Isle Scilly

[st599]

Or alternatively, the moorings were fine but you chose to be there when conditions were unsuitable?

Moorings face West, wind was from the East. They get a lot of Atlantic swell.

 

[oldbloke]

Also, if the weather is nice enough to want to go to the Scillies, forget Fishwick's warning to pass 50 miles south of the Lizard, look at where the crab potters are and cut the corner.

 

[Boathook]

Also, if the weather is nice enough to want to go to the Scillies, forget Fishwick's warning to pass 50 miles south of the Lizard, look at where the crab potters are and cut the corner.

If on the way to the scillies and you can't cut the corner, don't go to the Scillies !

 

[Fr J Hackett]

I was in the IoS during the mid 80s diving, I can’t remember the year but it wasn’t 87 I was driving a rib to Boulogne that October. Anyway there was a full blown storm and you could see spray over Bryer, there were no buoys then and St Mary’s was a mess two boats lost driven onto the beach half buried in sand by the following morning. The lifeboat busy putting boats onto the harbour wall on station all night. It’s no place to be in bad weather, we flew in that year but before and since I have been in a rib and several yachts ranging from a Sadler 29 to a Vancouver 34 The IoS as many have said is a great place if you keep your eye on the weather. I did spend a miserable night on a buoy rafted in St Mary’s on my way back from Ireland, it would have been better running for Falmouth.

 

[chris-s]

Just came back, with the NW wind and swell blowing into the harbour, everyone was hunkered down in the sheltered anchorages making them very ‘cosy’, too cosy for some people. Bonus tho is that finding a mooring ball is easy and no need to raft up.

We usually go earlier in the season, fewer storms, fewer boats and people, but you can’t always get what you want.

 

[owen]

Scillies are a great place to visit as long as you are prepared to move when the swell or wind demands it.
The difference between st marys and porthcressa can be huge in terms of comfort. Of course if you can take the ground green bay , on bryer is just brilliant.

 

[SaltyC]

If suitable conditions ever happen let us know! The moorings are strong and they’re safe, but they are open to the west which is the prevailing weather, especially swell. This means you’d very rarely get a pleasant day on the moorings but they are safe in pretty much any weather.
They feel perilously close together but they’re very well placed so no collisions.

I agree with the 'perilously close' especially when 40' plus boats take moorings for <12m. To my relief, I was advised by the harbourmaster they are laid on a chain grid system so not stand alone - one cannot drag without the rest.

Unfortunately they rely on owners putting ropes through the fender shackle and many do not loop just one pass and it chafes and breaks!! You may be safe but others are adrift.

 

[johnalison]

We only went to St Mary’s once. It was a lovely place and we did a bird-watching trip round the islands, which was very well organised and we saw many interesting species, and the odd puffin of course. Our only problem there on a quiet night was our boat banging against the buoy, which we never successfully solved. The next morning the harbourmaster told us that we could have led a line to the buoy astern. This was about 2001 and probably quieter than of late.

 

[Allan]

We've been to IOS many times, we try to go at least once a year. We've not been so far this year. Using our years of experience we are planning to go for the whole of September. When I say "using our years of experience", that means we will hopefully get five or six days there, possibly in two visits.
I agree with most of the above about f5-f6. For most moorings and anchorages, direction is at least as important as speed. There are a few places you can sit out quite strong winds. The worst forecast over there can be one where the direction goes changes.
Allan