Peggy'S Cove Boat Tours
சுற்றுலா ஏஜென்சி வெளிப்புறப் பொழுதுபோக்கு ஈர்ப்பு படகு சுற்றுலா ஏஜென்சி 149 Peggy'S Point Road, பெக்கிஸ் கோவ், நோவா ஸ்கோடியா, B3Z 3S2, கனடா
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About Peggy'S Cove Boat Tours
We are blessed to be the exclusive boat tour operator in Peggy's Cove, Atlantic Canada's # 1 Tourist Destination. Our guests enjoy an adventure each time the boat leaves shore. Choose one or all of our tours, including Sightseeing and Marine Life, Puffin, Bird and Seal Watching, Deep Sea Fishing, Lobster Dinner and Sunset Gazing.
Contact & Hours
149 Peggy'S Point Road Government Wharf, Peggy'S Cove, Nova Scotia B3Z 3S2 Canada
http://www.peggyscoveboattours.com
Opening Hours
- Sunday: 07:00-17:00
- Monday: 07:00-17:00
- Tuesday: 07:00-17:00
- Wednesday: 07:00-17:00
- Thursday: 07:00-17:00
- Friday: 07:00-17:00
- Saturday: 07:00-17:00
Nearby Attractions
Reviews (118)
Poor communication
Waiting at dock… another group there too No one came after 20 minutes…called.. no answer.. send email.. then told it was canceled We confirmed the tour 3 days prior Bad experience!!
Great trip / fun crew!
Great trip! Chester provided many local tales & lore! Captain was a very good / safe driver & seats were surprisingly comfortable. Best part was getting up & close with seals. 🦭. Lots of opportunities for photos / selfies of you in front of the lighthouse & Chester takes one of everyone at the end. We live here and was definitely worth doing!
Best $50 you'll spend in Nova Scotia!
Had an amazing hour with Chester and the captain. Took us to see the seals and we happened across a bald eagle. The captain allowed passengers to sit in his seat and took photos with the captains hat on. Very pleasant and knowledgeable guys. Best $50 each we spent in Nova Scotia! Thanks for the ride guys and thanks for helping make another great memory with our kids!
Simple Family Trip to see Puffins but could be much more
We went on the tour to Pearl Island. The captain and first (and only) mate were pleasant and competent for the boat operation but you'll not be getting tour guides. If you want a competent captain and boat to get you out to Pearl Island to see puffins then this tour will do that. However don't expect much else. I will give a long review as I think the potential is there for this to be a much better tour than it is. And with only limited effort on the part of the crew. I was surprised on the minimum level of operations on this tour based on other tours I've taken elsewhere in NS, NF, BC and California. In fact this tour was far more similar to when, along with others, we've hired a local captain to take us out to see something rather than a tour. The hired captain gets you where you want and back safely. But you have to provide almost everything else. NO OTHER SEABIRDS The focus is solely on puffins. If that is what you want then that is what you'll get. If you are a birder then you'll need to be prepared before you go as there is no attempt to talk about the other seabirds in the area. ECOLOGY / CONSERVATION. There is also no discussion about the role and value of having seabird colonies. How they are located near fishing grounds. How those fishing grounds attract other fish eating species including birds, mammals and other fish. The timing of when some species leave the island - it looks like the razorbills have already left. Some of the above is mentioned on the website but that is no replacement for it being mentioned aboard the boat. Also there is a special, once-a-week, tour with a birder aboard that is great for those interested in birds but the daily tour could be so much better if some of these elements were on every tour. LONG TRIP. The two points above would be very beneficial to keep people interested during the long trip to the island and return. The trip is basically a third out, a third there and a third back. So much time just crossing open ocean. This can be boring if you are not being directed to notice other birds or discussion about what you'll see when you get there or what you did see. This doesn't have to be a non-stop story but even a 2-3 minute note every 10 minutes or so would keep people's attention. Some topics could be other birds on the island, fishing grounds, why puffins have such colourful beaks, the grey seal population that you'll see, impact of gulls on breeding bird colonies, etc. The trip seems especially boring for children. On a side note, since the trip doesn't attempt to keep you alert during the ride out and back then things can be easily missed. Gannets, a very striking bird, flew over the boat but it wasn't pointed out. We passed a sunfish (mola) not far from the boat but it was not mentioned nor did the boat slow to allow better looks. GENERAL INFORMATION. There seemed to be very little information for the participants to prepare. No reference to the length on the ocean, taking sea sickness pills (2-3 hours before the trip) or when on the boat, things to do to avoid sea sickness such as looking at the horizon, moving away from diesel fumes, moving to the centre of the point and keeping busy doing other things. Or bring crackers or something salty to those with upset stomachs. You basically have to prepare yourself. They did provide a bucket for some to throw up into. And speaking of that, some people did get sick and missed the bucket. The vomit sloshed back and forth in the gunnels for most of the ride back. Unfortunate and a half bucket of water would have washed that all away. But that never happened the whole trip nor when we docked. By not cleaning that, every passenger had to step over vomit and some, had to step into the now watered down vomit to exit the boat. I'm not squeamish about such things but some passengers were. Not the last thought you want passengers to have as they leave your tour. Lastly Peggy's Cove is likely the worst spot to have this type of tour. Leaving in the morning does allow you to find some parking spaces nearby which is good. By the time you return, Peggy's Cove is swarming with tourists. Thousands especially if the cruise ship tour buses have arrived. It's not some place that you'll want to be at that time of the day unless you love crowds and congestion. Having said that, it didn't take us long to get out of Peggy's Cove and to get to Hubbards before stopping to eat. So think of this as a family tour, with long uninterrupted sailing times out and back, for the purpose of just seeing puffins. Prepare yourself with information about any questions you might have. If you are taking children then take something for them to do. If you tend to car or sea sickness then take your Gravol or other drugs a few hours before the trip. The tour has great potential but is not reaching it right now.
A must do while in the area
This was an amazing fishing experience! Highly recommend ! Friendly and informative captain and first mate who made sure that we found a great fishing spot. We spent the entire time catching fish - it was an incredible experience !
Good tour
We are bird photographers so we booked the Bird & Photography Tour which is more expensive but focused on photography. This tour had Jason Dain, a local photographer and naturalist aboard. Despite a little drizzle as we set out, the rain soon stopped leaving just cloudy conditions which are actually good for photography. We were very happy with the number of birds we saw. Puffins, Razorbills, Shearwaters, Common Eiders, Petrels and more. Jason was excellent at locating the birds and telling us where and what they were. The only negative thing is that there were too many people on board. We thought we were paying more to have a maximum of ten paying customers on board. But there were fourteen plus Jason. Two people left which reduced it to twelve which still made space for photography very restrictive on the boat. Fortunately, everyone was very courteous and we made due, but it would have been more enjoyable with less people.
Good time
Good day even though it rained- we liked the staff- saw plenty of puffins, seals and other water birds- would encourage travelers to take in this trip
Burial at Sea
We had to reschedule due to the hurricane, and it wasn't a problem. Captain, first mate, and land rep were all courteous and very professional. Would definitely recommend!
Trop cher pour ce que c'est
La guide était intéressante, ce qui a rendu le tour sympathique. Mais ça ne vaut pas le prix (plus de 60 dollars) et surtout ça n'a pas duré 1h30 comme indiqué mais à peine 50 minutes. Donc trop cher pour ce que c'est.
Awesome fishing charter!
My wife and I did a 2 hour fishing charter and the fishing grounds are right off shore. We were fishing within 10 minutes of arriving and we caught fish non-stop for 2 hours. We had double headers and caught some huge Cod, mackerel, pollack. I wasn't sure how much action we would get in two hours, but we were exhausted after catching that amount of fish. It was amazing and I do recommend for anyone who likes fishing
Relaxing interesting adventure!
Loved the ride in this beautiful area. Saw seals, puffins and all kinds of other sea birds. Gary the captain and Abbey the first mate were wonderful and knowledgeable about it all. It was great to be offshore along this lovely coast!
Fun adventure! Saw lots of puffins!
My family and I did the puffin tour in July '23. It was a fun family activity for our outdoor loving teenagers. The day was foggy but we still had a great tour. They took us out about 9 miles to an island and we saw lots of puffins! Plus other sea birds end a few seals as well! On the way back in to shore, there's a very nice view of the lighthouse. Peggy's Cove is picturesque. Highly recommend.
Great
I enjoyed the trip to see the puffins. The boat and the crew were excellent. The birds were wonderful, and the trip felt safe and secure at all times. Unfortunately, my daughter got seasick, but that is not the fault of the excursion. It may have been helpful to have been told of the possibility of seasickness during booking, so we were prepared.
Worth a trip!
This was a lovely spur of the moment decision to take the last tour of the day. We were welcomed by the friendly captain and crew and enjoyed our time on the water. Abby kindly took photos of us with the lighthouse in the background.
Great tour!
Leaving and returning to Peggys Cove on a foggy morning was the best….. a great photo op to see the " moody " coastline and lighthouse from the water. The captain, crew member and onboard local naturalist were helpful and very knowledgeable about the birds in the area. Pearl Island had an amazing variety of birds including Atlantic Puffins, Cormorants, Sandpipers, Razorbills and more. And I even saw a couple of sunfish on the return trip back to the harbour. 👍🏼👍🏼😎
Foggy but fun!
Despite the fog we travelled out to Pearl Island to see the puffins. Many puffins and other sea birds, seals and even an Atlantic Sunfish! Captain and first mate were friendly and knowledgeable. Would be happy to see them for another tour!
Disappointing
We arranged for the 1.5 hour Sightseeing and Marine Life Tour. The lady on telephone mentioned it was a whale watching tour. We saw no whales, no seals, no sea life. I realize wildlife is not guaranteed but it seemed captain / first mate were not looking for or talking much about marine life. The microphone was not working. The tour left 30 minutes late so we spent only 60 minutes on the boat. First mate did the best she could but I felt it was a waste of time and money. Halifax harbor tours were much more enjoyable.
Sketchy
Booked with them realized instantly I couldn't make it and have spent days trying to get a hold of someone to cancel and get a refund. Pretty questionable if nobody is answering phones and emails for days
A Lovely View by Sea
It's a lovely way to see Peggy's Cove and have some great photo opportunities. Wonderful to spend an hour on the water and learn a little history. We highly recommend.
Very nice pet friendly boat tour!
Great experience. A lot of nice information about the area, and we even took pictures in the cabin! Staff very friendly. We recommend the tour.
Rippin good times!
Great experience! Caught plenty of mackerel, pollock and cod! Captain Garry and Cody were super friendly and helpful. They brought us out to the " honey hole " and it was non stop action! This was a blast and I would highly recommend it anyone who enjoys fishing!
It was something different to do
It is just too late in the season for puffins. When we got the boat I could hear it in the captains voice telling us that there are now very few. We saw none. A couple of seal, Gulliver Pearl island puffin tour. I do not believe we really saw any Puffins. I I think it is just too late in the year this year for puffins now. Before we went out I heard it in the Captain's voice down playing what we would see. We did see a couple of seals, guillemots, seagulls, two types of cormorant. There was an interesting guy from the Netherlands and a couple from India on the tour. It was a good time regardless of no puffins At one point the captain had the mate tell us there's a puffin but tracked it with a long lens and back on you could be convinced it was a. Puffin but on close inspection of the photos it was not a puffin.
August Very Few Puffins
This is an hour's boat ride to go out to Pearl Island. 30 min circling the island, and then an hour boat's ride back. You don't go on the island. The captain didn't say that this was late in the season to see puffins or give people a chance to disembark. Luckily, we saw a few puffins swimming in the water at a distance, but it was hard to focus on the few puffin birds that were left with a long lens, because the boat rocks so much. Two people became very sea sick as a result. So if you are prone to motion sickness, would recommend you take Gravol or Dramamine before the boat ride. The puffins also fly off very quickly, so very hard to capture with a cell phone. We saw lots of sea gulls, cormorants and other sea birds. We saw no seals and there was no opportunity given to get closer to Peggy's lighthouse to take a picture. Bring a hat, water bottle, sunblock, and binoculars and wear layers with a jacket since it is cooler on the water. Recommend to go in June or July for more puffins to see.
Like Fawlty Towers
I booked a puffin tour. When it became obvious that our day would be washed out by rain, I decided to move it to another day. Nobody ever answered the phone so I left a message. I also emailed. A day went by and no one responded. Thinking that I would not be able to get into another tour date, I cancelled through email and by leaving a message. I did this more than 24 hours in advance. Still received no reply. When the morning of my original tour booking came, it was a washout just as I expected. And yet I still received no notification of cancellation. Instead I had a reminder notice of my tour. When I called again, there was no answering machine this time but simply a busy signal after a few rings. I now will have to do a chargeback. This is not a legitimate business anymore, if it ever was.
Earlier next year
At the beginning of the tour, Brian let us know it was late in the season to see Puffins and we were likely not going to see any. He gave everyone a chance to disembark then if they wanted to. The boat ride was smooth although it was foggy in places. We did see a few puffins inflight at a distance and lots of gulls, cormorants, gannets and even some seals. The staff were great. Fun day. Next year we'll go in July before the babies fledge.
Great
We had a Saturday morning trip booked and the boat was a little late coming back from previous tour, no big deal because we still got to go. Apparently it's near the end of the season for puffins on Pearl island, they're starting to migrate out, but we did get to see a puffin (s) circling the boat and catching fish, not sure if it was one or 2 birds. We got to see some seals and other seabirds we had never seen before either. Only downsides were the fog was thick as soup and the boat was a little late coming in for our 10am tour.
Saw the Puffins!
We booked a 9:30 Puffin boat tour. The boat accommodated about 20 people sitting on benches around the edge. The ride was about 50 minutes or so out to the island where the puffins and other birds live. The boat cruised back and forth by the island for about 30 minutes so everyone could get a good look. Then we rode back. We were very happy with the tour but there are some things to be aware of. This is a basic boat ride. There's nothing for sale so bring your own water and snacks. You can use the head for simple business but you may want to limit your coffee intake before you go! There is no narration but you can certainly ask questions. Take binoculars if you can. The birds move fast and are hard to see sometimes. Take the best camera you can. I shot photos with an iPhone so I do have a few snapshots. But if you want the money shot you need a good long range lens. Dress in layers. Most people were happy to be in long pants or leggings. The folks with shorts had goosebumps. And it was already a warm day. It can get chilly on the water and when we rode into some fog, we were happy to have a raincoat along even though it wasn't raining. It was a great ride and we saw the birds and some seals. Enjoyed the experience.
Puffins
The staff of Peggys cove boat tours are very nice and flexible. We were unable to make are tour on a Saturday, and we were able to get om the boat on Sunday. It is an hour boat ride out to the island. You stay for about half an hour and watch the puffins, seals, and birds. Unfortunately I did not bring a camera, only my cell phone. It was very difficult to get pictures on the phone. You need a long lens and a something to help control the camera for a good picture as you are constantly moving and the puffins do not stay still. Take a warm sweater or jacket as it gets cold in the ocean. It was very fun.
Puffin, bird and seal tour
Great tour of the puffin, birds and seals. Crew were friendly and eager to interact and answer questions. My only thought is to maybe provide a ramp for entry and exit for those with mobility issues such as myself. Dress warm, take gravol and sit back and relax. Very enjoyable tour!
An excellent way to discover bird life offshore
Overall, the tour delivered what was advertised. We got to see a variety of sea birds that we don't normally see on the mainland as well as seals, which were a nice diversion. I certainly felt that I was in good hands with the crew. That said, I would have appreciated more information about Pearl Island, details about the bird species found there and the ecology of the place.
Awesome tour guides
Pete and Gary make the fishing tour awesome, they interact with everyone and make the experience much more enjoyable with some stories, some wisdom and any help they can possibly do to make your tour that much better. The 3 of us are not hardcore into fishing but we had a blast and caught lots of fish, my daughter loved her first time fishing, that was because of the two other guests that were on the tour with us and Pete and Gary. I would recommend any tour they offer with them.
Excellent charter, excellent fishing, caught plenty of cod. Highly recommend it
Excellent experience from start to finish. Went on this fishing charter 2022-07-11 and loved it! Peter and Gary were so very informative and helpful. My vehicle would not start and we called them and they said they were going to wait for us. We managed to get there just about 10 minutes early and they said they were not going to leave without us. So considerate. They took us to approximately four fishing spots and all five of us on the boat caught plenty of cod and pollock. For the skitterish Peter and Gary would pull the fish out of the water and unhook it and either throw it back or decide if we wanted to keep it. We got three meals out of the fish we caught. They cleaned them for us and gave us the beautiful fillets. We had an amazing lunch when we got back to our Airbnb. I highly recommend this charter.
Such a fun trip - and lots of fish!!
Our family (with kids 14 & 12) went on a fishing tour from 7am-9am with Gary (captain) and Peter (first mate). There was another group of 6 on our boat, but it didn't feel too crowded and we all took turns with the fishing poles. The trip to the first fishing spot was pretty quick - only about 10 mins from Peggy's Cove. Bite was a bit slow, so Peter suggested another spot a few mins away and boy was that ever a great decision! Bite at the second stop was awesome; cod, pollock, mackerel being pulled up, sometimes with 2 or 3 on one line! We all had a great time and Gary even cleaned our fish for us when we returned to the dock. Highly recommend for a great way to catch some fish, and explore Peggy's Cove all in one!
What a wonderful experience!
What an interesting experience we had on the boat tour. We had friends here from the US and they wanted to see the puffins. Well, they certainly saw the puffins and more. We appreciated the way in which Gary and Peter accommodated us all, turning the boat so we could get a better view and answering questions. My friends mentioned that it would have been nice to have water available onboard. I would highly recommend this experience and would consider doing it again!
Puffin tour
TOTALLY DISAPPOINTED!! Saturday July 2nd we sat at the wharf from 9:30 to 10:20 am when no-one showed up and we had purchased 4 tickets for the Puffin tour a month prior. We went to the restaurant and were told that the captain just had breakfast there. Whaaaat!! So our friends go running after him and he says oh it's been cancelled. No-one told us!! There were no signs at the boat saying it was cancelled, there was no post on Facebook saying it was cancelled, no email, no-one answered the phone when we called, just NOTHING. NO RESPONSE!! NO NOTIFICATION.
Puffins, seals and sunfish!
We saw a lot of seabirds including many cute puffins. They flew by and sat in the water close by as they were fishing. The boat took several turns around the island. The seals were a pleasure to watch as well, as they seemed curious about the boat. The biggest surprise was to see a Sunfish just as we reached the Peggy's Cove lighthouse. The boat ride itself was a fun adventure. Very nice crew and I liked the small boat.
Excellent Trip!
Excellent trip out on the Olivia Margaret with Peter and his dog, and first mate Trevor. Nice comfy cushions to sit on! I was able to see and photograph puffins and other pelagic seabirds on the Puffin Tour and on the way back we had an opportunity to see many seals. It was also fun seeing Peggy's Cove from the water.
Peggys cove boat tour
It the best thing you can do when you came Peggy cove I crew about the boat we do our best to make ur time fun on the boat
Pearl Island puffin tour and Seals
July 16, 2018 We set off for the tour half an hour late as the captain was working on the engine when we arrived. It was over half an hour ride out to Peal Island, but we saw quite a few puffins swimming close up, and some on the island with a lot of cormorants. Captain Pete and his crewman were very friendly and answered any questions we had. We were lucky enough to also see an ocean sunfish, which our family had never heard of, but was quite remarkable. We then set off to the shoals where the seals were bathing / playing, and some came up quite close to the boat. I dont know what the rules are about feeding the seals, but I would think a little bait thrown over the side, might have drawn some in closer. We stayed until everyone on board (3 families) were finished watching, and then headed back to Peggy's Cove. WE had a good time, the ride at sea seemed quite long, but we spotted a few whale dorsals on the way. This is a very basic No Frills tour. No cushions, no food or drinks served, so bring your own, and a jacket because it does get cool out on open water!
Sightseeing & Marine Life Tour
This is really the " only game in town " so if you want to take a boat cruise in Peggy's Cove this is it. You may or may not see any marine life. We had a reservation for the 1pm cruise on Sunday September 2 and arrived around 12:40. That was lucky, since apparently the departure time had been moved to 12:45 (August schedule, I guess), Our pre-made reservation was nowhere to be found (fortunately we hadn't paid ahead) but the boat wasn't full so we didn't have to wait for the next sailing. There were about 12 of us altogether including captain and one crew member. Folks who arrived after we did were told they'd have to come back for the next one. Ignore the website. It says: " Lobster, crab, flounder and pollock are common sightings in their natural settings. Keep your eyes open for whales, seals, tuna, leatherback turtles and sunfish. In addition Dover Island is located one mile off the shore of West Dover.... the premier bouldering destination in Atlantic Canada. " We'd enjoyed a picnic lunch before going on the cruise and had a chance to speak with some locals - when we said we were hoping to see some of the above marine life, they laughed. " There aren't any whales anywhere near here. Lobster you probably won't see at this time of day. Maybe a seal, if you really look hard and you're lucky, but probably you won't see anything. It's hit and miss anyway. Just enjoy the scenery. Watch for the log cabin on the island, The people who built it only use it a couple of weeks every year and they pretty much had all the material to build it brought in by helicopter. " The only fish we saw were being reeled in on some small fishing boats. We did, however, see some " wildlife: - someone who apparently thought she had a nice secluded spot to sunbathe was quite visible from the boat. Oops. This is not a boat tour with a guide who makes sure the guests are directed to points of interest. We got a quick lesson on the safety equipment on board, were told " when we go past the lighthouse we'll hit the horn & you guys wave as if you're having the best time of your life " and that was about it. I'm sure we passed Dover Island but if we did nobody said so. When we were out on the open water some of the passengers were given a chance to sit in the captain's chair for photo ops & the " first mate " took photos of the passengers / couples holding a life preserver. Basically it was a cruise around the area, with a couple of trips past the lighthouse (on the way out & on the way back). We were back in time for the next group to go out. If you're accustomed to, and expecting this to be like, one of the big party boats or even the private smaller boat cruises you can take in the Caribbean you might be disappointed. However - Peggy's Cove is a small Atlantic town, not party central. This was a nice way to spend an hour and a great chance to see Peggy's Cove's charming buildings and famous lighthouse from the water.
Sunset Cruise with captain MISSING! Sorry zero rating ; (
Planned a sunset cruise for Friday August 24 at 6:30pm. Peter and partner called on a couple of occasions to confirm details get my credit card number etc.. were kind enough to email to confirm cruise confirmation... unfortunately not kind enough to confirm the CANCELLATION. Planned our short trip down east around our visit to Peggys Cove for our wedding anniversary and not even a courtesy call to let us know the cruise was cancelled. We showed up 20 minutes early to make sure we would not miss it... surely he could have even had someone from the cove just come over personally to let us know. What a total disappointment. Would have planned this short trip to the Maritimes differently if we would have been notified! Very poor customer service! Can't even rate the cruise so disappointing. For future notice service does not stop as soon as you have the customers credit card number. Very unprofessional!
40 dollari buttati
Mi spiace, ma questo giro in barca, dopo le promesse di vedere animali marini oltre alle coste vicine, ci ha parecchio deluso. Nessun momento dedicato ad avvistare foche o uccelli marini, paesaggi decorosi ma non eccezionali, foto al posto di comando e col faro dietro. Turistico. Troppo e inutile.
Deludente
Pagati 35$ (before tax) quindi 80$ in due per un giro in barca di un ora senza nessuna spiegazione o sosta a vedere animali. Non ne vale la pena molto meglio rimanere su una roccia o fare una passeggiata e spendere i soldi altrove.
Lobster dinner / Sunset
After much communication, our family of 14, ranging from the 70's to early teens, decided on a lobster dinner / sunset combination boat tour. Lucky us, the sky was clear, the ocean wasn't too rough and it turned out to be a pleasant evening. The view was amazing, at the castle and of course the lobster was pretty good, with a side salad and buns w / butter. Just wish we had brought some wine / beer to compliment this experience. Thank you for your patience and hospitality on board to Captain Peter, Andy and Brianna (booth).
Rip off!
Booked the sunset trip and it was literally a loud boat ride. The tour guide didn't leave the front of the boat to tell us anything. The girl that works the ticket booth came with her kids and mother. They charged us double the price that it was suppose to be. We let them know when we noticed and was told the boss was away and it would be refunded when he returned. I contacted them again and was told they'd email it but never did and now won't respond to me. Dont waste your time or money!
Dont waste your time!!
We were really looking forward to the tour, especially to see the various birds.. The boat was half an hour late, the restroom was not in working order. No one on the boat gave any information on the birds... It was basically a ride out to Pearl Island around an hour, slow down for ten minutes to catch a few glimpses of the birds and then an hour back..
Never Got To Go
Showed up at 8:20am for the 9am Puffins, Bird & Seals tour. I had tried to call for 2 days prior to the trip and the morning of with no answers or returned phone calls. 9am came and went and no boat or any one around other than about 10 of us waiting for the tour. About 2 hours later the boat pulls in to the wharf with a load of people. When we confronted the Captain about it he said oh we left at 8am because we have a full day. No signs or notices anywhere. There was a couple there from the Netherlands that had left a credit card with them they were never notified. They were blatantly lying to all of us that had stuck around. There offer was well we can accommodate you on the 3:30 daily tour... that's nice try and kill another 5:30 hours in Peggy's Cove after being there for 2 and a half hours already... and for my wife and I on our anniversary had to fly out that night... so we couldn't have even wanted to stay if we could... Just absolutely deplorable way to treat clients... next time I will just go to Lunenburg or somewhere else for a boat tour... Peggy's Cove was beautiful as a plus side but in no way thanks to this poor excuse of a business
Captain Pete - No Show - for Our Reserved Tour
My wife and I had confirmed reservations for the Puffin Boat Tour 9am Monday July 9th. We had spoken to Captain Pete by phone and received an e-mail confirmation on May 30th. We showed up to the dock at 8:45 am as instructed. There was no one around. WE had to call him. He said " oh, ya, you guys, oh well I tried to call you earlier this morning, guess I had the wrong phone number, ya, there's only you two, so I'm cancelling the tour. " His attitude was very unapologetic. First off, he had our correct phone number - we had spoken earlier in May, so his claim of trying to call us that morning was clearly untrue. Second, if he had failed to get a hold of us by phone, he had our correct e-mail - why hadn't he at least sent an e-mail? Third, regardless of one or two, what kind of lousy customer service is it to cancel the morning of a reserved tour just minutes before? We would have understood a last minute cancellation due to weather, but this was due to low booking numbers. He knew well in advance that he only had the two of us booked. Even cancelling just the night before would have been much better. We both took a day off work, put our 2 dogs in daycare, which is not cheap, and drove all the way to Peggys Cove for this tour that we booked 6 weeks in advance. But Captain Pete's horrible customer service continued. He didn't care one bit about any inconvenience or expense his lack of care had cost us. His attitude was " what am I supposed to do about that " ? He didn't apologize, he didn't offer to reschedule, he didn't offer to give us a discount. Completely unprofessional!!! DO NOT waste your time with this company.
A serendipitous great time
We did not expect to be able to find and take a bout tour at Peggy's Cove, but we kind of walked right into this one. Had a great time on this one hour boat ride. The Captain stops the boat in front of the Lighthouse and the first mate takes pictures of all on board... got a great picture. Also, kids on board get to drive the boat for a short while. Relaxing ride, great scenery, and accommodating crew, all for a reasonable price!
Unorganized and just not worth your time
We had planned a roadtrip out through some of the Maritimes and I had really wanted to see Puffins and found this place while researching boat tours. We made sure we went during Puffin season and my husband had our boat tour all reserved. It took weeks for this reservation to be confirmed as they were very bad at returning our messages. That should have been a big hint of what was to come. The day of the boat tour was a huge rain storm and we assumed it was cancelled but we had no phone call the night prior nor the morning of. As we were tent camping and didn't want to get more soaked we left and arrived in Peggy's Cove at 8;30 am, phoned and phoned again. No answer and seemed after our third message a couple hours later that we would have to scrap this plan. Later on in the afternoon we stopped back in peggy's cove as it was near where we were staying to hopefully speak in person. Found the Captain and he was apologetic and said we should have been called. It was possible for tomorrow to have a boat and he would turn off his call forwarding to the answering service so he could speak to us tonight, as he said he would call. We went to Chester for dinner and no call, so we called again.. voice mail again. And again. I eventually called from my cell, same deal. I left a message myself this time rather then my husband asking when it would happen. Next morning we left our campsite early to make it to the tour for 9 just in case as we never heard. We get there at 8:50 and the boat is gone!!!! SERIOUSLY?!? No phone call, no nothing. We are nearing the end of our day in Halifax when I get a phone message (we were in a noisy bar so I missed it) that there was indeed a puffin boat tour etc etc etc. I was so upset because it was one of the three things I wanted to do on this trip. I only get so much time off a year it just ruined a day for me. So please I beg you get better organized, have a better call and answer system, because no one else deserves to not enjoy a day out east, it's just too beautiful out there to be soured like I had. Next trip will be Newfoundland or get more time off to head out to Cape Breton Island to go see the Puffins there instead. Even pouring rain doesn't damper my spirits, heck we made pancakes in the rain. It's just a shame I did not read the reviews.
可愛い波止場
ペギーズコーブの灯台のすぐ近くにある小さな小さな波止場です。 カラフルな家が写真に良く映えます。 波止場からボートツアーも出ていました。天気の良い日はカラフルな家もなお写真映えすると思います。
Highly Recommended
We a had tour with Captain Pete, what a nice man! Had a beautiful tour then returned for a night at the Breakwater Inn.
Great trip
Excellent well worth the money not expensive. Enjoyed the ride very stable very smooth captain and ship mate very good hosts
Great Time Fishing
This was a highlight of our trip. We had a great time and caught lots of mackerel, as well as some pollack and cod. Staff. We're very friendly.
Don't waste your time or money
Our experience was similar to the last reviewer, so I'm wondering if they were on the same excursion! We reserved spots on the boat and were told to come 15 minutes early. We rushed through our lunch and got there 20 minutes early. Upon arrival, we were told that there were problems with the boat earlier in the day and our tour would not be leaving until 2:00. The boat didn't wind up arriving until 2:15. At that point, we were able to get on the boat, but then they made us wait an additional 15 minutes for a party that had made a reservation and hadn't shown up yet. Another passenger legitimately pointed out that considering the boat should have left a full hour before that any lateness was inexcusable, at that point. Staff basically said that was unfortunate, but we still had to wait, then decided to shove off about 5 minutes later. We were told that the tour would probably last 1:15 (which would have been a nice gesture, given all of the delays), but it wound up clocking in right around the hour mark. The tour itself was largely a fast boat ride past the rocks and up into Dover. We saw birds, a seal bobbing in the water, and a deer up on a hill. The boat was going too fast to really take any decent pictures of any of these things. Commentary was minimal. The young guy who was in the passenger area pointed out the occasional thing and answered questions, but that was it. Most of the tour was the passengers chatting with each other. The underwater camera is advertised as being a feature of the excursion, but our boat was never told about it, so no one got to enjoy that aspect of the tour. Letting people drive the boat in open water and the opportunity for posed pics in front of the lighthouse were the highlights. I absolutely would not recommend this tour to anyone. Aside from getting to see a perspective of the landscape that I have never seen before, it was low-value when compared to other boat tours I have taken and travel tours, in general.
Nothing more than a boat ride
We were very excited to go on the Sightseeing cruise as we have done many of these in the past. Despite times advertised on the website there was only one tour going out that day and we had to wait 3 hours. Three hours later Captain Peter was late and we were loaded onto what can best be described as a fishing boat with benches only facing to the inside of the boat. We started on very very fast on rough water and couldn't really see anything. No commentary of any sort for the duration of the trip. At the turn around point children were brought up to try driving the boat which they enjoyed. At the end you were able to have your picture taken from the boat in-front of the lighthouse, that was the only " sightseeing " part to the whole thing.
Wonderful view of the cove
We spent the hour+ going up the coast and checking out another cove. What a great view of the lighthouse.
Warm reception and friendly crew
The crew and Peter the captain were fantastic with my 90yr old grandmother. We had a lovely day and saw several puffins and gray seals. Highly recommended as it is close to Halifax and the tours take place on a boat that is easy to maneuver in to get the best views of the wildlife. Also, the view of Peggy's Cove lighthouse on the way is not to be missed.
Choppy Seas
My friend and I made reservations for the Puffin Tour. While I can in fact now say that I have seen a puffin, we really did not get that close to the birds. Certainly there was no opportunity to take a picture of one with a phone. After an hour trip out in pretty choppy water we spent less than half an hour circling an island, then sped back early to Peggy's Cove. Very little explanation was given, other than to state the trip was almost cancelled due to choppy seas. The captain said we would go out and try it and would turn back if anyone was uncomfortable. Statements like that did not inspire a lot of confidence. No explanation was given as to why we spent such a short amount of time observing the puffins. Oh, and the head was plugged up, a problem that was not discovered until someone tried to use it. Shouldn't the equipment be checked the evening before? I would not recommend this trip for anyone who is the slightest bit prone to seasickness. It was quite a ride. Also know you may not see much wildlife. The Puffin Tour is mostly an 8 mile trip out and back in a boat. But pretty scenery, particularly as we got back in to Peggy's Cove.
Attention à la température
Il faisait froid et brumeux. Nous ne pouvions rien voir à travers le brouillard. Ni la côte, ni les animaux marins. Le Capitaine aurait dû nous prévenir qu'il serait impossible de profiter de la vue.
Awesome
For the 2 hour tour I believe we paid 65 after tax. We saw plenty of puffins and seals. Captain and crewmate where friendly. Lovely views. Was very calm and pleasant the morning we went our. Worth it even though it was pretty pricy.
This is a Must do!
We booked this 1 hour boat ride on a whim with little expectation. And all I can say is wow!!! What a beautiful and breathtaking boat ride. I am not big on boats - we met some waves and it was not a problem at all. The scenery is just amazing. Capt. Peter and mate " Gillian " were great. We wanted to go again as soon as we docked. I wanted to tell everyone on shore that they were missing the best Peggy's Cove had to offer! It was just $25 each, we would have gladly paid double!
Hidden Gem! One of those once in a lifetime experiences
We visited Peggy's Cove on July 6 and did the sightseeing tour. It was phenomenal. We were a group of 18, and we all fit comfortably on the boat. We toured the coastline line and in between islands from Peggy's Cove to West Dover. The crew on board were very knowledgeable and informative on each of the little islands around. They were very friendly and accommodating. Everyone had a blast. On the way back, they let some of us drive the boat if we wanted and they took our pictures in front of the lighthouse. It was nice to have a different vantage point of Peggy's Cove, a once in a lifetime opportunity. Worth the price! Worth the adventure!
Fun boat tour!
This is a great little tour (about an hour) and a great way to get an overview of the history of the nearby islands and Peggy's Cove. Captain Peter and first mate Kathryn were excellent hosts and insured you had the opportunity to get some great photos! Definitely worth taking the time and very reasonably priced.
Lobster Dinner Cruise: cracking good fun!
If you've only ever had lobster at fancy restaurants and automatically think " luxury " when you hear the word " cruise ", you'll need to adjust your expectations to enjoy this bare-bones experience: bench seating, plastic-covered picnic table, BYOB. But lobster begs to be eaten this way, with no fuss, all muss. The captain offered several clever meat-extraction techniques to avoid wasting a single morsel of lobstery goodness. Of course, dining shoulder-to-shoulder at a communal table might require a degree of tolerance (some of the guests on our tour were rather rough around the edges), so even though the coastal scenery along the way is gorgeous, this may not be the ideal choice for couples seeking a romantic dinner. Families and groups of friends looking for something original yet affordable (a mere $55 per adult; $40 for kids ≤15 years) needn't hesitate.
Excellent tour
Very friendly captain and guide. Boat tour lasted about 1hr. Even had the opportunity to test drive the boat and take pictures as we passed the Peggy's Cove Lighthouse in the background. The guide gave us excellent information about the area and told us some stories about the nearby islands. Highly recommended. Stunning scenery from the boat.
Awesome morning!
A super fishing trip on the perfect morning! Captain Peter was great and knew exactly where to take us.... multiple fish caught on almost every cast before the line dropped completely.... came home with plenty of haddock, cod, mackerel and perch for a few meals.... highly recommend this for everyone. Can't wait until next year!!!
Peter, Puffins, Seals
One of the best trips I have ever had. Fantastic crew and sights. Peter patiently steered the boat around the little island to give all the photographers on board great angles. And he let me steer the boat too!!! Lots of love for Peter the Puffin! Gabi, Mississauga, ON
Best day of my NS vacation!
Peter, the captain was great. He took us to see Puffins, Seals and Peggy's Cove. He even let us drive the boat! Beautiful sights and great company. Ate fresh lobster right on the wharf. Peter made it a trip to remember! Cindy, Michigan USA
Good trip
I took the one-hour sightseeing trip. At $25, it was a good value. The scenery would have been fantastic had we not been surrounded by fog. Even so, I'm glad I went. You get to see the lighthouse from the water, the rugged shoreline, and a nearby harbor and village. Also fascinating was the underwater camera that the captain tossed in the water on our way back where we saw several fish, a lobster, and a crab. Here's some advice: The road into Peggy's Cove is narrow and parking is limited. There is no parking for the boat tour. I recommend coming 30-45 minutes early so that you can find a parking space. Your best bet is to use the Visitor Center parking lot that is on the left as you come down the hill into Peggy's Cove. From there, it is a 5-10 minute walk to the boat tour ticket booth. I arrived 30 minutes early, but had to move my car after getting my ticket. By the time I found a parking space and had walked back to the pier, my boat had left. They took me on the next trip, but that's a problem you can avoid.
A terrible time but a nice village.
So let me start off by saying I'm pretty sure that the " captain " of the ship was not the guy who usually runs this trip, I heard him speaking on the phone saying that he had no idea that this was supposed to be a two hour thing, which is a pretty clear indicator. I did not have the lobster, I was there for my grandmother, the alternative is dry cold chicken from another restaurant, to which I have to say that if you have an alternative meal that cannot be prepared and served the way it should be, don't offer it. On the upside the surrounding area is beautiful so if you can get a tour without the meal your probably better off that way. The other person who was on the ship was doing a great job; she had a few good stories to tell, pointed out all the various sights, and she had only been there for two months. She did an excellent job and I felt it was a waste of her talent. With all that being said I have to add that the man that I am entrusting my family's safety to nearly injured me before the trip by speeding around. I had to jump out of the way of his vehicle, afterwards he rolled down his window, apologized and sped off again. This was not comforting, when you are a captain and in charge of the lives of others at sea, you have to pay attention. Afterwards we had tried to cancel, but they had stated they would make a 50$ cancellation charge if we did so. Regretfully I tried to endure the " cruise ", but things just got worse as I stated earlier. I would recommend Peggy's cove but never this tour or captain.
Great early boat ride
What a perfect day we had to see the puffins and seals. It takes almost an hour to get from Halifax to Peggy's cove. We were told 35 min by a couple people so leave yourself plenty of time. We left just after eight am with pretty calm seas. It does get rougher the further you go out so if you are at all seasick I wouldn't go or medicate yourself. The puffins are beautiful. For photography I recommend a nice zoom lens because you don't get that close to the birds. The seals are awesome and playful. We loved the tour and the photographs of Peggy's cove with no people there yet! The crew was friendly and knowledgable.
Peggy's cove Boat Tour
Really enjoyed the boat tour. The crew was energetic and informative and we thoroughly enjoyed the underwater camera.
Fishing charter
Fishing Charter was disappointing. To start others at dock for puffin tour sent away? Poor communication. Fishing gear was in poor condition and not enough for the eight on board. Caught a few small cod. Nothing to keep. Crew was nice but no one to fix and deal with poor equipment. Spent half the time tangled with other customers. Never fished before with a bare rusty hook ? To finish the charge was more then listed. Overall disappointed.
Caught a Ton of Fish!
We were in a group of 8 people staying near Peggy's Cove in East Dover and decided to take the lobster dinner cruise with Peggy's Cove Boat tours. The evening wasn't pretty, it was very foggy and misty, but decided to head out anyway. Captain Peter and First Mate Nicola showed us a great time touring the area and told some interesting stories. We finished with a delicious lobster dinner on the boat at West Dover just before the rain showed up! It was such a great time we decided to go fishing with them 2 days later. We were lucky this time with a beautiful day! We headed out on the boat again to fish for Mackerel and Cod. We had an incredible time and caught well over 100 fish on this trip. Putting a line in the water an coming up with all 3 hooks full for all 8 of us was unbelievable! If you are visiting Peggy's Cove, go for a tour or fishing, and you will have a great time!
Great value and experience
Our whole family visited Peggys Cove in the fall. The boat tours was a great addition to conpliment the drive over as it was of great value, the guide was hilarious and informative and the group photo taken remains a family keepsake. Recommend for a full family adventure to accomodate many interests and price ranges.
Awesome!
We decided to take this lobster dinner boat tour last minute. The crew was super knowledgable and friendly. We had a beautiful evening boat tour and pulled into a harbour where we were served a fresh lobster dinner. It was my two teens first lobster and They went through how to eat it step by step. What an experience! My son got to drive the boat. They had an underwater camera that showed lobster and other creatures on the ocean floor. Tons of great photo opportunities. This was my favorite experience of the whole trip!
Peggy's Cove lighthouse from a different perspective
My daughter and I stumbled upon this hour long boat tour as we arrived at the Cove. We truly enjoyed the trip. It was informative and organized. The weather was perfect and only 4 couples on the boat with crew made it seem more intimate than a large tour operation. The captain, Peter, was very friendly and the crew was too.
Great fishing excursion
Had an absolute blast with Captain Peter! When we arrived he had forewarned us that the wind had picked up and that it may end up being too rough to fish but we would give it a go anyway (it was nice to know he was thinking of our comfort from the start). Once out on the water, it calmed down and we were able to fish. Captain Peter and Second Mate Ally were relentless in finding us some fish. And we hit the mother load on our last spot! We caught tons of mackerel - sometimes six at a time! And my son and I had the time of our lives catching all these fish! Back at the wharf, Eric was kind enough to clean and fillet our fish and we can't wait to enjoy some smoked mackerel when we get home. Thank you kindly to Captain Peter, Ally, Eric and Jennifer whose first and only goal is happy customers! And we were extremely happy!
Stunning scenery, Great price
This is one of the best boat tours I have been on, and only $25!!!!! Well worth every penny. Very neat to see Peggy's Cove from a different perspective. Rough waters even on a calm day but to be expected on the shores of the atlantic. The underwater camera is a nice touch as we saw a lobster, flounder, and crab go by. Great guide (Nicola) and captain, and even the lady at the ticket booth was friendly and funny! We even got to drive the boat! LOL. A must do for anyone visiting Peggy's Cove!
Great side trip while in Peggy's Cove
We did the puffin and seal tour with Peter Richardson, captain of The Sea Dog IV. He's also the guy (and the it's the boat) who pulled the idiot from the water after being swept off the rocks by a big wave at Peggy's Cove in July 2015. He's a bit of a hero now sue to that little rescue, but as we found out in the tour, he couldn't be more of a humble, modest, down-to-earth guy. The trip itself was fantastic and we saw some great bird life on Pearl Island, then off to a reef with about 100 seals (a mixture of harbour seals and grey seals) bobbing around in the surf foraging for food. On the way back, he brings you right by the lighthouse for a great view from the water. But the best part of the trip was chatting with the Captain. Very personable guy, and he even came to the back of the boat and asked my 9 year old son if he wanted to come up front and drive the boat for a while. What a thrill! Excellent experience all around!
A great tour
Very affordable. I did the tour of the cove. Staff was very friendly. The underwater camera showed some amazing fish, and it was like boating through a national geographic magazine!
Great day on the water!
Hundreds of puffins - omg, I love those little guys. Seals. Beautiful scenery. A stroll around Peggy's Cove. Very friendly captain who pointed out items of interest and has a great sense of humour. Fresh lobster on the wharf. Perfect. We highly recommend this trip!
Famous lighthouse from the water
We took this boat tour on a whim--just walking past about 15 minutes prior to scheduled sailing time, and decided to hop on. Although it was a foggy day, we enjoyed the trip and would highly recommend it. The tour guide provided just enough narration to allow us to learn more about the area and the people who live and work there.
Wonderful Experience!
We did both the Puffin Seal Tour as well as the Lobster Dinner tour. Very enjoyable and gave us the real Peggy's Cove Experience! The lobster dinner was delicious as you might imagine. We were allowed to bring a bottle of wine... which certainly enhanced the experience. Alittle pricey... but well worth it!