with you on your family holiday, the Godrevy Lighthouse tour is for you. Dogs go free and two children can also ride free with the family ticket.

This one hour and a quarter cruise is one of the longer St Ives boat trips and enables you to see Godrevy Lighthouse up close and to discover its history.

On the way from St Ives harbour to Godrevy, you’ll pass Hayle Bar, the Towans and Red River. As well as the stunning scenery, you’ll probably see some Atlantic Grey Seals and a lot of seabirds.

Hire a self-drive motor boat and explore the Cornish coast

If you’re feeling adventurous, how about opting for self-drive St Ives boat hire? They make for a great family day out, whether you want to catch some fish for supper or just experience the freedom of being on the water.

St Ives Boat Rides provide 5 and 6 seater boats which have steering wheels to make them easy to drive.

Life jackets are available for everyone, including the dog! Hire a self-drive boat for a spot of fishing or simply explore the Cornish coastline at your own pace.

A coastal holiday wouldn’t be complete without at least one trip out onto the water. If our St Ives boat trips suggestions has given you your sea legs, you might want to check out our St Ives watersports and outdoor swimming pools blog posts too.

You can find your perfect accommodation for your St Ives seaside holiday with Carbis Bay Holidays. View our holiday cottages and get set for an adventure in the ocean!