Delivering for Scilly | Issue 7 | February 2022

MAGAZINE OF THE ISLES OF SCILLY STEAMSHIP GROUP

Issue 7 | Winter 2022

Delivering for Scilly

Behind the scenes at Island Carriers Looking after all of the islanders’ freight needs

Donations top £60,000 Our generous customers have raised a massive amount for the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust

Wishing Pete a fond farewell.

Looking back at Pete Crawford’s four decades on board Scillonian III

Steamship St I S L E S O F S C I L LY

GROUP

Isles of Scilly

Delivering for Scilly

One of the fantastic drawings we received from Newlyn Primary School following a class visit to Land’s End Airport.

Learn more about how we work with local schools and community groups on page 14.

In this issue of Delivering for Scilly Happy New Year, and welcome to the winter edition of Delivering for Scilly magazine, which is packed full of the latest company news. In this issue you can read about how

Isles of Scilly Steamship Company Limited, Steamship House, Quay Street, Penzance Cornwall TR18 4BZ Delivering for Scilly is produced

by Isles of Scilly Steamship Group inhouse communications team.

Delivering for Scilly

Skybus supported Guernsey’s airline Aurigny through its maintenance period on page 11; learn how we are inspiring the next generation of pilots on page 10 and get an insight into

T +44 (0) 1736 334240 marketing@islesofscilly-travel.co.uk Editor Marketing Team marketing@issg.co.uk

some of the fascinating marine mammals that have been spotted from Scillonian III on page 18. Enjoy the read!

With grateful thanks to all team members who’ve helped contribute articles and photos. Opinions expressed are the authors’ and not necessarily those of the company. Whilst every effort is made to ensure total accuracy Isles of Scilly Steamship Group cannot be help responsible for any errors or omissions within this magazine.

Bookings The return of the World Pilot Gig Championships in May is giving a welcome boost to the start of the season, with bookings looking strong so far for 2022. July and August have been a bit slower, but accommodation on the islands is already doing well and people are changing their booking pattern and taking a little longer to book their travel. With the disruption over the past two years, passengers are changing how and when they may have booked in the past, which is proving a bit harder to predict.

Overall last year, passenger numbers on Scillonian III were down 7% and Skybus passengers were down 32% on 2019.

Below are the passenger numbers for the 2021 calendar year.

SKYBUS

SCILLONIAN III

TOTAL

LEQ, NQY, EXT

Penzance

PASSENGERS

64,536

105,534

170,070

2021

2021

2021

37,919

42,220

80,139

2020

2020

2020

94,516

113,935 2019

208,451

2019

2019

Financial performance update The Group made a loss of £620k in December which was approximately per budget.

Although revenue was under budget due to fewer passengers travelling (partly as a result of bad weather in the last few days of the month), cost-savings in other areas offset this loss.

Forward sales for the remaining winter period continue to look poor. This is likely to be due to passengers being cautious about travelling due to the current high level of Covid-19 infections.

However, from March onwards the season is looking much better with bookings being higher than expected to date.

Congratulations to James Squire, who has been promoted to Quay Manager on St Mary’s.

James jointed the company in early 2019 as a quay hand before being made supervisor on St Mary’s in February 2020.

Health and safety update The Steamship Group is continuing to work hard to provide services that are Covid secure for our customers and minimise risks of virus transmission to our employees.

Please continue to work with us by complying with our requirement to wear face coverings on our transport services and avoid travel where necessary in accordance with NHS guidelines.

Despite the high rates of Covid 19 throughout Cornwall in recent months, our Covid secure precautions, the continued efforts of our employees and the cooperation of our customers have enabled us to avoid disruptions to our scheduled services.

3

End of an era Scillonian Master makes his final voyage after 39 seasons Scillonian III marked the end of

well-loved ship,” said Pete.

grandchildren,” he said. “It’s

an era on Sunday, November

“I’d like to thank the Isles of

like I’m part of their holiday. I

6th, as Master Pete Crawford

Scilly Steamship Company for

consider a lot of our passengers

made his final voyage from St

giving me this opportunity, and

to be friends.”

Mary’s to Penzance after 39

the Scillonian crew past and

seasons on board.

present. I couldn’t have done it

Pete, 60, has retired after sailing

without them.”

With the company’s support, Pete studied for his deck tickets and in 1992 became Scillonian

approximately 666,000 miles

Pete, who lives in Penzance

III’s Chief Officer, before taking

on Scillonian III – or more than

with his wife Angie, joined

over as Relief Master in 2002.

30 times around the world.

Scillonian in 1983 as a 22-yearold radio officer. His first job

“I was the first person the

It is estimated he has made

was collecting tickets from

Steamship Company put

more than 9,000 return

passengers on the gangway,

through college – it was

journeys to the islands and

where families would have their

unheard of in those days,”

carried more than two million

photo taken with him at the

said Pete. “It cemented my

passengers.

start of their holidays.

relationship with the company

“It’s been an honour and a

“Almost 40 years later, I’m

privilege to have worked on

having my photos taken

board such an iconic and

with their children and

Delivering for Scilly

and I hope I’ve repaid it over the years.”

Over 39 seasons, the highlights

People Focus

Pete in th e early days

of Pete’s remarkable career are

to take the passengers to see

too many to mention, but he

that.

cites the wildlife he’s seen over

mention to the islanders, some of whom have become dear

“One magical thing I’ll never

friends over the years. One of

forget is a very unusual whale

the things I’m most looking

called a Sowerby whale playing

forward to about retirement is

“We see something every day,”

in the surf off the Eastern Isles

spending more times on the

he said. “I’ve seen humpback

probably about 25 years ago.

Isles of Scilly. It’s an incredibly

whales breeching off Land’s

I’ve never seen one since.

special place.”

“I’ve carried lots of famous

Islanders turned out to wave

people over the years, including

and cheer when Pete departed

Princes William and Harry, and

St Mary’s for the final time, with

it’s the passengers are what

flags spelling “Thank You Pete

the years as some of the best memories.

End; a pod of killer whales; many, many fin whales, minke whales and dolphins and tuna regularly. I used to see giant groups of basking sharks – you could almost guarantee them from June. Once a fishing boat called to let us know about a super pod of hundreds of dolphins in a feeding frenzy, so we went three miles off course

makes the job special. They come on holiday with smiles on their faces and it’s my job not only to keep them safe, but to keep those smiles on their faces.

“I’d like to give a special

39” unfurled from the mast of Scillonian III. He was greeted on arrival in Penzance by his Steamship Company colleagues standing to attention on the Quay, freight ship Gry Maritha’s fire hoses spraying in the air 5

Here are a small selection of the many comments we have received on Pete’s retirement.

Happy retirement Pete, it was great sailing with you on wildlife surveys over the last 16 years!

Thank you for all of those safe journeys. Enjoy your and a surprise party in the

of dedicated and unwavering

Queen’s Hotel, which Pete

service.

described as “both humbling and emotional”.

“Pete’s support of and commitment to the Steamship

He is looking forward to

Company has been nothing

spending his retirement

short of exceptional. His hard

travelling, sailing and spending

work and bountiful knowledge

time with his two sons – Ryan,

is respected by not only our

who lives in Perth, Australia,

passengers and employees,

and Lewis who lives in

but also the communities

Hampshire.

of both Penzance and the

retirement.

Many a good time onboard with you Pete… “may you have fair winds and following seas mate” Enjoy your time ashore.

What an achievement, enjoy your retirement Peter.

Isles of Scilly in which he has

Stuart Reid, Chief Executive

developed an extremely close

Enjoy.....I’ll never forget the

of the Isles of Scilly Steamship

connection. Pete will be sorely

day you carried my dog to

Company, said: “On behalf of

missed by all at the Steamship

the bridge in horrendous

the Company, I would like to

Company and he will always

extend a heartfelt thanks to

be welcome on board

Pete for almost four decades

Scillonian III.”

weather so we could travel in style on my birthday!

Absolute gent ! Thanks for all the sailings, take care sir.

Happy retirement, myself, my family and our dogs have loved every sail across over the past 20 years. xxx

What an incredible voyage you have had with the Scillonian. Many thousands of people will have had no idea what safe hands they were in with you at the helm.

Delivering for Scilly

People Focus

New Master appointed

Victoria Bolitho Master of Scillonian III

qualification for professional mariners.

It means she is qualified to take command of virtually any ship,

In December we appointed Victoria Bolitho as Master of Scillonian III.

a hard act to follow. He has taught me so much, and I will miss him greatly.

of any size, sailing anywhere in

Victoria, 33, who has served as Scillonian III’s Chief Officer for the past two-and-a-half years, will take the helm from Pete Crawford.

“I can’t wait to be part of the exciting next chapter in Scillonian’s history and to take the helm at the start of the new season.”

navy seafarers are women -

She said: “I am extremely proud to become Master of Scillonian III. It is an instantly recognisable and hugely important ship, loved by so many who travel on her.

Scillonian III has been the island’s faithful servant for more than 44 years and is currently undergoing her annual winter maintenance in Penzance.

ago, first working on the freight

It has been quite a year for Victoria, who recently joined an elite group of seafarers after gaining her Master’s unlimited certificate – the highest

Company, said: “We are

“It will be an honour and privilege to sit in the captain’s seat, but especially to be taking over from Pete, who will be

the world.

Just two per cent of merchant and an even smaller number become Master mariners.

Victoria joined the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group three years ship Gry Maritha, before moving to Scillonian III. Stuart Reid, Chief Executive of the Isles of Scilly Steamship delighted to announce Victoria’s appointment and would like to take this chance to wish her every success in her new role.”

7

People Focus

Behind the scenes at

Island Carriers





10 team members

14 vehicles

* except Christmas Day and Boxing Day

Delivering for Scilly





Open 6 days 2,000 parcels a week, 52 delivered weeks a year* every week





600K tonnes 30K tonnes of freight of waste transported removed each each year week

h

Our own freight haulage company, Island Carriers, is based in the heart of St Mary’s. We’ve been behindthe-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.

“I may sit in the manager’s chair, but we are a team,” said Jeanette. “Every single one of us is dedicated to what we do. Our community truly is at the heart of Island Carriers.”

The experienced team of 10 moves an impressive 600,000 tonnes of freight around the islands every year. That’s around 85,000 tonnes per driver – or 234kg – every day.

With 14 vehicles, including four flatbeds fitted with cranes, two refrigerated vans, a tipper truck and four general vans for luggage and parcels, the team is equipped to deal with any situation.

They transport everything from telegraph poles, building materials and vehicles to luggage, food, parcels and medicines.

Being part of a small island community means the company tackles many niche jobs standard hauliers wouldn’t consider, including transporting rare paintings, priceless coin collections and private items for the royal family.

 16K items of luggage carried per season

The company also removes every piece of waste produced on the islands – on average 30 tonnes a week – and is responsible for airport refuelling.

Established in 1971, Island Carriers was purchased by the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group in 2015. With its own dedicated warehouse at

Porthmellon Industrial Estate, it is open six days a week, 52 weeks a year.

Jeanette, who has been at the helm of Island Carriers since 2016, said: “We play an essential role in island life, delivering everything that comes into Scilly, and from home to home on the islands.”

Island Carriers prides itself on going above and beyond for Scilly.

Recent examples include the whole team working late on a Saturday to deal with an unexpected 20 extra pallets of parcels, to being called out at 3am on Christmas Day 2020 to refuel the Search and Rescue helicopter at St Mary’s Airport.

The company also gives back to the community in any way it can. It acts as the collection point for dozens of Christmas food hampers for the homeless and delivers them to St Mary’s Quay free of charge; lends a lorry to act as Santa’s sleigh and transports luggage for community groups such as the Girl Guides.

And during the Covid lockdowns, the company became more of a lifeline to the islands than ever, delivering medication and groceries to vulnerable residents and those isolating.

“Every day we receive thanks from the community,” said Jeanette. “We get letters, cards and phone calls thanking us for going that extra mile.

But to us, it’s all part of the job. We go out of our way to help people.”

Jeanette attributes Island Carriers’ success to her dedicated team, which offers a wealth of knowledge and experience.

Island Carriers also has 10 skips for hire, provides a door-to-door home removal service and couriers items anywhere in the world.

9

People Focus

 HGV Cat C qualified

Delivering for Scilly

INVESTING IN THEIR FUTURE Congratulations to Herbie St Pier and Jack Stone at Island Carriers, who have both recently passed their HGV Cat C and are now qualified to drive HGV vehicles.

We would also like to wish Harry Stone the best of luck as he takes his HGV Cat C test later this month.

Collaboration

Devilishly important conservation work

Volunteers from Penwith

Six kilos of seeds were

Chris Pearson, Land’s End

Landscape Partnership

collected with the aid of a

Airport Manager added: “As

spent a Sunday in October

seed harvester and will now

airport is likely to be the

collecting wildflower seeds

be sown in other locations

largest single site for devil’s-

from meadows at Land’s End

across Penwith to support all

bit scabious in Cornwall,

Airport to provide important

sorts of wildlife.

we are delighted to have

habitats for local wildlife.

Nick Taylor, PLP ecologist,

been able to support such an important conservation

The airport’s grounds support

explained: “It’s a beautiful

a wide range of biodiversity,

little blue plant when in

including the plant devil’s-

flower, valuable as a nectar

bit scabious. Despite its

source for many species,

we are looking forward to

sinister name, the flower is

as well as the larval food

working with the PLP again in

an excellent food source for

plant for the endangered

the near future.”

pollinators and is becoming

Marsh Fritillary butterfly. This

increasingly rare.

butterfly has disappeared

This makes the fields around the airport particularly

from Penwith, but we’d love to see it back one day.

project. We are always looking for ways to do our bit for the environment, and

Such local collaborations between organisations can bring great benefits to both local wildlife and the

important as they are most

“We’re so grateful to the

community, and the PLP

likely the largest single site

airport, and it will make a real

and Land’s End Airport look

of devil’s-bit scabious in

difference for wildlife in West

forward to working together

Cornwall.

Penwith.”

again in the future.

11

Our values

EXCELLENCE

Inspiring the next generation In a field currently dominated

from my first flight to the Isles

by men, we believe it is

of Scilly about 10 years ago.

important to encourage and

We went in the Twin Otter and

inspire women to pursue a

there was a female pilot and co-

career in aviation.

pilot on that day.

At 14, Amelia Richardson is the

“That flight led to me

youngest member of the Black

becoming a solo glider

Mountain Gliding Club in the

pilot just after I turned

Brecon Beacons National Park.

14 this year. I hope to

She recently completed her

build my flying career in

first solo flight and aspires to

the military in the future.

become a RAF fast-jet pilot.

I popped back to LEQ

Her dream to become a pilot

to say hi and thank you

was sparked on discovering

recently where I was kindly

the Skybus Twin Otter she had

treated to an epic and

boarded to the Isles of Scilly

inspirational surprise tour

was going to be flown by two

and chat with the team.

female pilots.

All I can say is thank you for everything.”

When our female Skybus pilots learned they were the reason

Her dad James added:

behind the 14-year-old’s dream,

“We were absolutely blown

they sent her a personal video -

away by the way we’ve

to congratulate her on her first

been treated. It was really

solo flight and offer advice to

special. The company

make her dream become reality.

I work for, Suzuki, has

Amelia and her parents were so touched by the video they visited Land’s End Airport to meet the Skybus team in person.

won several awards for outstanding customer service and we focus on being great at the basics and creating magic moments. You most certainly have something magical at

Amelia said: “My inspiration

your organisation, it really is

and passion for aviation came

something to cherish.”

Delivering for Scilly

Supporting Air Aurigny

passengers. Air Aurigny

this relationship between

operates two Dornier 228NG

Skybus and Aurigny and it is

aircraft on these routes.

a very good opportunity for

Skybus covered Aurigny’s Our values

COLLABORATION

schedule on November 25th and 26th. During this period, we operated from Guernsey

Skybus during our quieter winter months, which will see our fleet continue to be utilised and revenue generated.

Skybus provided support

to Alderney four times a

services to Guernsey’s

day and from Alderney to

Air Aurigny throughout

Southampton twice each day.

November and December

We carried 226 passengers,

2021 while its own aircraft

one dog, one cat and plenty

underwent maintenance.

of mail and freight.

This meant we were on

There has been a significant

support revenue streams in

standby over the period to

amount of work to establish

the future.

maintain the resilience of

appliance will ensure that

the airport’s fire service in

the airport fire service meets

continuing the lifeline link to

all CAA regulations and

the islands.

recommendations. It has

The Skybus crew is enjoying the work and passengers that we’ve carried have been very pleased to see us and travel on the Twin Otter. We will be working to seek additional

assist Air Aurigny with flights between Guernsey Airport and Alderney and Alderney Airport and Southampton.

Skybus has used one of our four DH6 Twin Otters with our own crew to carry Air Aurigny

Airport takes delivery of new fire truck

Land’s End Airport has two fire appliances, the new

Our values

SAFETY

Land’s End Airport has taken delivery of a new, state-ofthe-art fire appliance. The Toyota Hilux 6x6, known as

provided the airport with the latest technology tailored for the needs of the operation

appliance will join our current

and enhances the reliability of

Fire 1 – a Rosenbauer AT

the airport fire appliances.

which was purchased in 2016, which at the time was the first of its kind in the UK. The bespoke new fire

The airport’s 11 firefighters had a few week’s training on the new appliance before it was put into service.

Fire 2 at the airport, arrived in early January. It was manufactured by Terberg in Gloucestershire.

The Company invested more than £130,000 in the vehicle, which will replace a 21-yearold 4X4 appliance and help

13

Community

Celebrations as Wildlife Trust donations top £60,000 Generous Steamship Group

vital to us, and we know that

Stuart Reid, Chief Executive

customers have donated a

the focus of our work is what

of the Isles of Scilly Steamship

milestone £60,000 to the Isles

so many visitors to the Isles of

of Scilly Wildlife Trust over the

Company, said: “We really are

Scilly really cherish.

delighted to be supporting the

“We couldn’t do all this without

Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust in

support from the travellers who

this way. Our passengers are

have generously donated when

attracted to the islands because

they book Skybus flights or

of their unspoilt beauty, so

when booking travel via our

passage on Scillionian III. Thank

it’s no wonder they donate so

website.

you very much indeed!”

generously to the Wildlife Trust.

past three years.

The grand total is down to kind-hearted customers making a voluntary donation to the charity’s fundraising efforts

Donations began in April 2019 and have now topped a massive £63,139.60 Julian Branscombe, Chief Executive of the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust, said: “The Wildlife Trust works so hard to keep Scilly special – providing better public access, improving the isles for wildlife and conserving our rich archaeological heritage.

“Our partnership with the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group is Delivering for Scilly

“£60,000 is a significant

customers is invaluable in

amount of money and it just

allowing the Trust to employ

goes to show how much our

its hard-working ranger team,

customers value the fantastic

and the Trust’s four-legged

work the Wildlife Trust does.

workforce – a small herd of Red

We are passionate about

Ruby Devon Cattle, a native

supporting these unique and

breed well suited to the climate

beautiful islands in any way we

and the island’s rough-grazing.

can.”

A typical day for the rangers

and the many beauty spots,

will start with checking

and unique species – such as

on the cattle, followed by

the Dwarf Pansy, Orange Bird’s-

mowing paths, repairing steps,

foot, Least Adder’s-tongue Fern

vegetation management to

and Gilt-edged Lichen – would

keep wetlands wet or keep

all die out, rendering them

coastal heaths free of invasive

extinct in the UK.

With the Trust managing all the unenclosed land on most of the islands, land-management is a huge part of its work.

Generous support from

The Island Haven Last year we announced we would be supporting The Island Haven – a charity that aims to provide a place to stay on the mainland for islanders who are undergoing medical treatment.

We are delighted to reveal that between October 2021 and December 2021 we have already raised £2,150.

non-native scrub.

Without this constant work, the many ancient monuments around the coast of the Isles of Scilly would become overgrown and damaged by roots, impenetrable vegetation would prevent access to coastal walks

The Island Haven is fundraising to build and equip a place for the people of the Isles of Scilly to stay when they require medical care on the mainland.

They may need a place to stay during prolonged outpatient treatment, or their family, friends or carer may need a place to stay to accompany their loved ones.

15

A memorable visit

Our values

COMMUNITY

In November, Land’s End Airport hosted a class from Newlyn Primary School for a fun-filled, educational visit. The children were given a behindthe-scenes tour of the airport, learning how it operates and watching some of the day’s landings and take-offs.

The children got a chance to play captain and sit in the pilot seat of one of our Twin Otters Delivering for Scilly

and learn how the aircraft are maintained and inspected each day from the Skybus engineering team.

The airport’s fire department talked to the youngsters about what they do, and they were surprised to learn this also included refuelling the planes and giving medical assistance to passengers.

One of the highlights of the morning was climbing the 64 steps to get to the top of the air traffic control tower, to see the view of the whole airfield as well as listen to the air traffic controllers talking to the planes as they land and take off.

Feedback from the school has been exceptional. Teacher Jo Fizz said: “The staff were so generous and welcoming. We were a little overwhelmed by the lengths the staff went to, to be honest.

“The children felt honoured to take a walk behind the scenes and learn from the professionals. We now have

pilots, engineers, and front of house ready for the future! We were treated to a rare sighting of a Hawk jet from Culdrose and the children haven’t stopped talking about this.

“The children described it as “magical”, “an inspiration”, “the best day ever” and wanted to stay longer. Many of our children won’t ever experience

an airport and this has opened up new worlds for them.

“A heartfelt thank you to all.”

Following the visit, the pupils surprised the Skybus team with a special delivery of fantastic drawings to thank them.

17

Project updates

Drones

Zero-emission fights

Our groundbreaking drone trial project, to carry freight to the Isles of Scilly using unmanned aircraft, has been extended until October 2022.

We have submitted an application for the UKRI Future Flight Challenge to allow us to determine the changes required in our airport, airline and aircraft maintenance operations to accommodate hydrogen fuel in the future, along with writing new company operating procedures specifically for hydrogen aircraft.

Working alongside drone experts Flylogix, we have started working on a Civil Aviation Authority safety case for a three-month flight trial later this year.

We have started the first phase of consultations with a small number of existing customers and businesses on the islands.

A student intern from Truro and Penwith College has joined the project part-time to research alternative forms of propulsion for the drone and the environmental effect of the drone.

The application was submitted alongside Cranfield Aerospace, and other airline, airport and industry and educational partners, such as Heathrow Airport, London City Airport, Rolls Royce, GKN Aerospace, Octopus Hydrogen, Cranfield Airport, Cranfield University, University College London, and others.

If approved, the project will allow the project partners to develop new procedures for hydrogen, alongside developing and testing hydrogen aircraft and powertrain systems. We hope to learn the outcome of the application soon.

We are committed to working towards a zero-emission aviation industry and being an early adopter of this cutting-edge technology.

Delivering for Scilly

Transparency

New RMZ now in place The Radio Mandatory Zone between Land’s End and St Mary’s airports was approved by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in November – only the 4th in UK airspace.

It means that any aircraft now entering this airspace must contact Air Traffic Control by radio.

The aim is to improve the current unknown traffic environment between the airports,

New vessel replacement

which will be beneficial for all users of the airspace including Skybus, Penzance Helicopters, military, search and rescue and the air ambulance.

Following the successful announcement of the £48.4 million Government funding we, along with members of the Isles of Scilly Transport Board, have been continuing to work hard behind-the-scenes to progress the vessel replacement project.

The project involves futureproofing the sea link by replacing the existing passenger, cargo and inter-island vessels and improving the harbours at Penzance and St Mary’s, which support the businesses and community on the islands.

The immediate next step involves working with the Department for Transport on the vessel build programme and cash flow management processes.

The RMZ has been secured after 18 months of work by Land’s End Airport Manager Chris Pearson and Deputy Senior Air Traffic Controller Neil Didlick – including submitting 34 documents to the CAA and consulting more than 90 different stakeholders.

The image below shows the RMZ area at Land’s End Airport.

While discussions continue, the designs of the vessels have paused and our attention is currently focused around operational requirements to bring the new vessels into service and the transition from the existing vessels to the new vessels.

We will then be working on the final selection of shipyards and most importantly working with the crews of our ships as part of a nine-month detailed design phase.

19

ORCA surveys resuming in 2022 Vital cetacean monitoring surveys will be taking place on board Scillonian III once again in 2022.

Three highly-trained marine mammal surveyors from ORCA, the charity dedicated to studying and protecting whales, dolphins and porpoises in UK waters, have conducted 153 surveys from Scillonian III since 2009.

A total of 4,924 individual animals have been recorded, with 16 different species seen.

These include killer whales, humpback whales, bottlenose

dolphins, basking sharks, seals, tuna and leatherback turtles.

Marine mammals have been recorded every month of surveying, but there is a peak in sightings between July and September.

The most commonly sighted species is the common dolphin (3,558 animals) followed by harbour porpoise (664 animals).

In 2019, the last year of surveys due to Covid, an incredible 718 animals were recorded – the highest number yet.

The charity tries to replicate the

SC3 Factfile 

4,924 individual animals have been recorded on 153 different surveys

 

16 different species seen

same survey dates each year to ensure the data is comparable and now has a highly valuable dataset collected onboard.

Lucy Babey, head of science and conservation at ORCA, said: “We value the partnership with Scillonian III highly. The data collected is of great importance and has been used to help shape marine policy and legislation.

“Our volunteer marine mammal surveyors absolutely love surveying this route – it is in fact our highest diversity UK ferry route.”

Common dolp hi

n pod*

9 cetaceans Harbour porpoise, bottlenose dolphin, common dolphin, risso’s dolphin, striped dolphin, killer whale, long-finned pilot whale, minke whale, humpback whale



2 shark species



2 seal species



2 fish species



1 turtle species

Basking shark and blue shark

Common seal and grey seal

Oceanic sunfish and tuna

Leatherback turtle

le tail fluke*

Humpback wha

Our values for Scilly *Delivering Images credit to ORCA - not taken from Scillonian III

COLLABORATION