VISITING THE ISLES OF SCILLY CAN BE a bit of a trek; Penzance is a long drive for most people. The dive kit container has to be loaded at silly o’clock in the morning, then there’s the car parking and the nearly three-hour ferry ride on the Scillonian. I’m not selling this too well, am I?
So why make the effort? The Isles of Scilly are awesome, with blue water, white sand, and a relaxed atmosphere.
St Mary’s has plenty of eateries to suit all manner of tastes and budgets, with two supermarkets in town. Should diving be cancelled, there are plenty of sightseeing opportunities.
This year we were using Skin Deep which is a lovely boat; Ed the skipper was spot-on with his tidal predictions, not to mention the seemingly endless supply of biscuits.
There are some fine scenic dive sites, and the Hathor and Plympton, King Cadwallon, Italia and the Lady Charlotte all make for truly great wreck dives.
We were diving in June and the water temperature was 13°C. The weather was fantastic (thank you Weather Gods), which meant we could steam out to Bishop Rock Lighthouse. As long as the boat could safely leave the harbour, a sheltered diving location could be found. There’s plenty of wildlife to be found around these islands, lesser spotted cat sharks, pipefish, flatfish, nudibranchs, and seals. There are sea fans, sponges and jewel anemones; the wildlife is simply stunning.
So, was it worth it? Oh yes. If you are planning a trip, first agree dates with your chosen dive boat, then secure your accommodation. Do this as early as possible, as accommodation is at a premium.
IAN HICKS, Reading BSAC
