About

The Wild and Scilly Mermaids have been swimming together all year round in the waters of Scilly for over 6 years and know the swim routes well. Ruth is a chef and Anna is a paramedic; we both live and work on the Island of St Mary's.

We have a passion for sea swimming and adventure, along with a keen interest in photography and here on the beautiful unspoilt coastline of Scilly - bursting with nature and wildlife - is where we invite you to join us on one of our adventures and experience the islands from a different perspective.

This season we are offering two trips: 'swim hike adventure' and 'swim experience'.

The swim hike adventure involves a coastal swim route of around 2.5km, using RuckRafts to tow our kit, before walking approximately 3km back on the coastal path, and finishes with a picnic lunch and hot drinks. Depending on conditions, we may hike first then swim back. 

Our swim experience is aimed at those new to open water swimming who would like the confidence to swim further with safety support. Located in a sheltered bay, we'll guide you on a loop of around 800m, and finish with hot drinks and cakes.

We have a small selection of wetsuits available to hire (additional £8).

What can I expect?

A couple of days beforehand we will let you know the planned route complete with map and any relevant information. Based on St Mary’s, the exact route or location will be dependant on conditions. The advantage of living on an Island means there is always a side sheltered from the wind! 

We will ask you to wear a safety tow float (we can provide you with one if required) and we will escort the swim with one or both of us on our Surf Rescue Boards. We also carry a marine VHF radio, first aid kit and mobile phone in case of emergency. Ruth and Anna both hold the RLSS Beach Lifeguard qualification.

Afterwards, we'll sit on the beach to enjoy some food, along with plenty of freshly brewed tea and lots of cake. Perfect!

Photographs

We'll also take photos during the day which we'll upload to an online drive from which you can download to use as you wish; If you'd rather not have your photo taken, please just let us know.

What food and drink is provided?

The swim hike adventure swim includes a picnic lunch, cakes and hot drinks (brewed on our camp stoves). The swim experience includes cakes and hot drinks. Please let us know if you have any dietary requirements beforehand. 

How do I book a place?

If you would like to come along, please complete and the online registration form and purchase a ticket on the Swim Dates page. We are currently limiting our spaces to 12 swimmers per trip. Once you have paid to reserve your place, the money is non-refundable. The swim will go ahead in all but the worst conditions, in which case we would cancel the swim and refund you in full.

£3 of every swim hike adventure (£1.50 on a swim experience) ticket will be donated to Marine Conservation Society via Work for Good

Staying on an Off-Island?

If you're staying on St Agnes, Bryher, Tresco or St Martin's, and would like to explore the local swim routes, let us come to you! Contact us to arrange a bespoke Adventure Swim trip on the island of your choice. Please note that this incurs an additional fee to cover the cost of our boat ticket over to meet you.