Isles of Scilly - 2025 Summer cruise

[Sticky Fingers]

Thinking of heading to Scilly this summer, got a two week holiday window early August. Outline plan, outbound 2 days, Hamble - Dartmouth - Scilly. Return maybe Falmouth then Weymouth. 25kts cruising speed, will attempt to use tides to our advantage. Hope to spend say 7 days in Scilly.

Boat is a 48’ planing flybridge, draws 1.2 metres. Can’t dry out obviously

Looking for any info from people who’ve done this trip and/or know the Scillies, good places to anchor, bad places to avoid, any local places to recommend. Fuel availability?

 

[rafiki_]

Thinking of heading to Scilly this summer, got a two week holiday window early August. Outline plan, outbound 2 days, Hamble - Dartmouth - Scilly. Return maybe Falmouth then Weymouth. 25kts cruising speed, will attempt to use tides to our advantage. Hope to spend say 7 days in Scilly.

Boat is a 48’ planing flybridge, draws 1.2 metres. Can’t dry out obviously

Looking for any info from people who’ve done this trip and/or know the Scillies, good places to anchor, bad places to avoid, any local places to recommend. Fuel availability?

I’ve sailed to the Scilly’s. Suggest we chat?

 

[Sticky Fingers]

I’ve sailed to the Scilly’s. Suggest we chat?

Yup. Would welcome that

 

[Dorset Dan]

Would be interested in hearing about this too, as we would like to do similar (albeit in July) - I think the great british weather is usually the thing that scuppers trips to Scilly's from what I have researched as you need a prolonged settled spell. We would likely do Poole - Dartmouth or Salcolmbe - Falmouth - Scilly's.

 

[wonkywinch]

Would be interested in hearing about this too, as we would like to do similar (albeit in July) - I think the great british weather is usually the thing that scuppers trips to Scilly's from what I have researched as you need a prolonged settled spell. We would likely do Poole - Dartmouth or Salcolmbe - Falmouth - Scilly's.

This will be our 3rd year at an attempt on Isles of Scilly. Sounds like a moon landing attempt in our boat!

Some things of interest- this book is handy ..

West Country Cruising Companion

25% off with email voucher.

Secondly, for info these events on this summer:

22 JUN - Scilly 60 Event
Scilly 60 -

23 AUG - 31 AUG Ocean Scilly Festival
Ocean Scilly Festival -

09 SEP - Tresco Low Tide Event
The Low Tide Event -

 

[JerseyDiver]

I went last year in a rib from Jersey, however, a friend joined us on a Sealine 43 out of Salcombe, moored in St Mary and provided a bed to me for a few nights .

Diesel available in St Mary’s over HW from Sibceys. Cheapest fuel (petrol) I found enroute was Plymouth Mayflower Marina but diesel maybe more on a par along coast.

Moorings available in St Mary’s, can’t book, but handy if you want a meal ashore and provisions. Anchorages between St Agnes and Gugh north and south depending on wind.

Porth Cressa also handy with N wind, can dinghy ashore then take a ferry to other islands of conditions dictate.

Enjoy, I’m definitely going back again…..

 

[Boathook]

Moorings can be in short supply so make sure that you can anchor !

 

[stelican]

Take a spare anchor!

 

[Shifty]

We went a few years ago and were warned the diesel wasn’t the best as the bug had infected the tanks, appreciate it’s a while ago but we topped up before we made the trip. Fabulous place, just make sure the weathers settled for a few days.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Thanks folks for the info, and to @rafiki_ for the call this morning, much appreciated. It’s definitely on the list now. timing is everything so I’ll get nowhere near a decision yet.

 

[Seastoke]

Thanks folks for the info, and to @rafiki_ for the call this morning, much appreciated. It’s definitely on the list now. timing is everything so I’ll get nowhere near a decision yet.

Did he tell you about the RNLI

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Your point being... what exactly?

 

[Seastoke]

Was not sure if there is any in scilly

 

[Sticky Fingers]

St Mary's has an RNLI station with a Severn class, but I'm not planning on needing them. measuring to know that they are there though.

 

[rafiki_]

Did he tell you about the RNLI

I kept to my experience, which fortunately did not include anything to do with SAR or RNLI.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

Quite right!

 

[SaltIre]

There's a forumite based on the Isles of Scilly:
Scillypete

 

[terrysquires]

We went in July 2018 for 3 days our boat is princess 54 i have a good book on every thing about the islands
We went from Falmouth and back But we are based in swanwick where we started we had to raft as no buoys available
But we had good weather but forecast not good after so left as other people have said watch the weather

 

[dunedin]

….

Moorings available in St Mary’s, can’t book, but handy if you want a meal ashore and provisions. Anchorages between St Agnes and Gugh north and south depending on wind.

……

Worth checking the mooring sizes - I am no expert but it looks like 28 moorings for boats up to 40 foot, but only 6 for bigger boats like the OP.
Hence as mentioned important to be ready and prepared to anchor.

 

[Hurricane]

We did almost that exact run in our Sealine T51 back in August 2005.
Hamble
Torquay
Falmouth
St Mary's - Isle of Scilly
Brixham
Hamble

En route - Eddystone Lighthouse and Wolf Rock
IIRC, fuel was in Falmouth on the way out and Brixham on the way back.

We picked up a buoy in St Mary's and use the tender to go over to places like Tresco.
I wasn't that confident with my navigation in those days so my moto was "on the charts - keep to the blue bits"
We had excellent weather but whilst in the Scillies it wasn't looking good for a few days later so we came home.
I remember on the way back at night between Scillies and Cornwall, the night skies were clear and virtually no light pollution - fantastic night sky.
That experience made me feel so small.

Glad we did it.