Lying about 40 miles off Land’s End, the aptly named southwestern tip of Great Britain, the Isles of Scilly are a small archipelago that marks both the southern-most and western-most points in the British Isles. The total population of just over 2,000 Scillonians is spread over six of the islands, while almost 50 other islands (many of them not much larger than rocks) are unpopulated by humans.
The Isles of Scilly have likely been inhabited for thousands of years, as they are mentioned in writings from the ancient Greeks, and the islands have still have ancient burial grounds along with more “modern” fortifications from the 1500s.
The islands are at roughly the same latitude as Winnipeg, Canada, but thanks to the moderating influence of the Gulf Stream the climate is much more mild. There are a variety of subtropical plants whose only foothold in England is in the Isles of Scilly, and the Tresco Abbey Garden is renowned for its collection.
While the current human population is limited to a few larger islands, there’s a healthy seal population that is concentrated among some of the unpopulated western islands. This was the largest group of pinnipeds we’d seen since sailing through the Galapagos, and it’s great to be back among these curious and playful animals.
