Days Out NI
Diving & snorkelling Portrush

Freedive Northern Ireland

Book a guided snorkel with the Skerries seals, wetsuit and lifeguard sorted.

2 photos
Book aheadBook ahead via the operator; runs roughly…
From £50Varies by course or trip
PortrushDiving & snorkelling
Get directionsOfficial website
Freediving centreType
From £50Cost
Beginners OKExperience
Resident Skerries sea…You may see
Car parkParking

Freedive Northern Ireland — Book a guided snorkel with the Skerries seals, wetsuit and lifeguard sorted.

  • What you can do: Guided snorkel-with-seals boat trip to the Skerries; cave-snorkelling tour from Whiterocks; freediving courses; SUP and coastal swims.
  • Experience needed: Complete beginners who are confident in the water and reasonably fit; cave tour minimum age 12 (younger with a supervising adult).
  • Conditions: Cold water year-round (wetsuit needed); trips weather-, wind- and sea-dependent; in-water lifeguarding provided on guided trips.
  • Kit: Wetsuit and snorkel kit provided; bring towel, warm layers and swimwear.
  • Booking & access: Book ahead via the operator; runs roughly March to September, conditions permitting.
  • Cost: Advertised around £75 (seal boat trip) and £50 (cave snorkel) — check current prices.
Plan your visit

Snorkel the Skerries kelp forests with the seals

The boat trip leaves Portrush Harbour and heads out to the Skerries Islands, where you snorkel the kelp forests, caverns and drop-offs that the resident seal colony calls home. It is built for complete beginners who are confident in the water, with a guide, in-water lifeguarding and kit provided, and the boat stays nearby so you can take breaks or stay aboard. The cave-snorkelling tour from Whiterocks is the gentler alternative, working the reefs and caves below the Dunluce cliffs, with a short scramble over rocks to reach the water. You need moderate fitness and the ability to climb back onto the boat by ladder; the operator notes the trips are not suitable for expectant mothers or anyone with back, neck, shoulder or cardiovascular issues. Curious seals are common but never guaranteed.

Guided snorkel operator Snorkel with seals Cave snorkelling SSI freediving centre Beginner-friendly Kit and guide provided
Good to know before you go:

Conditions here change with the weather and the tide, and visibility changes with them — clear and calm one day, murky and rough the next. Check a forecast and a tide table before you set off. Try-dives, courses and trips run on set days and tides, so book ahead rather than turning up.

Before you set off

What to bring

  • 📱A bookingCentres and clubs run try-dives and trips on set days and tides — arrange it before you travel.
  • ☕Warm layers and a hot drinkThe water is cold all year. Dry clothes and something hot afterwards make the whole day.
  • 🏖️A towelAnd somewhere to put wet kit for the drive home.
  • 🤿An honest look at your experienceMatch the site to the training you actually have. Plenty of people start with a try-dive instead.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Type
Guided snorkel operator and SSI-accredited freediving centre (commercial — you book)
What you can do
Guided snorkel-with-seals boat trip to the Skerries; cave-snorkelling tour from Whiterocks; freediving courses; SUP and coastal swims
Experience needed
Complete beginners who are confident in the water and reasonably fit; cave tour minimum age 12 (younger with a supervising adult)
Conditions
Cold water year-round (wetsuit needed); trips weather-, wind- and sea-dependent; in-water lifeguarding provided on guided trips
Booking / access
Book ahead via the operator; runs roughly March to September, conditions permitting
Kit
Wetsuit and snorkel kit provided; bring towel, warm layers and swimwear
Cost
Advertised around £75 (seal boat trip) and £50 (cave snorkel) — check current prices
What you may see
Resident Skerries seals, kelp forests and reef life — never guaranteed
Parking
Portrush Harbour for the boat trip; Whiterocks car park for the cave tour
Address / location
Departs Portrush Harbour, Portrush, Co. Antrim; cave tour meets at Whiterocks
Questions

Before you go

Do I need experience?
Complete beginners who are confident in the water and reasonably fit; cave tour minimum age 12 (younger with a supervising adult)
How much does it cost?
Advertised around £75 (seal boat trip) and £50 (cave snorkel) — check current prices
Do I need to book?
Book ahead via the operator; runs roughly March to September, conditions permitting
What are the conditions like?
Cold water year-round (wetsuit needed); trips weather-, wind- and sea-dependent; in-water lifeguarding provided on guided trips
What kit do I need?
Wetsuit and snorkel kit provided; bring towel, warm layers and swimwear
Getting there

Freedive Northern Ireland is at Departs Portrush Harbour, Portrush, Co. Antrim; cave tour meets at Whiterocks. Portrush Harbour for the boat trip; Whiterocks car park for the cave tour. Tap below for directions.

Directions on Google MapsOfficial website See it on our map
Nearby

Make more of the day

More days out around PortrushSee what else is close by More diving & snorkelling across NIDive centres, clubs and wild shore sites
The story

About it

Freedive Northern Ireland is a Portrush-based, SSI-accredited freediving and snorkel operator on the Causeway Coast. Alongside the snorkel-with-seals and cave tours it runs freediving courses for beginners and more experienced divers, SUP tours, coastal swims and water-safety training, and describes itself as a WiSe-accredited (Wildlife Safe) operator for responsible time around the seals.