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About
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 Scottish Natural Heritage (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.
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, over 200,000 seabirds can nest on the May, which can include 90,000 Puffins, there are also big colonies of Guillemots, Razorbills and Shags (best time for Puffins is from April to mid-August ) also about 350 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. Sailing Information for May Princess Trips are occasionally subject to cancellation due to adverse weather conditions. Every effort is made to ascertain if the boat will be able to berth at kirkhaven before sailing, changes in sea condition can occur, become apparent after sailing, and therefore landings are not guaranteed as safety comes first.
Although the Isle of May has one of the driest climates in Scotland we advise visitors to come dressed for the outdoors, warm rainproof clothes and good griping footwear. Sea breezes can be very cooling and there is not much shelter on the island should a rain shower occur. A hat is also good idea as protection from the sun and from the occasional swooping bird.
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