Guided Cruises
Reports/summaries of the cruises can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/mikelangmanart
With over 40 years’ experience as a birdwatcher Mike’s knowledge of birds around Torbay is unparalleled. He leads walks for Naturetrek, Torbay Coast and Countryside Trust & Sharpham Trust (usually during the spring and summer).
The walks & cruises vary from general natural history walks to walks concentrating on particular bird groups, species or other wildlife; most cater for birdwatchers of any ability. Places are always limited – booking is essential.
NEW Gift Vouchers: for walks or private tours. Choose a walk or cruise or a voucher amount of your choice.
2026 will be my last year of running walks and cruises.
IMPORTANT. ADMINISTRATION Fees will be applied for a Cancellation of a cruise booking. please take note:
25% will be deducted from refunds for a cancellation up to 5 days prior to sailing.
80% deducted from refunds for a cancellation 4 days -2 days prior to sailing.
no refunds will be offered for day before or on the day cancellations or missed departure. FULL REFUND given if Mike or Boat Skippers cancel the cruise.
You can also book onto Mike’s own cruises – places are strictly limited, booking is essential:
Seabird and cetaceans – Pelagic Boat Trips 6hrs (From Brixham)
Wednesday 29th July – 8.30am departure (FULL)
TUESDAY 25th August – 8.00am Departure CANCELLED Weather
Wednesday 26th August – 8.00am Departure (FULL)
Saturday 12th September – 8.00am departure (FULL)
Additional Cruises:
Sunday 13th September – 8.00am departure (FULL)
Sunday 4th October – 8.00am departure (FULL)
Price for 6 hour trip – £ 78 (held the same as 2025) but please pay
fuel surcharge £6 per per person for 6hr cruise – cash on day to Skipper (there will be a donation bucket on board)
Places very limited just 7 participants on each cruise, booking essential
I keep a reserve list on FULL cruises as I do regularly get late cancellations (please note top of page regarding cancellation of a booking). If anyone wants to be put on a reserve list please me know: Contact Mike
Contact Mike for more information or to book a place.
The mixing of the currents off Berry Head and deeper water just out into Lyme Bay attracts good numbers of feeding seabirds, many just a little too far out for most people to appreciate detailed identification features even with the best telescope.
This year again I’m running longer 6hour hour cruises to get to the best areas of Lyme/Start Bay.
Join Mike and skipper Dave on Kelly’s Hero special seabird charter to search for and concentrate on some of the more interesting birds – hopefully including Manx Shearwater, Balearic Shearwater, Kittiwakes, Gannets, Fulmar , Gulls and perhaps Terns, Skuas even Storm Petrel, there’s also the good chance of seeing Porpoises and Dolphins. Each of the summer and autumn months has it’s own particular pelagic species to look for.
Last few years trips included the best and greatest variety and rarity of wildlife seen. It appears changes in our oceans means that the numbers of the globally threatened Balearic Shearwater are increasing together with sightings of the ‘large’ shearwaters Great and Cory’s. During one of my guided trips Devon’s very first Scopoli’s Shearwater was seen and photographed. Mid- summer also sees the return of the gulls, good numbers of Kittiwake, Mediterranean Gulls and my cruises regularly find Yellow-legged Gulls – tricky to sort out among the Herring Gulls. During the last three years Caspian Gulls have been seen very well flying along beside the boat. Later in the autumn we will search for Tuna too, last year getting in amongst ‘boils’ of these impressive predators. And there is always the outside chance of seeing the sought after White-beaked Dolphin as we have on previous cruises including 2025.
Mike will guide you through the identification of the various wildlife encounters with insight into the behaviour of these creatures. This is a great opportunity for photographers to get closer to seabirds they could never hope to easily photograph from the shore. The weather will play a huge part in what’s likely to be seen on the day, a slight breeze means shearwaters are much more likely to be moving around. However even on calm days there will be birds and wildlife to see – in fact the cetaceans and Sunfish are easier to spot and see when the sea is calm and shearwaters often loaf around in groups or even large flocks..
If the sea is too choppy the trip will be cancelled – but we will aim to try again as soon as possible – so if you are available a day or two before or later even better…
What to bring: A good pair of binoculars, clothing to suit the weather – remember it can get surprisingly cold for a number of hours at sea. Although Dave always makes a cup of tea or coffee for us and Mike provides the biscuits – bring a hot drink and a snack, sea sickness tablets for those that think they might need them (usually taken 2hrs before setting out on the boat) .
There is free parking up around Battery Gardens, or North Furzeham Road (approx 12 minute walk) or pay car parking much closer at Oxen Cove (approx 7 minute walk) but the parking fees may be more than £9 for 4 hours! Please arrive at 15minutes before the prompt departure time – it’s not fair on the others on the trip to delay the start and cut short our time at sea due to someone’s late arrival.
Meeting point: The charter boat pontoon Brixham Harbour 15 minutes prior to the given departure time : Meeting point »
Contact Mike for more information or to book a place.
Osprey Search/Watch – Dart cruise 4 hours
SUMMARY OF PREVIOUS CRUISES CLICK Here:
Tuesday 1st September 3pm (FULL)
Monday 7th September 8am (FULL)
Tuesday 8th September 9am (FULL)
Wednesday 9th September 10am (fULL)
Tuesday 22nd September 9.30am (FULL)
Wednesday 23rd September 10am (FULL)
Thursday 24th September 11am (FULL)
Tuesday 29th September 1.30pm (FULL)
I keep a reserve list on FULL cruises as I do regularly get late cancellations (please note top of this web page regarding cancellation of a booking). If anyone wants to be put on a reserve list please let me know: Contact Mike
All Departing Kingswear – aboard African Queen (pick up and drop off from Dartmouth can be arranged)
£46 adults (under 18’s £30) – places limited, booking essential
Due to high fuel bill since advertising please could everyone pay a cash
fuel surcharge £4 per Person per 4hr cruise – cash on day to Skipper (there will be a donation bucket on board)
Contact Mike for more information or to book a place.
50 years ago, hearing that the inspirational wildlife author and TV presenter Tony Soper had seen an Osprey on the Dart Estuary during one of his own wildlife cruises (when Ospreys were still very rare in Britain), Mike and a small group of YOC (Young Ornithologists Club) members cycled out to Stoke Gabriel. After a long wait, on the rising tide, their dreams came true as an Osprey flew down the estuary ready to hunt Mullet in the shallow water. Mike revives Tony Soper’s cruises during the peak osprey migration period, on a similar rising tide hoping to see an Osprey. The chances of seeing Osprey are today much improved as Osprey numbers continue to increase in the UK – BUT STILL NOT GUARANTEED! However, over the last 4 years my 24 Dart ‘Osprey’ cruises have encountered and photographed Ospreys on all but one cruise, often with 2 and up to 5 Ospreys present!
These cruises offer a great opportunity to search the beautiful but notoriously tricky estuary to watch successfully from land (as much of the surrounding land is privately owned), and hopefully spend some time with this amazing bird. We have enjoyed watching Ospreys making multiple dives giving photographers the chance to take some action shots.
On these cruises (assuming sea conditions allow) we’ll first head both out to sea around the Mew Stone Rocks to search for birds and Grey Seals before moving up river on the rising tide. In 2025 we actually saw an Osprey heading south over Froward Point! A low but rising tide is probably the best time to look for Osprey as they can easily catch Mullet feeding over the shallow, recently flooded mudflats. Of course we’ll be looking for Kingfishers, egrets, waders and wildfowl like the colourful Mandarin ducks along the way. During 2024 & 2025 we were lucky enough to see the impressive Goshawk, Peregrine, Hobby (3 in one trip!) and even Merlin on some of the ‘Osprey’ cruises! during the 2025 cruises Glossy Ibis’s were seen on two trips including the largest flock ever recorded in the UK of 92!! We should find Harbour Seals, the Dart Estuary is the very best place in the SW to see this species of seal. The estuary makes for a very pleasant and scenic boat trip too. Being on our own private charter aboard ‘African Queen’ with skipper Alan we can follow birds including Ospreys up and down the river the itinerary can be adjusted accordingly and make the very most of our time out on the water.
The cruise will be cancelled if the weather is bad.
What to bring: Binoculars, camera if you have one, clothing to suit the weather – it can be cool on the boat even in September. Bring a hot drink and a snack.
There is a small car park by the passenger ferry pontoon – but Darthaven marina car park is bigger and about 10mins walk away a 5 hour ticket is recommended. There may be some free parking above Kingswear with a 15min walk to the ferry pontoon. Please bear in mind these options when you arrive and the timings for the walks.
Meeting point: Kingswear passenger ferry car park 15 mins before the departure time for a PROMPT departure on African Queen. Collection and drop off from the Dartmouth side of the river can be arranged but please let me know when booking. We will finish back at the Kingswear car park 4 hours later Map: Meeting point »
Contact Mike for more information or to book a place.
