AK Wildlife Cruises Falmouth

Name: AK Wildlife Cruises Falmouth
Address: Falmouth Premier Marina, North Parade, Falmouth, TR112TD, GB
Telephone: +447553606838
Price range: ££

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AK Wildlife Cruises Falmouth

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Our 4 hour or longer wildlife cruises are a wonderful way to see this spectacular coastline where anything can be seen. Small parking fees apply at the marina.

Multi-award winning wildlife cruises and cutting-edge marine research 🧬
🥇Best Boat Trip in the UK (The Times)
🌊 26 years in operation
⛴️ Unrivalled experience and local knowledge
🐬 We are Wildlife Safe Masters
🐋 Finest sightings in the South West! Groups discounts of eight or more are available and prices for these dedicated wildlife cruises are available on request . Please email [email protected] for more information. From Easter through to October, two sailings a day.

4 hour morning trip.
3 hour afternoon trip. Prices for our different cruises can be found on our website. PRIVATE HIRE | WILDLIFE FILMING | DOCUMENTARIES | SUPPORT BOAT | SEABIRD AND CETACEAN SURVEYS

13/10/2026

Wildlife on 11/10’s Back-to-back Cruises

🌊🌊🌊

Notable species:

🐬
~50 Common dolphins
6 Harbour porpoises

🦭
1 Grey seal

🐦
1 Osprey!!!
1 Arctic skua
75+ Kittiwakes
~25 Razorbills
~15 Turnstones
5 Manx shearwaters

🦌
~45 Fallow deer

🌊🌊🌊

We started our morning trip by rushing straight out of the estuary, into some strong southerly winds. We had word as we were leaving that fin whales were still in the area, but unfortunately by the time we had made it out they had left us.

Luckily, there was still lots of life in the bay! We came across gathering after gathering of feeding birds, and there were plenty of fins underneath! The birds were mostly gannets and kittiwakes, with the odd herring, great black-backed, black-headed, and Mediterranean gull as well. A few groups of razorbills in their winter plumage were getting in on the action too. An arctic skua flew right over us, and then harassed some kittiwakes for their catch!

Underneath a lot of the gatherings were pods of common dolphins. Each pod had from 4 to 10 individuals and brought our total number to around 50 for the day! A few of the pods came up to ride at our bow, and so everyone got a close look at these beautiful animals.

On the way back in, we spotted a pod of harbour porpoises not too far south of Falmouth. They were hunting, and changed directions on us very quickly! There were 6 individuals in this pod, and after a couple of surfaces near to our bow they continued on their way towards the end of the Lizard Peninsula.

The wind and rain was really starting to pick up on the way in, and so we made the decision to go up the estuary instead of out to sea for the afternoon’s trip.

We travelled right up the River Fal, spotting lots of life on the way. We saw many grey herons and little egrets, and even a grey seal! This lone male was blowing bubbles under some trees, not seeming to be bothered by the rain! We passed a few herds of fallow deer too, including a very large male with some serious antlers.

We turned right, where the Truro River and River Fal meet, and quickly spotted an osprey perched in a tree! It was quite distant and tricky to spot, but it was there nonetheless! We stayed with it for a while until everyone got a view, and then turned around to head home. Right as we were leaving the river, a flock of turnstones flew across the bow and they were a lovely way to end this rainy day!

If you’re not bothered by the cold weather, there is still plenty of life for you to see in our waters! We still have some space left on our cruises over the next couple months and would love to have you along.

Thank you!

www.akwildlifecruises.co.uk
[email protected]

11/10/2026

Wildlife on 11th October

FIN WHALES!!! 🐋

Every day is a new day out at sea, but sometimes you get those days that are truly special. Yesterday was one of those days. Before we set off, we had heard reports of fin whales in the bay early that morning, so we set off full of excitement, wasting no time in getting out there. The weather was perfect, with sunshine and some light winds.

Immediately upon leaving the harbour, we could tell that today was going to be an exciting day. It was absolutely alive with birds, with multiple work-ups of gannets, birds diving and feeding, and tuna splashing on all sides.

We headed out quickly to the area where the whales had been sighted earlier in the day, in the hopes of spotting them. Fin whales have a tall, column-shaped blow that can reach up to 20 feet tall, making it visible from far away. This is incredibly useful when trying to detect these giant creatures.

Sure enough, after not much searching, we spotted the distinct white column of a blow only a few hundred metres from the boat, followed by the black back and fin of the whale as it dived back beneath the surface. Then, another, smaller whale surfaced before diving back down.
We were able to spot them one more time as they blew before diving back down. An incredible sight, the world’s second-largest animal right here in Falmouth!!!

After leaving the area, we were amazed to witness multiple feeding frenzies, with bluefin tuna breaching out of the water! The ocean was absolutely alive. We were also joined by a few pods of common dolphins feeding alongside the tuna. Some of them came over and joined us on the bow for a bit. Always so incredible to see these animals up close.

On our way back in, we were treated to another incredible sight. Flapping its dorsal fin on the surface, we spotted an oceanic sunfish (Mola mola). They are incredibly unique-looking animals and are one of the largest bony fish species. An amazing and rare sight! The sunfish dove back down, and we made our way back towards the marina, skirting along the coastline, where we spotted a few curious seals bottling in the waves.

Yesterday was one of those days that you don’t forget in a hurry. If you fancy seeing the best that Cornish wildlife has to offer for yourself (including massive fin whales! 🐋 ), then please book a trip and come and join us. We have a few spaces left on our trips over the next few months, and we would love to have you along!

Thanks 🐋🐋🐋

www.akwildlifecruises.co.uk
[email protected]

08/10/2026

Wildlife on Yesterday’s Four Hour Trip

🌊🌊🌊

Notable species:

🐬
15+ Harbour porpoise

🦭
25 Grey seals

🐦
2 Mediterranean gulls
1 Red-necked grebe
2 Curlew
3 Turnstones
~10 Manx shearwaters
2 Ravens

🐟
3 Atlantic bluefin tuna

🌊🌊🌊

We were faced with some serious north-easterly winds, and so after an initial attempt to push off-shore, we turned back in, and searched the Roseland for some seals. As the weather gets colder, more and more seals start to gather on secluded beaches. On the way to one of our local seal-spots, we spotted a few bobbing around the coast, and when we got to the cove there were 18 on the beach and a group of 5 in the water! That brought our total for the day up to 25 individuals!

As we continued into Gerrans Bay, we spotted a red-necked grebe flying off in the distance! Grebes are just starting to arrive for winter, and this was our first red-necked of the season.

All around us, little groups of gannets were coming together, but not diving in. There was clearly a lot of bait in the water, but they were waiting to start the hunt. We had a brief glimpse of a single harbour porpoise, and a couple splashes from tuna, but there was no big frenzy yet.

Eventually the gannets all started to condense off of Nare Head and dive in. We rushed over to check it out and could see a huge pod of harbour porpoises feeding below them! They were so energetic that we mistook them for dolphins at first! There were around 15 individuals in this pod, and they were jumping and splashing quite a lot.

After the porpoise excitement, we looped around Gull Rock, and then started our westward journey home. It was pretty quiet on the return, until we reached the Roseland again. We suddenly stopped the boat and got everyone to the bow as something incredible was about to happen. A school of garfish was jumping out of the water, trying to evade one of Britain’s fiercest marine predators.

The garfish disappeared, and it became eerily quiet…

BAM! A massive Atlantic bluefin tuna breached twice, right in front of our bow!!! It’s not often you get to see these amazing animals, let alone so close! This was a truly special moment, and really made the trip.

We continued past the St. Anthony’s Lighthouse, and returned to the estuary. To avoid the worst of the wind, we hugged the east coast of the Carrick Roads, and got a great look at some of our wader species. Two curlew, some turnstones, and a large group of oystercatchers were all together along the shore.

If you’re not bothered by the cold weather, there is still plenty of life for you to see in our waters! We still have some space left on our cruises over the next couple months and would love to have you along.

Thank you!

www.akwildlifecruises.co.uk
[email protected]

05/10/2026

Wildlife on 4th October — Afternoon Trips

Yesterday, we had two two-hour trips in the afternoon and, despite the shorter timeframe, still managed to have some of the most amazing experiences of the season so far.

We began by wasting no time and heading out of the estuary. The weather was beautiful, with bright sunshine, little wind and flat, calm, blue water. The perfect conditions for spotting anything out at sea. So we headed out full of anticipation.

Within minutes of leaving the estuary, we were delighted to spot a few small fins breaking the surface. It was a group of three harbour porpoises. Such small and shy animals, always fantastic to spot. The porpoises then dived down in their characteristic fashion, and we lost sight of them. However, it was not long before someone spotted more fins 100 metres away. This time, the taller fins of common dolphins, our second cetacean species of the day!

In contrast to the porpoises, common dolphins are enigmatic, playful animals, and we were delighted when the pod swam in and joined us, bow-riding alongside the boat. Such an incredible sight to see. We then headed back to the marina.

It was time for the second trip to head out. After having had such a successful and exciting day on the water, we were excited to get back out there. It didn’t disappoint!

The conditions were the same as earlier, and as soon as we got out of the estuary, we spotted lots of birds in the area. Gannets diving on both sides of the boat! This was a good clue to the presence of cetaceans in the area. Sure enough, after a few minutes of scanning the area, the small fins of a pod of harbour porpoises popped up. It was a larger group this time, with a few very small calves amongst them. We had an incredible sighting of them.

We headed back to the marina, still buzzing from our incredible encounters today!

If you fancy seeing the amazing wildlife that Cornwall has to offer, please book a trip! We have a few spaces left on our trips over the next few months, and we would love to have you along!

Thanks 🐬

www.akwildlifecruises.co.uk
[email protected]

04/10/2026

Wildlife on Today’s First Two Trips

🐬🐬🐬

These were two two-hour trips, and for the amount of time we spent out at sea, they couldn’t have been better!

By the time we had made it out of the estuary for the first trip, the sun was really shining, making excellent conditions for spotting! We passed several shags, cormorants, herring and great black-backed gulls, as well as the odd gannet on our way out! We couldn’t get out too far for lack of time, but on the way back, three harbour porpoises surfaced just right of us, and another single porpoise not long after that! They weren’t very energetic animals, and never resurfaced, but luckily everyone got a good look at them!

For the second trip we had the same entourage of seabirds around us, but this time a few black-headed gulls as well! Once we had made it out over the Bizzies Reef, we saw even more porpoises! There were two different pods hunting left and right of us, one group of eight and one group of four. We got to see some breaches, and again, some surfaced very close to us! After some time we left the porpoises in peace and headed back in to collect the third trip of the day.

If you would like to see some of the UK’s amazing marine life, please book a spot! We have some space left on our cruises over the next couple months and would love to have you along.

Thank you!

www.akwildlifecruises.co.uk
[email protected]

04/10/2026

Friday 2nd October was one of our last 8 hour wildlife cruises of the season, and it didn’t disappoint! The bay was full of life, with a diversity of cetaceans and pelagic seabirds.

🐟Bluefin Tuna
🐋1 Minke Whale
🐬120+ Common Dolphins
🐬5+ Harbour Porpoise
🪶2 Grey Phalaropes
🪶3 Sooty Shearwaters
🪶1 Great Shearwater
🪶40+ Manx Shearwaters
🪶1 Peregrine Falcon
🪶Several hundred Gannets, 1 Sandwich Tern, Razorbills, Guillemots, Kittiwakes, Mediterranean Gulls, and Great Black-backed Gulls

We started along the coast, past Falmouth towards the mouth of the Helford, where we were delighted to find a Peregrine Falcon perched on the cliffs. We watched as she swooped down in a failed attempt to catch a passing Jay.

From the Helford we headed offshore into the flight path of Gannets, who were quite numerous in the bay today. Here, several people caught a glimpse of a rolling back of a cetacean - a Minke Whale! We waited and scanned for the Minke Whale to resurface – there were a few more brief views of the whale, and while not everyone on board managed to see them, it was great to know that they were around in the bay.

The Minke was clearly a good sign, as activity in the bay began to build. Further south, we could see a large gathering of feeding Gannets, circling and plunge diving. Arriving at the feed, we were surrounded by a pod of Common Dolphins, breaching Bluefin Tuna, and a cloud of seabirds! The birds were mainly Gannets, with some gull species in the mix, including Mediterranean Gulls and Kittiwakes - then we spotted a a small raft of shearwaters, with a Sooty in amongst the Manx Shearwaters, and a Great Shearwater further to the side! It was fantastic to see the larger shearwaters still around, and seeing massive Tuna leap out of the water was an awesome spectacle.

Eventually, the feeding activity died down, and we decided to continue onwards. We came into the coastline at the Manacles, stopping in a sheltered bay for a short break before heading back offshore. Guillemots and Razorbills flew past, along with a Sandwich Tern, and to our excitement, a Grey Phalarope was spotted beside the boat. It was a highlight to see this tiny, stunning bird up close.

We continued heading south offshore, past Black Head and in line with Lizard Point. We came across two more pods of Common Dolphins, with some coming to bow-ride as they often do, giving us the magical experience of watching them swimming right below us!

As we looped back round to head back to Falmouth, we could see several more feeding work-ups in our path back to the coast! Moving from one to the next, we passed at least three in total on our way home. Most were more Common Dolphins and Tuna, but at one it was a small pod of Harbour Porpoise driving up the fish! Along with the Gannets, there were Manx Shearwaters and a couple more Sooty Shearwaters. A guest on board also spotted two distant Balearic Shearwaters!

It was a fantastic full day in the bay! Even as we head into the Autumn, there’s still plenty of life to be found. There’s still spaces left on our trips over the next few weeks, and we’d love see you on board!
www.akwildlifecruises.co.uk
[email protected]

01/10/2026

Yesterday’s 8 Hour Cruise – Big Seas, Big Adventure!

After the strong southerly winds of the previous day, there was still a big Atlantic swell rolling into the bay for yesterday’s 8-hour adventure. With some wind still lingering too, we knew it was going to be a very different trip from some of the glassy days we’ve enjoyed recently — but that certainly didn’t dampen the excitement of getting out and seeing what the day had in store.

We started by heading west, tucking tight into the coastline and making the most of the shelter provided by the mighty Lizard Peninsula as we worked our way south.

Our first stop was around the Helford, where we were particularly keen to check in on our female peregrine falcon. We hadn’t seen her for a little while and had started to wonder whether she had moved on, so it was fantastic to pick her out once again, perched proudly on the cliff face. After becoming such a familiar sight on our trips earlier in the season, seeing her back on her favoured stretch of coastline was a brilliant start to the day.

With eight hours to play with, we took the opportunity to venture right up into the Helford River, hoping we might pick up an osprey. Sadly, no osprey today, but the river certainly wasn’t quiet. Oystercatchers, little egrets and grey herons worked the shoreline, while families of swans with cygnets moved through the sheltered water. Add in the wooded banks and stunning scenery of the Helford and it made for a beautiful change of pace before we headed back towards open water.

Leaving the river behind, we continued south and soon noticed birds beginning to work over one of the reef systems. Gannets were gathering and dipping towards the surface, so naturally our attention turned to what might be underneath.

Fin up!

A group of five harbour porpoise were hunting beneath the birds. In the larger seas they weren’t always easy to follow, appearing for just a moment on the crests before disappearing behind the next wave, but we enjoyed some lovely glimpses as they worked the reef and occasionally surfed down the swell.

From there we continued through the reef system and swung out towards deeper water. With the swell now behind us, we began the long offshore loop back towards Falmouth.

Despite the bigger seas, there was plenty of bird movement. Gannets passed in excellent numbers, accompanied by Manx shearwaters, and then we picked out something a little more special — not one, but three Balearic shearwaters amongst the movement. Always a fantastic pelagic bird to record and a lovely addition to the day's sightings.

As we approached the shelf edge, we caught a sudden flash of movement ahead.

A common dolphin powered up through the face of a wave.

Turning to look properly revealed what the big seas had been hiding from us — around 25 common dolphins, actively hunting amongst the swell. They looked completely at home in the conditions, charging through the waves and disappearing into the troughs before bursting back into view. A handful peeled away from the hunt and came over to ride the bow, giving us some spectacular views as they effortlessly used the waves around the boat before returning to the rest of the pod.

A brilliant encounter — but we still weren't quite finished.

Just as we were preparing to make our final run towards the estuary, seemingly out of nowhere gannets began pouring into one patch of water. A handful quickly became dozens, and before long over 100 birds were circling and plunging into the sea.

And, of course, there was something underneath them.

Another small pod of seven common dolphins was working the bait below, giving us one final feeding spectacle before it really was time to point the bow towards home.

Big seas can make wildlife watching challenging, but they can also make for some of the most exciting days on the water. From peregrines and Balearic shearwaters to harbour porpoise and common dolphins powering through the swell, there was plenty to reward us for putting in the miles.

A tough but thoroughly enjoyable 8-hour adventure, and another reminder that you never quite know what a day at sea is going to bring. 🌊🐬🐦

30/09/2026

Wildlife on 28/9’s Four Hour Cruise

🌊🌊🌊

Notable species:

🐬
125+ Common dolphins
10 Harbor porpoise

🦭
1 Grey seal

🐦
20+ Kittiwakes
1 Lesser black-backed gull
5 Mediterranean gulls

1 Arctic skua
1 Great skua
2 Guillemots

3 Balearic shearwaters
500-1000 Manx shearwaters

🌊🌊🌊

What a difference a day can make! After the wind and waves of the previous day’s trip, the weather really turned around for us this day. Flat calm seas and lots of sun!

We started the trip off with a grey seal bobbing around the beacon at the mouth of the estuary! It was likely waiting for the tide to drop so it could rest on the rocks surrounding the beacon. We got a good couple glimpses of its head poking out of the water before we continued on our way.

Moving out of the estuary now, we spotted a little work-up of gannets, and below it were some harbour porpoises! There were 10 animals in this pod, and some of them surfaced really close to us!

Not long after we said goodbye to the porpoises, a pod of common dolphins appeared at our bow! They were finishing up a hunt, and so we got to see some rushes before they came over to swim with us. The water was really clear this day, giving us an amazing view of them below the surface too.

Continuing farther out to sea, we spotted an arctic skua harassing some kittiwakes! We could see another frenzy out in the distance and headed on over to check it out. Even more common dolphins were hunting underneath it, and pod after pod came over to ride with us on our way! By the end we had over 125 common dolphins this trip! After the first pod, no more than 10 minutes passed where there were no dolphins with us while we were out!

A great skua was working in this frenzy, chasing gulls and even juvenile gannets for their catch! A lesser black-backed gull was sat below all the chaos, and lots and lots of shearwaters were hunting here as well. Among the Manx shearwaters we managed to spot 3 Balearics shearwaters!

The frenzy stopped and picked up again a couple of times as we followed it, but eventually the activity died down, and it was time to head back. We passed some guillemots on our way, and the occasional Mediterranean gull as well. For only four hours, this trip was packed full of action!

If you would like to see some of the UK’s amazing marine life, please book a spot! We have some space left on our cruises over the next couple months and would love to have you along.

Thank you!

www.akwildlifecruises.co.uk
[email protected]

28/09/2026

Wildlife 5-Hour Trip, 27th September

Yesterday’s trip was an exciting one and reinforced that you never really know what to expect out at sea. We headed out of the estuary and headed towards the west. We experienced some very mild rain showers and grey skies coming out of the marina, but the weather brightened up into the afternoon.

The bit of wind meant that there was some swell, so we took shelter and skirted around Falmouth Bay, where we were happy to spot some of our coastal wading birds along the shoreline, including oystercatchers and turnstones. Heading further west, we spotted a few adult gannets flying west. These were just travelling birds, so not actively hunting, but it is always important to keep an eye on birds, as they can often lead you to cetaceans.

As we travelled parallel to the shoreline, we managed to catch sight of a peregrine falcon perched on the cliffs. The bird was tricky to spot at first at a distance, but an impressive sight! We then headed further out again to see if we could spot any birds feeding. As we were scanning the waves, a distinctive small, dark, rounded fin suddenly popped up. It was the fin of a small and elusive harbour porpoise!! It was a group of three individuals, including a mother and calf. They surfaced a few times before diving down deeper. Always an amazing sight!

As we neared the shore again, we spotted a few well-disguised seals hauled out on the rocks. When seals haul out, they are resting and digesting their food, so it is important that they are given plenty of space and are not disturbed. Startling a seal can cause it to return to the water before it is ready, using up valuable energy. With this in mind, we respectfully kept our distance from the animals and observed them through our binoculars.

On the way back towards Falmouth, the conditions had changed quite a lot. The sun was shining, and we spotted quite a few work-ups of gannets diving in. This was a great sight for the presence of cetaceans in the area, and sure enough, our patience was rewarded! A pod of 7–8 common dolphins, including 2 very small calves, came to join us. Common dolphins are such playful and curious animals, so they came to ‘bow ride’ alongside us. They are always such a magical sight.

On our way back towards the marina, we were lucky to spot even more seals! This time, in the water, bottling. Today was an important reminder that things can change at sea in an instant.

No two trips are ever the same. If you fancy seeing Cornwall’s amazing marine life for yourself, then please book a space! We have some availability on our cruises for the next few months and would love to have you join us!

Thanks 🐬

Also, I would like to remind you that we have 2027 AK Wildlife calendars available now via our website!

www.akwildlifecruises.co.uk
[email protected]

28/09/2026

fulmar cliffs | Northern Fulmar

This image is featured in one of our AK Wildlife 2027 calendars! These are available for preorder now! Check our highkights to find the link to order!

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Joe Barton FUJIFILM UK and Ireland

Address

Falmouth Premier Marina, North Parade
Falmouth
TR112TD

Telephone

+447553606838

Website

http://www.akwildlifecruises.co.uk/

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Videos

Common dolphins

Common dolphins hunting

Common dolphin

Common dolphins

White-beaked dolphins

White-beaked dolphin

Can you hear the dolphins?

Common dolphins

Common dolphins whistling while bowriding!

The behaviour we see in this reel is called "Head Slamming". "Head Slamming" is a rarely documented behaviour mostly displayed by older calves and juvenile dolphins. This behaviour is believed to be a display of irritation or annoyance/frustration and could be aimed at another dolphin in the pod. It looks similar to another behaviour called "S" posturing, but both behaviours communicate very different messages from each other. The biggest clue that this is "Head Slamming" is the emphasis the dolphin makes to slap the waters surface with its chin first. 🐬 Book now to see rare behaviours like this one first hand! 🌐 akwildlifecruises.co.uk #wildlifewatching #cornwall #dolphinwatching #animalbehavior #wildlife