Blog

Just 28 miles off the Cornish coast lies an archipelago of sub-tropical islands waiting to be explored on a day trip from the South West. As the days get longer into Spring and Summer, you can really make the most of all the islands have to offer. With miles of white sandy beaches, fascinating wildlife,…

Gry Maritha’s stalwart crew have added another string to their bow – being trained as marine mammal surveyors for charity ORCA. The Isles of Scilly Steamship Company has a long history of working with ORCA, with marine mammal surveyors conducting surveys for whales, dolphins and porpoises on board Scillonian III since 2009.     But…

The Isles of Scilly Steamship Group is proud to have a strong female workforce – in fact, 28% of our staff are female, including ship and airline captains, firefighters and senior managers. As a company, we are committed to championing women, encouraging and inspiring them with their careers both now and in the future. We…

EXPERIENCE LONGER DAYS ON THE ISLES OF SCILLY March 20th marks not only the first Scillonian III sailing of the year, but the start of spring, bringing with it longer days and the opportunity to spend more time on the beautiful Isles of Scilly with our day trips experiences. More time on the islands means…

Our trusty inter-island freight ship Lyonesse Lady has been helping to bring Christmas to the Isles of Scilly’s off-islands for more than 30 years. Whether it’s Christmas trees, gifts or the all-important Christmas dinner ingredients, the Lyonesse’s crew of two will be busy making sure the islanders have everything they need to celebrate. What Gry…

The countdown to Christmas begins – with less than a month to go! If you’ve still got some festive shopping to do (or perhaps you’ve only just started) we’ve got you covered. We’ve partnered up with some of our favourite Isles of Scilly makers and businesses to create our unique gift guide, helping you to…

Training and investing in future employees is extremely important to us at the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group. We currently sponsor four Merchant Navy cadets – two deck cadets and two engineering cadets – who are managed by a training partnership with Clyde Marine Training. The cadetships are a three-year programme, which is funded by…

Scillonian III may be ‘resting up’ for the winter, but it’s by no means a quiet period for her crew and maintenance team.  Between her last sailing of the year in November and her first sailing in March, our much-loved ship undergoes a period of maintenance to get her ‘ship shape’ ready for the next…

Would you believe us if we told you there was a very good chance of spotting a dolphin, porpoise or even a whale from the decks of Scillonian III? In fact, the chances are so good, the crossing between Penzance and the Isles of Scilly has been named the UK’s highest diversity ferry route for…

End of another busy season for Scillonian III Our iconic passenger ferry Scillonian III has completed another busy and memorable season, carrying more than 115,000 passengers in 2022. The final sailing of the year took place on Saturday, November 5th, and the much-loved ship will now spend the winter undergoing annual maintenance in Penzance. 2022…

Land’s End Airport’s Fire Service – at the heart of airport life Our fire and rescue service plays a crucial role in ensuring the safety of Land’s End Airport. But as well as firefighting, the airport’s dedicated firefighters have a list of more than 200 different jobs to their name. “Our primary role is as…

NATIONAL MARINE WEEK 2022 23rd July – 7th August 2022   In celebration of last week’s ‘National Marine Week’, we take a look at the magnificent wildlife that inhabits the shores of the Isles of Scilly – a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Whether you are whale spotting on board Scillonian III, snorkelling with…

Behind-the-scenes with Air Traffic Control at Land’s End Airport Air Traffic Control seems like a baffling place to many – but in reality it’s an exciting and dynamic environment where quick-thinking and multi-tasking are an essential part of the job. It is a highly-regulated and safety critical role, where every aircraft – sometimes more than…

The inaugural seabird survey has taken place on Scillonian III – the first of its kind in England.   Highly-trained seabird surveyors from MARINElife, the charity dedicated to the conservation of marine wildlife, will be conducting monthly surveys from the ship until November.   Scillonian III has long been revered by bird watchers for the…

After three decades of loyal service, the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group has said a fond farewell to St Mary’s Quay Manager Mervyn Bird, who has left to spend more time on his farm. Merv, 59, joined the company in 1988 as a storeman on the quay. He recalls: “Everything used to come in loose…

A visit to the Isles of Scilly is an opportunity not to be missed if you are local to or visiting Cornwall.  With both sea and air transportation links – reaching the islands is easier than many people realise. Those visiting (and of course those lucky enough to live there!) are presented with the opportunity…

Enjoy longer days in the Isles of Scilly sunshine The spring season and start of British summer time brings with it not only longer days, but the opportunity to spend more time on the beautiful Isles of Scilly.  More time on the islands means you can experience more of what Scilly has to offer and…

In a field currently dominated by men, we believe it is important to encourage and inspire women to pursue a career in aviation. In 2021 it was estimated that less than 5% of pilots in the UK were female. At the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group, we have 23 Skybus pilots made up of four…

Our own freight haulage company, Island Carriers, is based in the heart of St Mary’s. We’ve been behind-the-scenes with the busy team of 10, which looks after all the islanders’ freight needs. Passionate is the most accurate word to describe Island Carriers Operations Manager Jeanette Ware – she cares deeply about the community she serves.…

The Isles of Scilly is one of the prettiest places you can visit. Unspoilt landscapes, white sandy beaches and turquoise waters all contribute to make the islands one of the most photographable places in Britain. We’ve cherry picked some of our favourite picture-perfect spots that will make you fall in love with this island destination.…

A DOG’S LIFE Pets love island life… Famously dog friendly, the Isles of Scilly is the perfect staycation destination to travel with your four-legged companions. In 2020, Cornwall was named the number two hotspot destination to take dogs on holiday. Perhaps you are thinking about combining an Isles of Scilly trip with a visit to…

Just 28 miles off the coast of Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly are a beautifully wild and unspoilt place to get away from it all. Island life might move at a gentle pace but there is plenty to make your time here unforgettable. The five inhabited islands; St. Mary’s, Tresco, St. Martin’s, Bryher and St.…

16th December 2021 Update: A special thank you from Newlyn School Following on from their visit to Land’s End Airport, the staff and pupils of Newlyn School surprised the Skybus team with a special delivery of hand written notes and fantastic drawings to thank the staff for having them and their behind-the-scenes tour. It looks…

And just like that we’re nearly into December, and Christmas is just around the corner with just under a month to go. If you’ve still got some festive shopping to do, what better gift this Christmas, than the gift of the Isles of Scilly! Whether that’s the promise of an island adventure with a travel…

In 2020, the company celebrated 100 years of ‘delivering for Scilly’.  As part of the celebrations, we worked with local artist Sue Lewington to create a special centenary illustrated book. Sue is a freelance illustrator who specialises in ink and watercolour sketches.  She lived on St Martin’s for 20 years, where she ran a gallery,…

Today is Remembrance Day, so we thought we would share how Scillonian I played an important role in the war effort. During the Second World War ‘Scillonian I’ amazingly maintained a near-perfect sailing record. Between 1939 and 1945, a total of 1,552 crossings were completed with only one being cancelled due to exceptionally bad weather…

We are proud to be involved in the local community and with local charities. Currently we support a range of groups, good causes, sporting events, subsidised travel for island residents, medical flights and off-island freight. We are delighted to support, The Island Haven, a charity aiming to provide a place to stay on the mainland…

Safety is the number one priority of Engineering Manager Mick Yould and his team of nine – including engineers, aircraft fitters, two stores’ supervisors and one technical records supervisor. The busy department is responsible for the maintenance, safety, and airworthiness of Skybus’s fleet of four Twin Otters and three Islanders. Mick, who has been with…

Don’t forget to look up Stargazing is a magical experience for everyone to enjoy especially when visiting the Isles of Scilly. With no light pollution the islands has some of the darkest skies in the UK, making the islands the perfect spot for you to look up as the autumn nights draw in. The night…

Late summer and autumn is a special time on the Isles of Scilly – quieter and wilder. The islands are ablaze with wonderful warm hues, the wildlife thriving with activity and it is still warm enough for days spent outdoors enjoying the spectacular scenery. At this time of the year you’ll find something for foodies,…