Isles of Scilly - an incredible trip - over 104km paddled!

There was something rather sad about setting off for this year’s club trip to The Scilly Isles. It wasn’t so much the 4.30 start to make it down to Penzance in time for our ferry, but more knowing that this was very probably the last time I’d make the crossing on the Scillonian III, the islands infamously unsteady ferry, which is due to be replaced next year with a far faster, more stable and capacious model, the imaginatively named Scillonian IV.

This year’s trip saw no fewer than 14 club paddlers on their way to Hugh Town, the islands’ capital for a week’s paddling in one of the UK’s most interesting kayaking destinations. As usual we had the benefit of the services of Sea Kayaking Cornwall (SKC) while we were on the islands, in the unmistakable form of Shaun Rogers, a long-time friend and someone with whom I’ve the pleasure of paddling in the islands many times in the past. For most paddlers this was their first experience of the islands, and the notorious hill up to The Garrison campsite where most of us were staying for the week.

After all the tents had been pitched, or in a few cases, rooms checked into, it was time for us to meet our boats for the week ahead. In the summer, SKC keeps a large fleet of kayaks on the islands, so my first job was to allocate boats according to the size of the paddler and their skill level, or in Ellie’s case, so as to be colour coordinated with her paddling outfit.

Once everyone had been set up, it was over to other side of the island for a Thai meal for 14 at POMs. Looking out over the beach at Old Town this was a great way for the team to get a feel for the islands and what they were to experience in the coming days. The weather during our trip was amazing, with light winds, incessant sunshine, and uncharacteristically hot temperatures.

Those expecting to be broken in gently were in for a shock as on the first day at 9am, the group headed down the coast of St Marys to Bar Point, and then headed out on the 3km open crossing to the huge seal colony on The Eastern Islands. The islands are protected with no landing allowed but the sight of so many seals meant people forgot tired arms and legs. En route we stopped at a sandbar which could easily have been in the Caribbean. Our group walked round the pristine white sand beach, the only humans for miles around, and from the grinning faces, the Scillies had started to work their magic.

Day 2 saw the team heading over to the other side of the channel for a look at how the other half live on Tresco, before we poked out into the Atlantic Ocean swell, paddling around Round Island with its lighthouse before the group was lucky enough to be able to make the crossing to Men A Vaur, even passing right through the narrow channel between the two parts of the iconic rock.

Day three also dawned hot and sunny, and amazingly we’d already paddled nearly 40km. This time we were back across the channel and a circumnavigation of both Samson and Bryher, including the wonderfully named Hells Bay and Shipman head, before coming back up the channel between Bryher and Tresco so we could stop at the famous Fraggle Rock café and also visit one of the island’s many sea food eateries.

Despite the tired arms, we assembled in the early evening on one of the Garrisons many forts, and thanks to Mike’s foresight in bringing multiple pairs of dark glasses, we were able to watch the near total eclipse.

Thursday was again hot and sunny, and we decided to circumnavigate St Mary’s. Seeing as the biggest tides occur when the sun and moon are aligned it shouldn’t have been a surprise to see the lowest tide I’d ever experienced on the islands, and a great opportunity to wind our way in and out of the craggy coastline before making our way back to our base camp.

That evening we had the traditional camp BBQ with Shaun showing off his South African heritage by conducting the ‘Braai’. Vegetarian options were excellently catered for by Ellie’s magnificent Moroccan Tagine.

On our last day we had a little more wind, and a later start post BBQ. To Shaun’s amazement everyone turned up at the boats on time, with some very tired bodies pushing their owners close to their limits.

The final day was just a gentle paddle down to Bar Point, to push the trip over the 100km mark and then a long lunch exploring the prehistoric tombs which litter this area of the island.

All in all, it was a magnificent 6 days paddling, people pushed themselves far beyond their limits and made memories which will last them a lifetime. The Scillies are a truly magical destination and the whole team got to see the Islands at their very best. We paddled as a tight group, and everyone supported each other to enable everyone to get the best out of the experience.

Hiring a knowledgeable guide really made the trip something special as were able to get out everyday and explore some of the island’s amazing sights. Huge thanks to Shaun for putting up with us for another year, and I’m already looking forward to my first crossing on the Scillonian IV

Andy Benham