Fisherman Angus Mann has been sailing the waters around Fort William since he was a teenager.
Now he’s sharing his love of the sea, with a new concept dubbed a ‘creel safari’.
The unique attraction sees tourists hop aboard his boat, Jola, at the Thomas Telford Corpach Marina.
The 54-year-old catches and releases aquarium fish and shellfish using creels, allowing people to get up close and personal with creatures such as starfish and crabs.
Angus, who moved from the east coast of Scotland to the west when he finished school, said: “I had a family out the other day and the parents said it was the first time they had not been on their phones.
“That’s why I want to get people inspired by what is under the water.
“I am not a marine scientist, but I have been sailing these waters for more than 30 years. I have been fishing all my life, on Loch Linnhe, Glenuig and Arisaig.
“I am a creel fisherman. But I bought this boat, Jola, to take more people out onto the sea to show them what lies under the water.
“I still have the commercial boat, but this is my passion.
“I have a recirculated water tank on the boat, so when we pull up the creel to take a look at what is inside we can get a good look at them in the tank.
“Kids and adults can touch and hold the fish and sea life. It is fascinating.
“There are no two days the same, there is always something new to find.
“In the last few days we have had starfish dogfish – which are technically sharks – crabs, and fish… there has been so much. ”
Angus likes people to see a variety of sea life and has creels positioned on soft seabed, hard seabed and amongst kelp.
Creel safari is ‘very educational’
He continued: “It is very educational, I am not a marine biologist but I know a lot about the things we find. And I can explain a lot about what we have in the tank.
“Then, of course, we can put them back in the water.”
Over the last few days, Angus has caught a whole host of sea life on his Creel Safari, including hermit crabs, dogfish, whiting, brittle stars, starfish, shore crabs, brown crabs, dabs and swimming crabs.
He added: “I have called it a creel safari and people don’t really know what that is, because people don’t really know what a creel is if they are not from here.
“But hopefully the name will catch on!”
Angus has a maximum of 12 passengers on his boat. and trips on the Jola cost £50 for adults and £40 for children under 16.
To book contact Angus via his Facebook page, website or on 07747 680498.
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