Thousand Islands Expeditions

Plenty of boats circle Ramsey; Thousand Islands is the operator that lands day visitors on the RSPB reserve itself, from the tiny lifeboat cove at St Justinian outside St Davids. Landing means hours ashore among the buzzards, choughs and — in autumn — beaches of seal pups, rather than minutes looking up at them.

The same firm runs the longer wildlife expeditions this coast is quietly famous for: fast-boat trips out past Ramsey towards Grassholm's gannet colony and on towards The Smalls, the runs on which porpoises are near-certain and dolphins, sunfish and the occasional whale are the lottery prizes. Ramsey Sound's tide races en route are an event in themselves.

Sailings are seasonal, weather-called and book-out-in-advance — dates and prices on their site. Pair a landing with the island guide, or see all island boat trips for how the options differ.