Hegaluze

Hegaluze is a passenger boat company in Bermeo, on the Urdaibai coast. Its company name is Hegaluze Itxas Serbitzuak S.L.U. and on its website it presents itself as having a long track record of showing the natural and cultural surroundings of the biosphere reserve from the sea. It does not say who founded it or in what year.

Boats and departures

It works with three boats: the Hegaluze, for 25 passengers; the Beti Hegaluze, for 62, and the Hegaluze Barria, for 85. With them it runs two regular routes of around an hour that leave from and return to the fishing port of Bermeo: the San Juan de Gaztelugatxe one, from March to October, which shows the hermitage from the water, and the Elantxobe one, from April to October, which passes the island of Izaro and the Ogoño caves. According to the company, they are suitable for all ages, including babies in pushchairs.

Outside the regular routes, it hires out a boat with skipper all year to groups, schools, companies and families. The group chooses day, time, length and route, and there can be stops for a swim or a bite to eat in some port, with a guide explaining the landscape, history and legends of the coast. These outings leave from the Bermeo marina, at the entrance to the La Ola car park. A minimum of 14 adults is charged, and there are reduced rates for schools.

Whale and dolphin watching

With Ekoetxea Urdaibai and with Verballenas it organises longer outings out to sea, in search of dolphins, pilot whales, sperm whales, whales and beaked whales. The Ekoetxea ones leave on Saturdays from April to October, in a four-and-a-half-hour or six-hour version; the Verballenas ones last eight hours and run on some days from July to October. Each has its own minimum age and children's price, and they are booked directly with those organisations.

Nautical academy

Hegaluze also trains skippers. Its nautical academy prepares for the navigation licence, which is obtained in one morning with no exam, the PNB and the PER, with online or in-person theory and practical navigation, safety and radio in the Bilbao area and the Urdaibai coast, between Bermeo, Gaztelugatxe and Mundaka.

Booking, cancellation and tips

Regular routes are booked online on their website; group hires, by phone (666 791 021) or at [email protected]. There is a discount from six people. Cancellation is free up to one day before departure, and if the sea is not suitable the company gives notice of the cancellation as soon as possible. It asks you to be at the boarding point ten minutes before the time. The website, in Spanish, Basque, French and English, does not say in which languages the commentary is given on board, nor whether dogs are admitted, nor how accessible each boat is: ask when booking.

Bermeo has a Bizkaibus bus from Bilbao and an Euskotren train, so you can get there without a car. The boat routes are detailed in the listing By boat from Bermeo to Gaztelugatxe or Elantxobe.