The Scilly Isles

The Scilly Isles has probably got more ship wrecks per square mile that any other place on earth, and its relative remoteness, 20 miles of the Cornish coast, lends the islands an old world charm that is very beguiling. To my shame living so close, I have only dived there once, and that was back in 1981. So apart from correcting some spelling mistakes I have decided to leave these articles just as they were when I first wrote them for Sub Aqua Scene magazine.More recently I went back to the isles and visited Tresco with its wonderful collection of ships figure heads – Vallhalla.

Hugh Town on the largest island, St. Mary’s

It is interesting to look back on the fascination for all things brass that ruled in those days. Wreck diving was still in its infancy and the emphasis was all about locating and identifying wrecks. It was a very minority activity and no one in the wider world cared very much who took what. Bit like train spotting really. Attitudes have moved on nowadays, and most people now realise how fascinating shipwrecks can be, and how they provide a real link to our past history. It was divers looking for brass that found many of these wrecks, so I like to think we helped a little to bring their stories to a wider public.

• Scilly but I like it:- Plympton/Hathor,Mando, Delaware
• One foggy day in May:- Lady Charlotte and Italia
• H.M.S.Blazer
• Poleire
• Minnihaha
• Zelda

• Vallhalla