Scilly Island Hopping
"A granite archipelago where the boundary between the land and sea is re-drawn with every tide. The Isles of
Scilly are separated by deep blue channels slowly reconnect as glittering white beaches emerge with the
falling tide. The rippled seabed exposed reveals starfish where we once sailed with hand bearing compass
held tight."
Isles of Scilly holiday specialists - if you want to live on a boat !
Classic Sailing have three traditionally rigged boats going to the Scillies in 2012. We have been taking guest crew to this amazing
archipelago 35 miles off Lands End on our wooden pilot cutter Eve of St Mawes since 1997. Built in oak and larch Eve is an authentic
replica of Scillionian pilot cutters that were based in the islands around 1870-1890's, so the islanders love to see her visit. Our South
coast based pilot cutter Annabel J and her skipper Phil have also fallen in love with the islands and now make an annual summer
pilgrimage to West Cornwall and the Scillies with 6 and 9 day voyages. Last, but by no means least, 120 year old Brixham Trawler,
Leader, will be spending 3 weeks in August exploring the islands. All our voyages sail from and return to the mainland (St Mawes /
Falmouth) and involve ‘hands on’ sailing where you are the crew, and where we go is very much dictated by the tides, winds and
waves.
Pilotage & Pilot Whales
Seals play in the swirling kelp forests, flowers flourish in walled fields and the locals go about their daily business by boat. This is a
paradise governed by the wind, waves and tide. Exploring the islands on a sailing vessel offers an intensive lesson in practical
seamanship and navigation for adventurous beginners and experienced sailors alike. The 60-70 mile passage from St Mawes or
Falmouth, around the Lizard, past the lonely sentinel of Wolf Rock and way out west beyond Lands End, can be challenging or totally
benign. The Atlantic Ocean frequently rewards you with sightings of dolphins, pilot whales, sunfish and basking sharks, revealing your
destination in tantalising stages as each island becomes distinctive on the horizon.
Bare feet & dinghy trips ashore
Once nestled in an anchorage, our landing stage is usually a beach so bare feet and sandals are the order of the day. The pace of life is
so relaxed it can take a few days to adjust to this small scale world. At first our crews stride out to circumnavigate an island, but after
a few hours you will be happy beachcombing, sketching or snoozing amongst the sea pinks. With over a dozen anchorages in the
archipelago to choose from and the ever changing Atlantic Ocean all around, no Scillies trip is ever the same.
Reservations UK Office: 0044 (0) 1872 580022
www.classic-sailing.co.uk
Beachcombing & boats - a way of life
The Scillies boatmen ferry locals, tourists and supplies by boat between the main inhabited islands of St Mary's, Tresco, Bryher, St
Martins and St Agnes. Daily lives are dependant on the tides and winds. There are a few roads on St Mary’s but the other islands are
traffic free apart from the odd farm vehicle. Shipwreck cargoes over the centuries and ocean flotsam has provided a motive
for beachcombing and many buildings have bits of ships built into their fabric. The wrecks vary from Spanish galleons to modern
cargo ships and are a constant reminder to keep an eye on the weather forecast. In the famous Tresco Abbey Gardens is the Valhalla
Ships Figurehead Collection –all salvaged from Scillies wrecks, and St Agnes Church has epic tales of rescues over the centuries.
Pilot trade was main island economy for 100 years
The pilot trade was a major industry for 100 years on the islands so they extend a warm welcome to pilot cutters. The Scilly Islands
were in a great strategic position for their experienced seafarers to come out to incoming sailing ships by pilot cutter or gig boat and
offer their pilot navigation services to take ships up the Irish Sea to Liverpool, or up Channel to London and Europe. For each pilot
getting back to the islands under their own steam must have always been a struggle. Today each island has its own pilot gig boats and
the racing each week is very competitive. Often at anchor we salute a hard working gig crew with an evening wine glass -as they
power past us with 13ft oars, or join one of the local support boats to chase the racing up close. The World Pilot Gig Championships in
early May (Bessie Ellen voyage 27th April—3rd May 2011) brings over 100 brightly coloured gig boats to the islands from as far afield
as the Faroes, USA and the Netherlands. To hear the thunder of thole pins as 600 men and women start rowing on a mass start line on
the first day is awesome.
Will Wagstaff - Scilly Island Expert and Wildlife Guide
When in the Isles of Scilly we often arrange a full day wildlife safari with local expert Will
Wagstaff who will take us around one of the off islands and explain, the nature, history, flora
and fauna, ornithology and gossip of the Isles. It make a brilliant introduction and insight into
these fabulous islands in the sun. Will knows everybody and all the bird watchers tend to report
their sightings back to him. He has an amazing telescope and tripod he carries for all to look
through - and an eagle eye for birds and cetaceans. In the winter Will often works on expedition
ships in Antarctica and the Falklands so he has plenty of stories to tell over a pub lunch in the
sun.
Artists on Board and Ashore
The weather and light in the Scillies inspires many artists to visit and some excellent artists live
on the Islands so you can visit their studios. One of Eve's skippers Debbie is also a keen artist so
she will particularly welcome your efforts on any voyage in the Isles of Scilly or Cornwall.
There are several galleries that you can visit whilst ashore, as you wander round marvelling at
the beauty of this almost untouched paradise.
Reservations UK Office: 0044 (0) 1872 580022
www.classic-sailing.co.uk
Our Favourite Anchorages on Scilly
We often get asked how many island anchorages can you visit in the
Scillies ? Here are a few of our favourites over the years…..
The Cove between St Agnes & Gugh
The screech of terns rather than tyres greet you here as the anchor
drops in the crystal clear waters. There are no cars on the island,
just a few tractors taking travellers bags from the ferry boat quay to
the Troy Town Farm campsite. The sand glitters with mica and at
low water the larger island of St Agnes connects with Gugh with an
impressive natural causeway that changes shape from month to
month. You can search for glass beads in beady pool on Wingletang
Common, or grab a bottle of wine from the Turks Head and go and
watch the sun go down over the Western Rocks.
“I have sailed all over the world from the Indian Ocean to Patagonia
and St Agnes still has the clearest seas I have ever swam in. I
describe it as like diving into a gin and tonic and just as icy....but
wow does it clear your head and make your body fizz.” Debbie—
Eves Skipper
Porth Conger - Row your gig to the Turks Head
A one boat anchorage for deep keeled vessels like Eve or Annabel J
and plenty of kelp so light winds only. This is the way the small inter
island ferries come into St Agnes stone quay so you can watch the
whole world go by. There is a steep slipway straight from the Turks
Head Pub into Porth Conger - if you want a swift exit.
Great Ganilly Amongst the Eastern Rocks
You could get a sailing ship in this one, and we have. Adam took
116ft gaff ketch Bessie Ellen into this less well known anchorage
surrounded by deserted islands. We have swam with seals in the
kelp forest, cooked mackerel and pollock for breakfast on the beach
and been spied on by peregine falcon chicks high up in the granite
cliffs. Eve's crew have rowed around nearby Menewerthan where
the seals hang out on a rocky reef. At low water you can walk to
Nour Nour where there are remains of a bronze age settlement. It
is one of our adopted beaches and we often do a beach clean and
take the rubbish away on Eve.
St Helens Pool & Golden Ball Reef
A long bit of pilotage to get into this large ship anchorage protected
by St Helens, Tean and Golden Ball Reef. At high water it looks very
lonely and exposed with only uninhabited islands and bird reserve
islands nearby. At low water your crew will be very impressed to be
in a perfect natural rockpool with room for a small fleet of tall ships.
At night the sweep of Round Island light wakes the bird colonies so
there is always the sound of seabirds and the rumble of surf on
Golden Ball Reef.
Great Bay, St Martins - where are the turtles ?
A low tide entry is best for this inviting looking sweep of sand and
high dunes on the back of St Martins. Many underwater rocks lurk
on the outer approaches but once behind them you are in
paradise. The sand is so soft and so few footprints spoilt this
pristine bay, and you can almost imagine turtles coming into nest !
Bryher - Under Hangman's Rock
The fjord like New Grimsby Sound between Bryher and Tresco is the
best shelter in the islands. You can anchor or pick up a mooring
between Hangmans Rock and Cromwell's Castle. Sunsets over
Shipman Head are great, and the water in this deep tidal sound is
amazingly clear. Henry the Tresco harbourmaster is one of our
favourite Scillonians.
Reservations UK Office: 0044 (0) 1872 580022
www.classic-sailing.co.uk
Live on the ocean and the wildlife comes to you
Wildlife at Sea & Ashore
The remoteness of the Isles of Scilly bring their own special reward
to those who travel with us: Starry nights with no street lights;
ocean sunsets, isolated lighthouses and tiny fishing harbours; cliffs
sculptured by pounding winter gales; almost tropical white sands
with sparkling mica sticking to your toes; woodlands stunted by the
wind but with trees adorned with lichen (a sure sign of unpolluted
air) and sub tropical plants along the many coastal footpaths.
The Scillies sit plumb in the middle of the Gulf Stream which
provides unexpected sightings of turtles, sunfish and more regular
visits by dolphins (common, bottlenose and risso’s dolphin),
porpoises, whales and giant basking sharks. Gales often bring in
wheeling gannets, tiny storm petrels, guillemots, razorbills and
puffins.
Snorkelling in clear waters
We have some world class dive spots locally and in the Scillies due
to the lack of major sediment bearing rivers, rich underwater
ecosystem and wrecks, so it is well worth bringing a snorkel, mask &
wetsuit in summer. Many of our anchorages are near kelp forests
and there is a large population of Western Grey Seals on Scilly.
A Bird watchers paradise
As the first or last bit of land before the Atlantic, the Scillies are
often a staging post for migrating birds and many rare birds have
been spotted. Our May voyage is during the seabird breeding
season where everything from black backed gulls to tiny puffins
come home to nest.
Sub Tropical Paradise for Plants
The Tresco Abbey Gardens are world renowned but even the
private gardens and stone wall lined lanes on all the islands are a
stunning display of sub tropical plants you would not expect to
thrive outside South Africa or similar. The islands still grow flower
crops in small sheltered fields and there is heather heath too.
Reservations UK Office: 0044 (0) 1872 580022
www.classic-sailing.co.uk
Choice of Vessels & Voyages 2012
Eve of St Mawes
Eve of St Mawes was the first pilot cutter built and designed by Luke
Powell and launched new in 1997. Constructed entirely traditionally
from the best materials available, Eve was built to last. She has
been admired, photographed and written about countless
times. Eve owes her heritage to the 1870’s pilot cutters of the Isles
of Scilly. Rugged and versatile craft built to withstand the rigours of
the Western Approaches in comfort and safety; these little ships
were weatherly and immensely strong. (38ft on deck, 51ft overall –
5 guest crew). Voyages start and finish in St Mawes.
EV1215 Fri 19th June
Thurs 21 June
6
Isles of Scilly
£720
EV1223 Sun 29th July Sat 4th Aug
6
Isles of Scilly
£720
EV1226 Mon 13th Aug Sun 19th Aug
6
Isles of Scilly
£720
E1228
6
Isles of Scilly
£720
Mon 27th Aug Sun 2nd Sep
Annabel J
Annabel J is an interpretation of the legendary Bristol Channel Pilot
cutters from the 1890’s. Built in steel with wooden decks, Annabel J
will look after you in style. Fitted out below decks in a beautiful
deep mahogany, her interior is a haven of warm varnished bright
work, elegant upholstery and cut glass. She is a fast passage maker
and has both blocks and tackles and winches. (56ft on deck, 67ft
overall - 8 guest crew). Voyages start and finish in St Mawes.
AJ1207 Sat 2nd June
Fri 8th June
6 Isles of Scilly & Cornwall £720
AJ1208 Mon 11th
June
Sun 17th
June
6 Isles of Scilly & Cornwall £720
AJ1209 Sat 23rd June Fri 29th
June
6 Isles of Scilly & Cornwall £720
Brixham Trawler Leader
Built in 1892 Leader on of the last remaining Brixham Sailing Trawlers that
were once a common sight in the West Country and the fishing grounds of
Europe. Well known as a charter boat, Leader always creates an evocative
sight in an unspoilt anchorage or historic fishing port. This summer she will
base herself in Falmouth for a month, so she is in reach of the Isles of Scilly.
The advantage of sailing to the Scillies in a larger vessel is that she can push
through larger waves more comfortably on passage. She has a big ships
anchor but a deeper hull draft than our pilot cutters so she can anchor in
deeper water, but would find some of the smaller anchorages like the Cove
too small to go right into the bay. Voyages start and finish in Falmouth.
LD1202
Sat 16 June
Fri 22 June
6
Isles of Scilly
£670
LD1204
Sat 04 Aug
Fri 10 Aug
6
Isles of Scilly
£710
LD1205
Sat 11 Aug
Fri 17 Aug
6
Isles of Scilly
£710
LD1206
Sat 18 Aug
Fri 24 Aug
6
Isles of Scilly
£710
Reservations UK Office: 0044 (0) 1872 580022
www.classic-sailing.co.uk
Practicalities & Planning
Do I need any sailing experience ?
No experience is needed as there will be a thorough training session
when you arrive, and ideally a short evening sail to help you get your
sea legs. These are quite challenging voyages even in summer because
the sail out to Scillies can take 10-15 hours and you will be out the
shelter of land. They probably suit those who have already tried sailing
but as long as you have a realistic view to the fact you may feel seasick
initially, then there is no reason why an adventurous beginners should
not sign up.
If you are an experienced sailor then these voyages are great for
developing more pilotage skills or watch keeping, and the 60 mile
passage out can count towards your Yachtmaster qualifying passages.
Is it suitable for families ?
The majority of our customers are individuals booking, so if you come
as a family with children it helps if they are reasonably happy in adult
company. Bessie Ellen is almost a pirate ship in appearance and has
enough professional crew so that young people (minimum age 8 with a
family) can be a great help hoisting sails and joining in, but they can
also opt out if tired or having a ‘what-ever’ moment.
For the pilot cutters Eve and Annabel J where working guest crew are
essential we would not recommend these voyages for families with
children younger than 14. If you want to charter the whole boat it helps
if as a family you are familiar with sailing and happy living in a fairly
small communal space. Talk to us…...
What if the weather is bad ?
Even in good weather these voyages are quite challenging as you are
sailing a traditional boat without winches offshore, landings are by
small boat, and the anchorages are often affected by swell so you need
to be happy with a bit of rock and roll. The Scillies are not a safe haven
in prolonged rough weather and no single anchorage is safe for all wind
and swell directions, so we often have to move at short notice to a new
cove. With 15 years experience we do our best to programme Scillies
voyages at time of year with the maximum daylight hours, the right
tides to get you there swiftly. The Gig Championship voyage is very
early season which is why we are using Bessie Ellen as she is a larger
ship. In the event of bad weather the Scillies may not be suitable as a
safe destination and the skipper will seek out alternative sailing
grounds like mainland Cornwall or even Brittany.
Which vessel is best for me ?
38’ Eve is the smallest (sleeps 5 plus a skipper and voluntary mate)
which means she can get into smaller anchorages and nearer the
beach. She is very authentically rigged and quite physical to sail so
everybody is needed to show her off under sail. 54’ Annabel J (sleeps 8
plus mate & skipper) has more headroom and space down below and
usually makes a faster passage out to the Isles. Bessie Ellen or Leader
take 12 guests and with 2 deckhands, mate and skipper so she is a
better vessel for families or those who want to chill out occasionally as
there are usually enough keen people to set or trim sails without
involving everyone each time.
Food & Drink
Food is cooked fresh on board, and we can cater for most diets. If you
are all day exploring an island with our wildlife guide or on your own
you may need to buy a lunch or two. On all vessels you are welcome to
bring wine or beer for evening meals.
Kit List
Eve, and AJ have offshore waterproof jackets and trousers on board in
various sizes but you are welcome to bring your own. On Leader you
will need to bring waterproofs but duvet and pillow supplied.
Eve: pillows & pillowcase supplied—bring a sleeping bag
AJ: pillows supplied bring distinctive pillowcase and sleeping bag.
Reservations UK Office: 0044 (0) 1872 580022
Kit List (continued)
Passport & travel documents and travel insurance.
High factor suntan lotion and sunglasses are recommended.
Sea Sickness tablets (e.g. Stugeron) if you are susceptible.
A large and small towel
Swimsuit
(wetsuit & facemask if you fancy snorkeling)
Earplugs if you are a light sleeper
Torch and spare batteries
Camera and film or charger (220v on Bessie Ellen)
Binoculars (optional)
Waterbottle (optional)
t shirts and shorts
Long trousers and fleece shirts, jumper or 2 and a windproof shirt or
jacket. Outdoor hill walking type clothing is great for sailing as it dries
quickly.
Shoes with a good grip like trainers / lightweight walking boots or deck
shoes for sailing.
Wellies or another pair of shoes in case the first pair get wet.
All terrain type sandals are great for wet landings in the dinghy.
A small rucksack is good for forays ashore.
Personal Expenses; You’ll need some extra money to cover drinks and
souvenirs not included in the voyage price.
Joining Your Vessel—St Mawes
Ferry from Falmouth: There is a passenger ferry from Falmouth to St
Mawes. Contact St Mawes Ferry on 01872 861 911 or 07855 438 674
http://www.kingharryscornwall.co.uk/ferries Ferries are hourly in
winter and three per hour in the summer.
Train to Falmouth: There are main line trains to Truro and a branch line
from Truro to ‘Falmouth Town Station.’ http://www.raileasy.co.uk
Falmouth Town Station is ten minutes walk from Customs House Quay
and 15 mins minutes walk to the Prince of Wales Pier. There are ferries
from both quays to St Mawes in the summer.
Plane: Newquay Airport (NQY) is about 40 miles away and about £55
taxi fare. Taxi - You can book a local taxi on 01326 279 042 or 07971
104 909 ask for Graham.
Car: The A30 is the best route into Cornwall for St Mawes. The locals
short cut is to leave the A30 at Fraddon and follow the B3275 via
Grampound Road until it meets the A390 where you turn left for a little
way back towards St Austell. Then follow the signs to the right for the
A3078 & Tregony which ends in St Mawes.
Parking: There are two car parks in St Mawes both trouble free and
requiring pound coins. St Mawes Quay Car Park is very convenient as it
is where you join your voyage but is a little more expensive.
St Mawes Central Car Park is 2 mins from quay @ £18.00 for 6 days.
High Quality accommodation:
Hotel Tresanton www.tresanton.com/ tel:01326 270055
Mid range accommodation:
Braganza—The most elegant house in St Mawes. Best guest
recommendations www.stmawes.info/bed-and-breakfast/braganzaguesthouse 01326 270281
Idle Rocks Hotel—right on the waterfront by St Mawes harbour
www.idlerocks.co.uk 01326 270771
Rising Sun—smart pub with hotel like service with a great beer terrace
and a good restaurant www.risingsunstmawes.co.uk 01326 270233
The Victory Inn. Up a narrow, traffic free lane a stones throw from St
Mawes harbour. www.victory-inn.co.uk 01326 270324
Standard accommodation
Little Newton B&B www.stmawes.info/bed-and-breakfast/little-newton
Newton Farm B&B Mr & Mrs Hancock 01326
270427www.stmawes.info/bed-and-breakfast/newton-farm-bed-andbreakfast
Camping
Trethem Mill Touring Park: Award winning Caravan and Camp Site
www.trethem.com
www.classic-sailing.co.uk