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| Pelistry Bay, St Mary's |
If
you were planning a snorkelling trip to the Mediterranean in 2016 then your
choice of destinations are becoming rather limited. Greece is still struggling
with the economic insanity that took hold way back in 2007 and now its islands,
once the choice of tourists from all over Europe, have become the front line in
the European migration crisis spilling out of Syria and Iraq. Hardly the
destination for a relaxing break then. As for Italy, well it’s a great country,
but it’s not renowned for its snorkelling, besides pasta gets boring very
quickly. Then there is the Red Sea, a snorkeller's paradise if you
like your water warm and tediously calm but, the Syrian conflict is causing even
more chaos in the resorts of Egypt and Israel than it is in Greece. The same
goes for Turkey, Morocco and Tunisia. So where to go?
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| Flying to Scilly With SkyBus |
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| Sub-tropical Scilly |
Well,
if you want pristine beaches, challenging snorkelling, good food and great beer
then forget the Mediterranean and Red Sea this year and head west to one of
Britain’s best kept secrets. The Scilly Isles are a sprinkling of verdant
islands located some 28 miles Southwest of the Cornish coast. There are five
inhabited islands in the Archipelago and a horde of smaller, uninhabited
islands. Measuring a mere 2.5 square metres, St Mary’s is the central hub of
the islands and home to the majority of the Scilly Isles residents. The main
focal point is Hugh Town, which sits on an isthmus between two of the Islands
beaches. Here you’ll find the Quay, shops, restaurants and four of the Islands
five pubs. A short walk away you’ll find the smaller Old Town (the location of
the fifth pub) and the Islands tiny airport. Above Hugh Town sits the Garrison,
a castle and heavily fortified headland that formed one of Britain’s major
defences during the 16th century. The castle itself has been turned
into one of the Isles most iconic hotels. With just 9 miles of road but over 30
miles of paths and trails, St Mary’s is a haven of peace and tranquility where
you are more at risk of tripping over a birdwatcher crouching in the grass than
being knocked off your bike by a car. We could wax lyrical for hours about
the deserted beaches of white sand, the ancient archaeological sites, the
stunning scenery, the history of the Islands flower trade, the weirdly
wonderful characters who’ll drag you into the Scillonian club, buy you beer and
insist that you meet their wife. Then there's the wildlife, the farmers who give you a
cheery wave in the morning, the boatmen, who at a drop of a hat, will give you
a lecture on the Islands Gig racing history, the tourists who’ve returned each
and every year since 1970 and, without prompting, will give you a myriad tips on
what to do and see and the bloke (who seems to work in every shop and pub on
the island ) who’ll insist on giving you a daily briefing on the merits of each
pubs burger, but this blog is mainly about the world beneath the waves so let’s
get to the snorkelling.
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| Stuff Burgers! I'll Have The Fish |
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| Does My Bum Look Big In This? |
The best snorkelling on St Mary’s is on the remote
eastern shore between Pelistry Bay and Bar Point. Here you’ll find forests of
kelp, prairies of sea grass and rocky coves that provide a sanctuary to the
diverse marine life. The main species you’ll spot are blennys, large wrasse,
groupers and Pollock but you’ll often find a range of jellyfish from the
fragile and harmless crystal jelly to the more dangerous mauve stinger. The
rocks are covered with anemones and a range of colourful sponges and corals. If
you’re lucky you might find yourself face to face with less common species of
fish and even an inquisitive seal. A word of caution however, the Scilly Isles
are located in the Atlantic and are subject to fast currents, large swells and
rough water so be prepared. The water around the Islands is always on the cold side,
even at the height of summer, so a full wetsuit is a necessity. Encasing
yourself in neoprene is also your best defence against the appendages of the
mauve stinger that can trail up to a metre or so behind the main body. There
are other, more treacherous sites, around the Garrison and beyond Bar Point but
these are suitable only for the more experienced and competent snorkeller. In
the case of Bar Point, the water here is often murky and it is very easy to
find yourself entangled in kelp. The main beaches of Hugh Town are singularly
unsuitable for snorkelling due to the large flotillas of boats moving around
and the water itself is bereft of any interesting sea life. If you tire of the
waters around St Mary’s there are daily boat trips to the Islands of Tresco,
Bryher and St Martin’s all of which offer a variety of snorkelling. For the
less experienced snorkeller there are organised snorkel trips to St Martin’s
where you can get up and close with the Isles seal population.
For the bubble blowers among you, the Scilly
Isles offer more diving spots than you can shake a stick at. There are over
twenty wrecks around St Mary’s alone. The deep waters around the Islands also
attract basking sharks, porpoises and that most elusive of marine creatures,
the sunfish.
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| Jewel Anenome |
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| Mauve Stinger |
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| The Spooky Kelp Forests |
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| Emerging From The Cold |
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| Getting Up Close |
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| Small Fry |
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| Can You See Me |
Getting around the islands is easy. Being so small,
the Islands snorkelling sites are easily reached by foot or you can rent a bike
from Hugh Town. For a more leisurely transport option why not hire a golf cart
from the Scilly Cart Company.
The Scilly Isles are easily reached by air from
Exeter, Newquay and Land’s End Airports. Ferry services to St Mary’s operate
daily from Penzance. So put the sunscreen away, pack the wetsuit and get going, you
won’t regret it.
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| Not Exactly Top Gear - But What A Laugh |
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