Hello-
We are scheduled to take a tour of Skellig Michael while in Ireland...fingers crossed it doesn't get cancelled. I have a few questions regarding going there.
Any other suggestions would be great.
Thanks,
Stacey
I booked directly with the boat owner, Des, back in 2011, and he even let me park my bike in his storage building near the docks during the day, and change back into bicycling clothes there afterwards, so he did go to extra lengths. Maybe I’m just cheap, and I thanked him profusely, but didn’t leave any extra tip. Des was on the boat, but he had another man operating the boat ... not sure who was the “captain” in that case, but maybe two tips would’ve been given.
The visit is mostly climbing a lot of rock steps, with an opportunity to wander into the grass on a flattish place part of the way up, and then to walk amongst the beehive-shaped stone huts at the top. Sturdy shoes with good soles will do the job (I wore mountain bike shoes), so heavy-duty hiking shoes aren’t absolutely necessary. I hope the water’s calm enough that your tour goes- it’s an amazing place!
Tip the captain?? Will you also be tipping the pilot of your flight over?
No you don't need to tip.
I'm going in May (hopefully boats are landing that day). Because it's Ireland and planned walks, the walking shoes I'm bringing are water proof with plenty of grip on the bottom. I don't think you need to have "hiking" shoes (or fully waterproof) anywhere but you should bring something that can take rain and has enough grip on the bottom to keep you from slipping on wet surfaces. I have Ecco dress shoes that would probably work, but that's not what I'm packing this trip.
I'm going in early July (hoping for good conditions that allow a "landing" or as I call it... "jump NOW!!!")
I'm planning to wear good, waterproof, grippy, lightweight hiking boots. Grippy, because I expect all surfaces to be wet and slippery, and it looks all too easy to make a wrong step and fall to a spectacular death. I see lots of birds all over the place, so I'm expecting lots of opportunities to step in bird poop. YMMV. Not a good place for flipflops, but I'm sure a few folks show up wearing them.
I do not plan to tip our captain - it's an expensive few hours and I think he's being well compensated.
Choking in a bit more about footing- the day I went, ther was a slight breeze on the island, but it hadn’t rained and the solid stone steps were dry. No slippage concerns as long as you stick to the steps, and watch for others coming in the opposite direction so that no one knocks into anyone else. And while there were puffins galore in June, they stuck to the grassy areas off the steps where their burrows were, so bird guano was not an issue. Little Skellig island, which your boat will pass en route, and which is off-limits to tourists, is covered with bird droppings, making it a brilliant white- nice, from a distance!
