Scilly Money

All Photos: Jane Morgan

Windswept green islands framed by white sand and blue water, the Isles of Scilly have more of a feel of the Caribbean than southwest England. And yet, the Scilly archipelago (of which only five of the 140 or so islands are inhabited) is only 45km southwest of the mainland’s most westerly point at Land’s End. The rocky isles are steeped in a colourful maritime history, conjuring images of smugglers and seafarers.

Most divers associate the islands with wrecks: an estimated 900 vessels have come to grief here over the centuries. Yet the wrecks are only part of the story – venture below the kelp line and you will find granite reefs bursting with colour and life. At some sites, you stand a very good chance of finding grey seals, with the added bonus of diving in beautiful blue Atlantic water. At times, visibility can reach 30m or more, but the ocean water is also susceptible to the same plankton blooms that affect the rest of the UK. Still, it’s not unreasonable to expect visibility of between 10 and 20m.

There are 150 established dive sites to choose from, encompassing a varied mix of wrecks and reefs. A typical reef will consist of a wall starting at around 15m and plunging to 50m or more, the rock face completely covered with soft corals and colour-coordinated communities of jewel anemones. Thanks to the clarity of the water, kelp grows deeper here than in most parts of the UK, so you have to dive below 25m to find the most beautiful parts of the reef. Still, it would be a mistake to think of Scilly as suitable only for deep divers, as there’s plenty to see at every depth, including some shallow nearshore sites where you can forage for critters in the kelp.

One classic must-do reef dive is Western Rocks, a pinnacle that offers a 60m wall dive into the Atlantic. Exposed to strong tidal currents, this is a vibrantly coloured jewel anemone-encrusted wall. Other excellent reef sites include Gilstone, Menawethan and Gap Point.

With just a few charter boats operated by two main diving centres throughout the Isles of Scilly, you generally don’t get more than one group of ten on a given site. It’s worth putting a group together yourself, as you will benefit from any discounts on offer, as well as enjoying one of the most beautiful places in England in the company of friends. Several mainland liveaboards offer trips to Scilly, but you’d be missing out on the pleasure of actually staying on these verdant islands, of walking along a perfect white sand beach and savouring the silence and the scent of early-season blossom.

So when do you go? Late April or early May is one of the most popular times, as the visibility tends to be at its best – but you really need to book early. Scilly is one of the few destinations where demand outstrips the ability to supply, so most of the affordable options have a tendency to get booked up in advance. Accordingly, group trips should be booked at least six months to a year in advance.

We joined a group of nine divers – mostly underwater photographers – in April this year. The group was in search of good visibility and excellent seal encounters, at the same time aiming to keep costs to an absolute minimum.

The trip was organised with the help of St Martin’s Diving Services, based on the tiny, friendly and chilled-out island of St Martin’s. It is the most northerly populated island, with around 140 inhabitants.

Owned and operated by Tim Allsop, a BSAC advanced instructor and first-class diver, the operation has two charter boats and self-catering accommodation. Tim’s reputation as a top-rate skipper is richly deserved. His knowledge of diving here is second to none and, no matter what the weather throws up, he is guaranteed to pick a sheltered site and is spot on just about every time with the shot.

Tim offers excellent advice on getting the best from seal encounters and, we’re happy to report, makes an excellent cup of post-dive tea. His boat, Morvoren, is a basic but spacious hardboat (an Offshore 105), which we all found comfortable. He’s able to cater for most level of diver, although there are no facilities for technical divers. His briefings are detailed and accurate and, being a photographer, he can offer advice on local subjects and how to find them.

As for accommodation, there’s a wide choice of hotels and bed-and-breakfasts. We stayed in self-catering cottages associated with the dive school – you can buy basics from the small shop on the island, but you will be expected to order enough milk to last you the week. If you’re not a fan of cooking, then there are good dining options. The island’s only pub, the Seven Stones Inn, has an excellent mix of meat, fish and vegetarian dishes.

Little Arthur Wholefoods Café and Bistro is definitely worth a visit. Twice a week, the café cooks freshly caught fish – if you want some, your order needs to be placed the previous day or early morning so that the fisherman knows how much fish he needs to catch.

Many divers prefer to prefer to stay on St Mary’s, as there are more pubs and restaurants here. You can be picked up by the Moon Shadow (owned and operated by Tim’s daughter, Jo Allsop) each morning, or use Dave McBride’s Dive Scilly, which is based on St Mary’s.

FIVE GREAT SCILLY DIVES

• Menawethan is a small island in eastern Scilly and one of the best spots for seals encounters. Spend some time in the shallows finning slowly through the kelp and you’re likely to be rewarded with your very own pinniped playmate. It is best to wear extra weight and be patient.

• The Minnehaha was a 19th-century wooden barque, about 50m long, that struck Peninnis Head off St Mary’s in 1874. The shallow gullies can be very interesting, especially with the strong surge that can be experienced here. The ironwork is still visible and a large anchor sits among the gullies at 15m.

• The Gilstone Ledges resemble a giant staircase carpeted throughout with vibrant anemones. The first plateau is at 21m and is often swept by strong currents. The vertical rock face is spectacular, with anemones interspersed with dead men’s fingers and fringed with kelp.

• At Gap Point, large boulders are scattered on the sea bed at 34m covered with black cotton spinners. The wall rises up to 15m and is smothered with jewel anemones and sponges. The reef top is a forest of kelp and gullies.

• The steamer King Cadwallon struck Hard Lewis Rocks in eastern Scilly in July 1906 while struggling to find her way through dense fog. The 3,275-tonne vessel settled upright on the sloping sea bed between 28 and 48m. Strong tidal currents and nutrient-rich water have encouraged the dense growth of plumose anemones and dead men’s fingers, making this a very picturesque dive. The shallow rocks of Hard Lewis offer a diverting backdrop for decompression time. Watch out for the friendly local seals.

GETTING THERE

There are two main options for reaching the islands, including a short flight by plane or helicopter to the main port on St Mary’s. However, if you are carrying heavy dive kit and want to keep costs down to a minimum, it is highly recommended to take the two-and-a-half-hour trip aboard the Scillion III ferry from Penzance, which runs twice a day. This journey can be fairly choppy, so seasickness sufferers are advised to take their medication an hour or two before boarding. From St Mary’s, you can access the other islands by inter-island ferry or boat taxi.

Through St Martin’s Diving Services, groups can secure discount ferry rates and reductions on the cost of hiring a container to accommodate dive kit, including weights and cylinders. The containers are be transported on and off the ferry to St Mary’s, but once there, it’s the group’s responsibility to transfer all the kit to any connecting ferries.

You can’t take a car to St Martin’s – the one access road is only 3km long and runs the entire length of the island. There are two or three cars and quad bikes belonging to residents, so dive kit can be picked up and taken to the dive centre on arrival and departure.

If, like us, you opt to stay at Tim Allsop’s self-catering cottages, you’ll have a 15–20 minute walk to the quayside. Anyone with hefty camera kit or similar should bring a fold-up trolley. The centre fills all cylinders and dive equipment can be left safely on board the charter boat.

DIVE OPERATORS

Dive Scilly, based on St Mary’s (tel: 01720 423162, www.divescilly.com ), operates an Offshore 105 hardboat for groups of up to 12. The centre has an remotely operated vehicle, though it’s too big to deploy alongside a full group of divers.

St Martin’s Diving Services trades under the name Scilly Diving (tel: 01720 422848, www.scillydiving.com). It offers the charter boats Morvoren and Moon Shadow.

HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?

As an indication of likely expenditure, here are our costs, based on a group of nine diving and staying with Tim Allsop

Isles of Scilly Steamship (www.islesofscilly-travel.co.uk) Saver return fare £76 each

Container to transport dive kit £220 return (£80 discount through St Martin’s Diving Services) £15.50 each

Air fills and weights £230 for the week (depends on the number in the group) £25.50 each

Boat charter £235 per day. Six days £156.66 each

Boat to St Martins from St Mary’s £4 per person, plus £1.90 for dive kit each way £11.80 each

Dive flat Sleeps nine. £505 for the week £56.11 each

Additional costs Including car parking fees at Penzance approx £40 each

Total: £381.57