New Isles of Scilly ferry from spring 2024 (1 Viewer)

[wolfbirder]

MSN

Sounds promising

And more here; -

Fast Ferry - Scilly Ferries

Atlantic Wolff is a high-speed aluminium catamaran, designed for coastal operations that provide passenger comfort, low fuel consumption and low maintenance costs.

scillyferries.co.uk

 

[Farnboro John]

MSN

Sounds promising

And more here; -

Fast Ferry - Scilly Ferries

Atlantic Wolff is a high-speed aluminium catamaran, designed for coastal operations that provide passenger comfort, low fuel consumption and low maintenance costs.

scillyferries.co.uk

Room for only 70 outside. Sounds miserable to me. And going fast is over-rated.

John

 

[wolfbirder]

Room for only 70 outside. Sounds miserable to me. And going fast is over-rated.

John

Agree, the Scillonian still preferable for a good seawatch (which admittedly is an integral part of a Scilly excursion), but twice daily runs will at least make it easier to get there and back and also later into the autumn when the Scillonian stops.

 

[Paul Chapman]

I do find the Scillies quite confusing. Personally, I have found increasing difficulty in getting there & increasing difficulty in finding accommodation - despite suggestions anecdotally from taxi drivers that the lack of accommodation was based on locations being booked up by fewer occupants this year.

Also heavy rumours that Skybus is at best marginal and its future in doubt. At the same time, some traditional hospitality premises are up for sale & there are suggestions again anecdotally that some of the local economy is suffering.

Any commercial decisions based on passenger numbers and expenditure in a Covid effected local holiday market where the rich paid anything for local holidays may be bolder than is thought. I wonder whether the accommodation & hospitality market pricing itself so highly will be rued in due course if the elite buying local holidays at any price prove more fickle than traditional visitors that have now been alienated.

Time will tell and all of that musing may be total nonsense. 😀

All the best

Paul

 

[wolfbirder]

I agree Paul, accommodation is a major issue - I've ended up paying over £100 a night when I've had to stay over, and that was lucky availability.
Google search reveal very little available, same with Booking.com but I walk along the street away from Hugh Town harbour and there are quite a few B and B's, though most I think demand you stay a minimum of 2 nights.

Anyway, I digress, Scilly is to be honest, a rich man's playground and you get the feeling they don't particularly want birders.

Shame if Skybus goes bump as well.

 

[PYRTLE]

Paul, did you not find that accommodation ( particularly s/c ) became rapidly expensive and out of context in the mid 90s onwards? They wanted the big bucks and quiet retired couples, not unwashed wax jacket birders. Hence, poor birders crammed 8 to a two bedroom flat when the owner wasn't looking? I recall one Bernie Beck kipping in a bath for a couple of nights?

 

[Paul Chapman]

Paul, did you not find that accommodation ( particularly s/c ) became rapidly expensive and out of context in the mid 90s onwards? They wanted the big bucks and quiet retired couples, not unwashed wax jacket birders. Hence, poor birders crammed 8 to a two bedroom flat when the owner wasn't looking? I recall one Bernie Beck kipping in a bath for a couple of nights?

Absolutely with the previous price hikes & availability. At some point, that will hit expenditure in local businesses & overall visitor numbers?

No personal knowledge of Bernie's accommodation choices or the reasons for them. 😀

All the best

Paul

 

[bernie b]

Paul, did you not find that accommodation ( particularly s/c ) became rapidly expensive and out of context in the mid 90s onwards? They wanted the big bucks and quiet retired couples, not unwashed wax jacket birders. Hence, poor birders crammed 8 to a two bedroom flat when the owner wasn't looking? I recall one Bernie Beck kipping in a bath for a couple of nights?

It was the only place to avoid Lester Munfords snoring on particularly loud occasions, believe me it wasn't for hygiene purposes.My bedroom was the closest to his the bathroom farthest away.My usual ploy when I got back from the night out was to go in his room and wake him that gave me 10 mins or so to drop off.All good very happy memories, a few from the "billet", have now sadly past away

 

[bernie b]

Room for only 70 outside. Sounds miserable to me. And going fast is over-rated.

John

Agree nowadays that the trip starts with the Scillonian crossing,but back in the 80s/90s the first available chopper was used when speed counted John

 

[Farnboro John]

I remember stories about a certain birder whose birthday generally fell during his stay on Scilly, who had been known to sleep in the telephone box at the bottom of the hill to the Garrison. After one celebration he made the hill but fell into a bramble bush and finding that struggling made his confinement tighter, slept until daylight made sorting his bonds out easier.... but of course I can't remember the name.

John

 

[bernie b]

I remember stories about a certain birder whose birthday generally fell during his stay on Scilly, who had been known to sleep in the telephone box at the bottom of the hill to the Garrison. After one celebration he made the hill but fell into a bramble bush and finding that struggling made his confinement tighter, slept until daylight made sorting his bonds out easier.... but of course I can't remember the name.

John

I also remember such a story John,I do believe it was 87 the day after the Wood Thrush if my reliable source is to be believed 😅