A change of seasons…

…and a message from Captain Jake

Hello and welcome to our monthly signup – it’s great to have you on board and I am delighted to share our current news with you.

Why don’t you grab a cuppa, without further ado – then pop your feet up, get comfy and prepare to feel, I hope, inspired?

Having appeared all of a sudden for what felt like a fleeting visit, it seems that Summer has, for the most part, been well and truly usurped by Autumn and happily, we find ourselves embracing the transition from one season, to the next. The outgoing summer’s legacy will perhaps not remain in our memories for a lifetime as one of the best summers we have experienced but despite the often disappointing weather conditions, we have many fond and treasured memories of truly wonderful shared experiences on the water. From Live Band Nights which have showcased some of the South West’s most entertaining live music scene, to insightful Geology Day Trips along East Devon’s Jurassic Coast and picture-perfect Day Trips to the English Riviera, the weather has not deterred our spirits this summer and we have been particularly pleased with the success and excitement of some newly-introduced cruises too.

As the month progresses and sea conditions likely become less reliable, we remind ourselves that within the calm and sheltered waters of the Exe Estuary, we remain unaffected by inclement sea conditions. This enables us to operate throughout the year, whatever the weather and for this, we are infinitely grateful.

And so, one of many very happy effects of Summer ebbing into Autumn, is the arrival of vast numbers of migratory birds to the Exe Estuary, where thousands upon thousands of waders will exploit the rich biodiversity of the vast mudflats at low tide. The spectacle of incoming Brent Geese, Avocets and so many more species continues to excite and cheer my mood, year on year, as we look forward in anticipation of our ever-treasured Guided Bird Watching Cruises which will take place throughout the months between now and March 2025 and we are hugely excited to be offering more dates for these excursions than ever before.

Dare I mention it but Christmas Cruises are shaping up very nicely – our Private Charter diary for the festive season is well and truly full now and remaining spaces for our Special Events such as Christmas Band Nights, Christmas Boat Parties and Sail with Santa, are scarce. I am particularly pleased that the message of boat trips being available and incredibly enjoyable, whatever the weather and particularly throughout the winter months, is spreading far and wide, largely thanks to my excellent marketing team – this message has always been our greatest challenge and I cannot express how rewarding it feels to have such a full diary over the coming months.

Finally, we are really excited to be hosting a brand new event this festive season but I will leave it to my team to reveal just what that is, so please read on!

Guided Bird Watching on the Exe…

Our Guided Bird Watching Cruises are back this October! Ideal for anyone who would like to see the many thousands of birds that migrate to the area during the autumn and winter months.

We have noticed in recent years that birds are visiting us earlier and earlier in the year and it has been great to witness the arrival of so many over the past couple of weeks.

Suitable and entirely inclusive for beginners and undoubtedly beneficial to experts, these cruises have a full commentary throughout from leading local Ornithologists. With their expert eye and informative guidance, you will discover and learn all about the species, habitats and breeding and feeding behaviours of the thousands of birds on the River Exe and surrounding areas.

The first of these cruises will be on 30th October and they will then run on select dates, through to March 2025. Many of these sailings are filling up very fast and as a rule, tickets always to sell out, so if you think you would like to join us, I would advise that you check your diaries and book as soon as possible in order to avoid disappointment.  

As ever, award-winning ‘Chunk of Devon’ pasties – both steak and vegetarian – are available to pre-order at the time of booking. Homemade soup will also be available to purchase on board and our fully licensed bar will be serving a wide range of hot, cold, alcoholic and soft drinks and snacks throughout, should you require any sustenance!

Live Music in Devon

We are thrilled to be welcoming the ‘Reggaeskas’ aboard our flagship, Pride of Exmouth, on 26th October!  

Reggaeskas are an eight-piece, female-fronted band, with a strong rhythm section accompanied by a lively horn section.

Performing unique original songs and a few covers with an energetic off-beat vibe, which guarantees to get the crowd dancing.

Our on board, fully-licensed bar will be open and flowing throughout the evening and we still have a limited number of tickets remaining, so grab yours without delay before they sell out!

Pop-Up Dining Experience

Well, I had thought that I would be including details of a BRAND NEW event which we are hosting, with a view that you may like to secure your space but quite unbelievably, tickets have already sold out within record time!

Michelin-trained chefs from Pickle Shack are popping aboard the Pride of Exmouth to offer a unique dinner cruise this November and we could not be looking forward to it more! Limited to just 60 people, guests will sail the calm waters of the River Exe and be treated to the changing views, whilst enjoying a welcome trio of hand-crafted canape, before joining fellow dinner guests for a 3-course sit down meal.

Showcasing some of the finest produce which the South West has to offer, this Seafood Feast will be a real social dining experience, with shared tables and the opportunity to meet new people and enjoy this unique culinary adventure together.

As if this doesn’t sound tempting enough, the evening will be accompanied by a live performance Bradley the Busker – a local pop/folk singer-songwriter, who will perform a mix of striped-back, chilled acoustic vibes, to further enhance the cosy, festive atmosphere on board.  

We are incredibly excited for this event and who knows, if it is as much of a success as we are imagining it will be, there may be more to follow!

Photo Corner, please send us your photos

Tom Hurley

Doggy Days Out

Did you know that we have many dog friendly cruises! We love to welcome your 4 legged family members with you onboard our vessels.

This is what Aimee Wilson posted on our Facebook page:

“Just want to give a shout out for Stuart Line Cruises… I spontaneously booked me and my daughters for a little River Exe tour today and as we were leaving the house spotted they’re also dog friendly so our old lady Roxie tagged along.

We’ve done lots this summer holidays, but the girls have said this was the best thing so far as Roxie was able to come too.

Highly recommend this for anyone stuck on something to do! I’ve been asked to book a longer trip for next week already!

Lucky to have these facilities on our doorstep… and it was really affordable too!”

Although not every cruise is suitable for dogs, we have an extensive range for you to choose from – just look out for the doggy symbol on our website!

Force Cancer Charity Santa Cycle & Cruise 2024

Kicking off the Christmas season with a fun!
Stuart Line Cruises are proud to help support Force Cancer Charity again this year, with the 2024 Santa cycle!

Starting and finishing at either Topsham or Exmouth, you will cycle six miles along the stunning Exe Estuary Trail taking in the views along the way. The route itself is fairly flat and mainly along a designated cycle path, ideal for all ages!

At each finish point, riders will join a Stuart Line Cruises boat for a trip along the River Exe, back to the town where they started, giving you a chance to catch your breath and really appreciate the scenery.

Spaces are limited to around 100 cyclists for each direction so sign up now!!!

Key info about the ride :
Event date: Sunday 24th November 2024
Discipline: Mainly cycle paths but some road cycling
Distance: 6 miles
Location start / finish point: Choice of either Topsham or Exmouth
Price: Adults £20 / Child £10
Entry limit: 100 on each route
Age limit: All ages are welcome. Under 18s must be accompanied by an adult

Please note, this event is organised by Force Cancer Charity and as such, booking tickets is done via their own website here – https://forcecancercharity.co.uk/santacycle/ and can not be booked via Stuart Line Cruises.

Tis’ the season!

Captain Jake has already provided you with an insight into how the festive season is shaping up for us but for those who would like a little more detail about what we have in store, you may like to hit the button below, which will take you to our website.

In particular, I would like to draw your attention to two of our most popular events, which we have decided to marry together to create our Christmas Canal Cruises!

Our Exeter Canal Cruise is without doubt the most popular of all of our Special Events, runs only around 8 times per year and this year we are offering two dates in December, both of which coincide with the Exeter Cathedral Christmas Market:

Tuesday 10th December 2024

Wednesday 11th December 2024

This is a one-way cruise which departs Exmouth at 11:00 or Exeter Canal Basin at 14:00. So, how do you fancy spending some time exploring the gorgeous Christmas Market on Exeter Cathedral Green, followed or preceded by a breathtakingly beautiful and incredibly interesting cruise along Europe’s oldest working ship canal?

We may of course be biased but personally, cannot think of a more magical festive day out!

Maintenance Diary

As Winter draws ever closer, we are getting our busy schedule started and giving our vessels some much deserved (and regular) TLC!

Last week, it was a lovely day for a spot of bottom scrubbing! We took advantage of the low tide and glorious conditions to get Tudor Rose onto the beach, allowing us to carry out some routine inspections of her hull and some general cleaning this afternoon. This is not an overly common sight seeing a boat on dry land but one which is of utmost importance.

In the past we have provided regular updates of our progress throughout maintenance season – many people love to see these ‘behind the scenes’ elements to the smooth running of our business, so if this is something you would be interested in reading about, please let me know so that I know whether or not to include regular updates in my monthly newsletters!