“The best dolphin view point in Scotland!”
We caught up with Charlie Phillips – A professional wildlife photographer, and a Whale and Dolphin Conservation Field Officer (he studies dolphins for a living!). Charlie and his wife Susan also own an art studio and gift shop in the village of North Kessock.
Photo: © Charlie Phillips/WDCs, Bottlenose Dolphins
“Eilean Dhubh” or the Black Isle as it’s known is technically not an island as such, but certainly feels like one with an almost “Scotland in Miniature” thing going on from sandy beaches to high craggy cliffs, thick forest, wide open farmland and wildlife…lots of wildlife – if you know where to look.
Dolphin Spotting
The sea around the Black Isle is nowadays world famous for it’s dolphin spotting possibilities – yes, you heard right… dolphins! There are around 200 Bottlenose dolphins that live all year in the chilly waters of the Moray Firth and around the East Coast of Scotland and half this population are seen regularly along the Black Isle coastline, especially in the spring and summer months. You can watch these amazing dolphins hunting and playing from shore or from well behaved, award winning tour boats – the choice is yours.
Land watching for Bottlenose dolphins is great from the seafront at the village of North Kessock, just across the water from Inverness and the dolphins are regularly seen in the fast tide right in front of the gift shop and art studio where you can also get wildlife watching advice such as tide times (very important for dolphin watching) and the sharp eyed amongst you might also spot local Seals, Otters, Red Kites and even Ospreys as well as dolphins at certain times of the year.
Further onto the Black Isle, coming off the A9 trunk road at the B9161 Munlochy road then onto the A832 you come through the towns of Avoch and then Fortrose, Fortrose has a mile long peninsula jutting out into the sea from the town itself called Chanonry Point, and from the beach in front of the Lighthouse you can often see the local dolphins hunting salmon a few metres away in the fast, deep and turbulent water around the very tip of the Point on a rising or flooding tide – it’s amazing.
The ultimate dolphin watching boat trip
Carry on up the A832 to the historic town of Cromarty and near the harbour there is EcoVentures, a superb 5 star Dolphin and wildlife watching boat trip that can whisk you out into the Cromarty Firth and beyond on their two Rigid Inflatable Craft where dolphins, seabird colonies and possibly a whale or two could be enjoyed!
It’s possible to spot dolphins all along the east coast, particularly in the Cromarty and Moray Firths. If you’re in Inverness on your way to or from the Black Isle, get in touch with Dolphin Spirit. Their boats will take you out in search of dolphins, otters, seabirds and they even occasionally catch a glimpse of a whale too!
Photo: EcoVentures
Photos: © Charlie Phillips/WDC
