It’s National Marine Week and a fantastic way to celebrate all things marine has got to be a day trip on the Scillonian III to the Isles of Scilly.
We have compiled a list of the best ways to enjoy marine watching while on a trip to the Isles of Scilly:
Embark on a sailing across the Atlantic on Scillonian III
The Scillonian III’s ferry route has been labelled the best in the UK for wildlife spotting and dolphins are one of the species you are most likely to see on a crossing.
In fact, it has been discovered that since 2017, sightings have increased year on year, with glimpses of Risso’s dolphins to be the highest number that have been seen on the route so far.
Bringing the binoculars is an essential on a trip on board Scillonian III, as it isn’t just dolphins that you might see, but porpoise, whales, seals, and tuna.
Image taken by ORCA.
The charity ORCA, whose volunteer marine mammal surveyors travel on Scillonian twice a month, said:
“Our teams regularly record harbour porpoises, large pods of acrobatic common dolphins, minke whales and basking sharks. Rarer sightings include humpback whales and fin whales – the second largest animal on the planet! In 2023, our teams sighted 1,766 individual animals, and from all the ferry routes we survey on, the highest rate of overall sightings was on the Penzance – St Mary’s crossing! It’s worth keeping an eye out on the ferry crossing, as you never know what you will encounter.”
So grab yourself an outdoor seat and a takeaway coffee and enjoy the views of marine life for a perfect summer activity.
Book a wildlife watching boat trip
Each week on a Monday (depending upon the weather) St Mary’s Boatmen’s Association host a 1 hour and 30-minute boat trip that looks out for seals and puffins. Take a seat on one of their boats as they take you to the spots where seals and puffins are most likely to be found, and end up on an off-island, such as St Agnes or St Martin’s.
There are plenty of wildlife spotting boat trips. Seaquest offer glass bottom boat trips where you can see the ocean and its inhabitants beneath your feet. Seal Snorkelling Adventures offer a RIB boat out to locations where seals inhabit, where you can swim and snorkel with them for an experience to truly remember. It’s just up to you how you choose to see the marine life, for there are plenty of options available.
Go on a rock pool adventure
If you wish to stay on the island of St Mary’s, there are plenty of fabulous locations for some rock pooling. From a guided rock pool adventure with Scilly Rockpool Safaris to a visit to Old Town beach, the Isles of Scilly have plenty of locations for crab and starfish spotting.
If you would like to visit the Isles of Scilly this summer, you can book your tickets by clicking here.
Travel for the day on Scillonian III for only £35 per person, or travel for even less if you live in Cornwall with our local’s day return trips costing just £25 per person.