The May Princess sails from
Anstruther to the beautiful Isle of May almost every day from 1st
April to 30th September. Licensed by the Maritime
Coastguard Agency to carry 100 passengers, she has been
operating on this run for the last twenty years. The trip on the boat lasts
from around 4.5 to 5 hours in total, which includes 2.5 to 3 hours
ashore on the Island, and if the weather allows a slow
circumference of the Island by the boat to allow visitors to enjoy
the spectacular scenery and wonderful wildlife from the sea. On
board enjoy the commentary and assistance during the trip from our
experienced Skipper and crew, who will try and make your day out a
most memorable one. The boat also has a small snack bar and
toilets.
The May Island as it is known locally is a remarkable island which lies only 5 miles off the Fife
coast and is an important National Nature Reserve owned and run by
NatureScot (SNH) and is open for visitors from the
beginning of April until the end of September. Christened the jewel
of the Forth by Anstruther Pleasure Cruises many years ago for good
reason, this is truly a beautiful Island, peaceful with stunning
views everywhere.
NatureScot (SNH) have
rangers stationed on the Isle of May during this time to make your
visit more enjoyable and informative, they will greet you on the
pier when you arrive, give a short talk on the latest information
concerning the wildlife and they will also patrol the island during
your visit. Isle of May is home to an incredible array of wildlife,
up to 200,000 seabirds can nest on the May, which can include
90,000 Puffins, there are also large colonies of Guillemots,
Razorbills, Kittiwakes and Shags (best time for Puffins is from April to
mid-August ) also about 300 seals live all year round on Isle of
May. Porpoise and Dolphin and the odd whale can be seen, you just
have to be on the trip on the right day and be a bit lucky.
The Isle of May can lay claim to having Scotland's oldest Bird Observatory, which was founded in
1934 and manned by volunteers between March and November, the remains of a 12th Century Monastery built in memory of St Adrian
martyred on the island by Norsemen in the year 875 and the oldest
light house in Scotland dating back to 1636.
