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Activities - On or in the Water

Get wet and go wild!

Whether you’re an open-water adrenaline-seeker or a beginner who wants to master a skill in a sheltered bay, Scilly is the perfect place to try your hand at all manner of water-based activities.

Scilly is blessed with clear water, abundant wildlife and more than 900 shipwrecks, both ancient and modern, making it one of the finest places in the UK to spend time in and on the water. Dive, snorkel with seals, coasteer of our rugged coastlines, fish on-shore and off-shore, take a guided sea swim, muck about in a dinghy, kayak or on a SUP, have a go at Scilly’s greatest export sport, gig rowing, and you’ll soon discover a very special Scilly that will set up for an unforgettable experience.

Wild Sea Swimming

Set your skin tingling with a splash in the Atlantic. The turquoise seas might look like the Caribbean at times, but appearances can be deceptive: the water temperature ranges from a bracing 10°C in winter to a still chilly 17°C in summer. Don’t let that put you off a dip, though – a wild swim here, in some of the clearest water in the British Isles, is worth every single goosebump, with a huge variety of shore-hugging and island-to-island routes possible.
Scilly Rockpool Safaris

Have you ever wondered what creatures live under the crystal clear waters of Scilly? Join Samaya, Scott & family for a rockpool safari full of amazing marine discoveries.
Adventure Swim & Food Experience

The Wild and Scilly Mermaids offer an Adventure Swim + Food experience – combining the perfect combination of sea swimming and eating food outdoors.
Wild for Water Activities

As an archipelago of wild little islands in the Atlantic ocean, Scilly is blessed with clear water, abundant wildlife and more than 900 shipwrecks, making it one of the finest places in the UK to spend time in and on the water. Whether slicing through the undulating ripples on a sail boat, floating serenely atop the turquoise sea on a kayak or paddleboard; or racing across open water on a small motor boat, with wind in your hair, Scilly has every water-born adventure covered.
Wildlife Safaris
There are lots of opportunities to head out to sea to witness Scilly’s captivating wildlife up close! Depending on the time of year, you’ll be able to spot many stunning seabirds including puffins, shearwaters, cormorants, shags, kittiwakes, razorbills, guillemots and petrels as they glide across the open water, or perch precariously on a jagged rock! Scilly is also well known for its fabulous colonies of grey Atlantic seals – guaranteed to pop up and say hello. For a sea safari like no other, click on the St. Agnes Boating listing below.
Kayaking

Admire the rugged coastline from a fresh perspective. The archipelago is simply made for exploration by kayak, whether you’re a novice or a veteran.
Seal Snorkelling
Should you ever have the opportunity to swim with seals in their natural environment, take it! Watching the seals swim gracefully amongst you is a fabulous wildlife experience that will make you feel utterly at one with the ocean. These curious animals will look at you with their puppy-dog eyes and might even try to nibble your fins. Sign up with Scilly Seal Snorkelling for a truly unforgettable, award-winning experience!
Stand Up Paddleboarding

It doesn’t matter which island you’re staying on because wherever you are, you can hire a SUP and head off to discover delightful coves and tiny inlets. Try St. Agnes Watersports or Bryher Boatyard, St. Mary’s and Tresco’s Sailing Centres or St. Martin’s Watersports. So much of Scilly is sheltered making it the ideal place to have a go!
Kitesurfing

Pete Hicks is Scilly’s Lifeboat Coxswain and Captain of the Lyonnesse Lady (the interisland freight boat). He’s also a passionate kitesurfer…
Deep-Sea Dive
Did you know that Scilly has the UK’s highest proportion of shipwrecks in its waters? Little wonder it’s considered one of the best locations in the UK to go wreck diving. Contact St. Martin’s Dive School and discover fascinating remnants of 18th Century wrecks and the shell of Cita which came to rest on the rocks off Scilly in 1997. Dry suits a must, you’ll love the spectacular visibility and marine life, too. Image courtesy of Scilly Diving
Hire your own boat
If you fancy being your own skipper for the day, you can hire a variety of boats across the islands. Head to the Sailing Centre for sailing boats, kayaks and SUPS. They’re based on both St. Mary’s, on Porthmellon Beach, and on Tresco, next to the Ruin Beach Café. If the motorised variety is more your style, then ask at Tresco Island office about hiring powercats – fantastic dual-engine day boats to get about the archipelago. You can also hire them on Bryher. On Bryher as well, head to Hut 62 - you can hire motor boats, sailing boats, kayaks and SUPs. St. Martin’s and St. Agnes each have a water activity centre too – at Higher Town on St. Martin’s and next to the campsite on St. Agnes – where you can hire SUPs and kayaks for the day.
Swimrun
Open water swimming and running is taking the world by storm. And Scilly is the perfect, challenging, playground to give it a go. Don’t miss SwimQuest Scilly Swim Challenge which takes place the first week in September. The Iconic 15km staged swim challenge between the islands, is in its Special 10th year Anniversary. 6 swims between islands and 6 walks across to be completed over 1 or 2 days: two amazing sporting events with an extraordinary friendly and supportive atmosphere that takes both participants and spectators around the Islands.
Gig Rowing
Pilot Gig rowing is a religion on Scilly – with fiercely competitive races that take place amongst islanders every week from April through to the end of September. It was once a way of life too – as pilot gigs rowers earned money helping to navigate ships into Scilly or rescuing those that didn’t! It’s fun and feisty and harder than it looks, but visitors to the islands are always welcomed at the various gig clubs if they fancy having a go.
Charters
Looking to do something rather special? A champagne picnic on an uninhabited island or a sunset cruise for your family? Or a private wildlife or deep-sea fishing trip? Then it might be worth considering chartering a boat and a skipper to take you to where you want to go. There are a number of skilled boatmen with their own boats and licences who will be willing to take you out on a private charter. They are incredibly knowledgeable about the islands and can offer a fantastic and fun time out. (They can even collect you from and take you back to the mainland if you so desire, or simply offer a taxi service between the islands when scheduled boats aren’t operating!)