Join us on one of our many year-round trips and explore this most wonderous of British archipelagoes on one of our fleet of seagoing motor vessels. The `Shiel` family (Billy Shiel`s father and grandfather) started taking boat trips to the Farne Islands in 1918 - just after the first world war. In those days, after an early morning hauling pots for lobster and crabs, a few keen ornotholgists would ask to be taken over to the Farnes to see the birdlife on the islands. It was only in the later 1930s the business as we see it today really got going. Billy Shiel joined his father at the age of 14 years and has now been operating out of Seahouses for over 60 years. Today he is joined by his son William. Truly a family tradition. Starting with an open Northumbrian coble, built in the the 1920s at Harrisons boatyard just along the coast in Amble, Billy Shiel M.B.E. now operates a fleet of 7 passenger boats each named `Glad Tidings` and numbered from 1-to-7. Over the years we have carried thousands of people over to the Farne Islands from all over the world. Many remark that their trip boat trip with `Billy Shiel` has been the highlight of their holiday. Passengers come from all walks of life some are national and international celebrities. Indeed the Farne Islands and `Billy Shiel`s` boats have featured in many television programmesand newspaper articles. Undoubtedly the Shiel family`s proudest moment came in 1958 when one of our boats was asked to rendevous with the `Royal Yacht Britannia` and take our then recently-crowned `Queen Elizabeth II` to the Farne Islands where she spent about an hour on `The Brownsman` before Billy and his father returned her safely back to the royal yacht. Yet another proud moment was in 1962 when the Queen Mother, when staying as a guest of the Duke of Northumberland, came down to the picturesque Seahouses harbour on Sunday afternoon after Church, and boarded the `Glad Tidings`for a trip around the Farne Islands. In 1997 `Billy Shiel` was awarded the M.B.E. (Member of the British Empire) for his services to tourism in Northumberland. Today, although the main business is in boat trips to the Farne Islands, the Shiel family still haul lobster and crab pots in the early morning before taking passengers to the Islands as they did in 1918. DIVING AT THE FARNE ISLANDS: If you`ve ever been lucky enough to visit the Farne Islands, you will already be aware that in the height of the breeding season, it is home to a deafening plethora of nesting seabirds such as terns, puffins, guillemots, shags, eider ducks and kittiwakes. You may also have seen grey seals lounging on the rocks at low tide, but follow them as they dive underwater and a whole other world opens up to you. Diving in and around the Farne Islands is a real feast for the senses. Numerous wrecks litter the seabed, and inquisitive grey seals come and say hello. Whether you prefer a shallow dive or are prepared to delve that little bit deeper, there`s something to suit everyone out at the Farnes. Boats: We have a fleet of 7 boats that operate out of Seahouses harbour, two of which are used for diving purposes with dive-lifts fitted for easy access from the water. Safety: All of our boats are certified under the MCA (Marine Coastguard Agency) and are fully equipped with safety equipment. Accommodation: Many B&B`s, camping, bunkhouse and Hotel accommodation in SEAHOUSES or nearby BEADNELL or on and around HOLY ISLAND. There are parking spaces on Seahouses harbour, which provide easy access for loading gear to and from the dive boats. Non divers may wish to take a trip on one of our other boats for a cruise round the islands or to visit one of the bird sanctuaries. We are also lucky enough to have several stunning beaches in the area and you can also visit Bamburgh Castle, which is situated 3 miles from Seahouses.
The Farnes consist of almost 30 small islands and rock outcrops. They are split into two main groups separated by a stretch of water known as Staple Sound. The islands are comprised primarily of a rock called whinstone, which is very prone to vertical weathering and faulting. This has produced a strange topography of steps and sheer faces above water that gives just a hint of the delights below. Most of the diving takes place at the outer Farnes. WRECK DIVING: The Farne Islands are one of the most dangerous shipping areas in the British Isles and have claimed many victims over the years. As a result, there are many wreck dives, which include the `Somali`, `Chris Christianson`, `Abyssinia`, `San Andreas`, Britannia` and `Acklivety`. The best dive is reputed to be the 6810 ton Somali, a passenger-cargo steamer built in 1930 which was bound for Hong Kong via the Firth of Forth for convoy assembly, she was sunk in March 1941 after being bombed by a German Heinkel 111. The Somali sits upright in 30m of water near Beadnell. Much of the 450ft hull is intact and makes an impressive slack-water dive. SCENIC DIVES:When diving the Farnes you need to become acquainted with the locals, the locals being a colony of 4-5 thousand grey seals out at the Farnes all year. An encounter with a mature bull seal is enough to get any heart racing. Weighing in at 300kg and clumsy on land, they demonstrate balletic movements under the water. The younger seals are even more inquisitive than the divers and often come in to take a closer look, even nibbling on fins! Other visual delights include a vast array of anemone, dead men`s fingers and many different crustaceans. There are also several relatively unusual species that favour this cooler water - you may come across lumpsucker, Norwegian topknot, yarrel`s blenny and the spectacular wolf fish. Another speciality is the huge, deep-water anemone, bolocera.
