Seatours’ skipper seeks a buyer
SIGHTING dolphins off the Mull of Kintyre inspired a former senior policeman to start a tourist business.
Ex-Met flying squad commander Mike Taylor started Seatours with a RIB to give tourists a chance to see some of the creatures living off Kintyre.
Now 74, Mr Taylor, who is also a MACC director, has decided it is time to hang up his sea boots and is looking for a buyer for the equipment and goodwill in his business.
Mr Taylor said: ‘I was sitting on the MOK headland and saw some dolphins go by. I had been coming to the area all my life but was not aware of the cetaceans, so I went to see the Seafari people for some advice and the rest is history.
‘There was no-one else doing anything like it at the time here, I got a bit of help from Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
‘I thought it would be purely seasonal but in the first 12 months we picked up contract work with the navy to provide simulated attacks as part of its counter-terrorist programme, though that work has stopped now.
‘We have other work with the Northern Lighthouse Board, SNH and sometimes Kintyre Express.’
In 14 years, Mr Taylor estimates he has seen at least 10,000 people as about 800 a year take tours.
‘My best experience was seeing a minke whale about 300 yards from the boat. People sometimes ask if there is something I do not want to see and I say a periscope because it is a submarine exercise area.’