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Anticipate formalities.
Brexit obliges, since 2019 and the UK's exit from the European Union, mandatory formalities must be completed to enter the territory, including the Isles of Scilly. Don't forget to bring your passport (also for each crew member) and complete the online clearance form the day before your departure: www.spcr.homeoffice.gov.uk
You will need to fill in :
- Crew members' names and passport numbers.
- The name of the boat
- Your estimated time and port of arrival
A few miles before arrival, you'll have to follow the international pavilion code:
- Your national flag must be on station
- The UK courtesy pavilion too
- And the Quebec flag (yellow). The latter can be lowered when authorized by the border force.
In reality, the border force only visits the archipelago once a week. You can contact them by telephone to ask about the procedure to follow, but they will certainly reply: " Ah, you've reached the Isles of Scilly, you can disembark now. "There's no point in waiting indefinitely for someone to visit you on board and give you some kind of authorization.
Border Force south west wales : +44 (0)3001064188
Don't forget to fill in the same online form as for your arrival, the day before you plan to leave the UK after your stay.
Scilly's currency is the pound sterling, and credit cards are accepted throughout the islands.
If you wish to visit the archipelago with your pet, you should know that he won't be able to disembark on the islands.
The landing
After crossing the English Channel, what will determine your landing in the archipelago, as well as the order and manner in which you discover the islands, will be the local weather at the time, and consequently the shelters available in each wind sector. A good knowledge of anchorages and currents is therefore essential.
If you're arriving from the south, south-east of the archipelago, the first anchorages you'll find are Porth Cressa, on the main island of Saint Mary, and the one between the islands of Saint Agnes and Gugh. They are particularly well sheltered in north-westerly to north-easterly winds.
Porth Cressa:
Once past the eastern cardinal, Spanish Ledge, rocks on either side delimit the anchorage.
Don't get too close to the relatively "badly paved" eastern section. You will then anchor on a 3 to 10-metre sandy bottom, depending on your proximity to the beach, which has a gentle slope and is easy to disembark.
From here, you'll go straight to the southern part of Hugh Town, where you'll find provisioning, stores, restaurants and pubs. If you'd like to take a shower, you'll have to cross the town on the isthmus, and you'll find toilets with showers at the ferry terminal (approx. ?2 for 6 minutes).
With a steady southerly wind, you can circumnavigate the western part of Saint Mary's Island and pick up a visitor's box at Saint Mary's pool, the bay to the north of the isthmus.
Saint Agnes & Gugh
The anchorage presents no particular danger. It is elongated, with few places once inside the sheltered zone. It is enclosed to the north by a sandy tombolo between the two islands (Saint Agnes to the west and Gugh to the east).
Here too, you'll find a sandy bottom when anchored at depths of 3 to 5 meters. The presence of pebbles and large cobbles on the tombolo beach make it difficult to raise or lower the dinghy depending on the tide.
Although Gugh has a few houses, it remains wild, while Saint Agnes is more inhabited. On the latter you'll find a small market, a school at the foot of a pretty lighthouse, a campsite and the best ice cream in the world, made with milk from the island's cows...
In the event of a gale
As on the Atlantic coast in general, prevailing winds are from southwest to northwest. However, northerly or north-easterly flows down the St. George's Channel (between Ireland and the UK) are not uncommon and can be sustained. Should you encounter bad weather during your stay, the most sheltered anchorages are :
- In strong westerly winds: Saint Martin's Bay (anchorage on the island of Saint Martin) is particularly recommended. Located on the eastern side of the archipelago, it is sheltered from swell and wind. This anchorage is recommended for strong South, Southwest and West winds
- In strong west to north-easterly winds, you'll find shelter at Porth Cressa.
- Strong southerly winds: Saint Mary's Pool and Saint Martin's Bay.
For boats that run aground, the safest place is Green Bay cove, south-east of Bryher Island.
In any case, it's best to avoid heavy weather in the archipelago (winds in excess of 35, 40 knots), and you might consider retreating to Penzance (30 miles to the east) or Helford River (55 miles), in Cornwall.
There are specialized, well-informed guides to complete the cartography and inform you about currents, landmarks and alignments for safe navigation in the archipelago.
