Isles of Scilly 2026
31ST MAY TO 5TH JUNE 2026
OUTBOUND FERRY from penzance ON THE 30TH MAY AND INBOUND FERRY to penzance on 6TH JUNE
Vectis Expeditions, in conjunction with Skin Deep , following a successful expedition in 2025 is planning another week long diving expedition to the Isles of Scilly in End of May and beginning of June 2026.
The Isle of Scilly is outstandingly beautiful, uncrowded and unspoilt both above water and underwater. There is a rich variety of wreck diving and reef diving (most of the time on the same site) amongst the archipelago of islands, a lot of which is quite well documented but there is also a lot that remains to be discovered and re-discovered. Most diving is “computer friendly” where there is something to look at from the surface (usually the rock the ship hit before it became a wreck) to the bottom, We’ll be staying on the main island, St Marys just outside Hugh Town, where the boat departs from, which is very civilised with a number of pubs, shops, restaurants and a Co-op supermarket.
This expedition will be another great opportunity for divers working towards BSAC Advanced Diver with plenty of opportunities to tick off those experience dives although we can also accommodation BSAC DL trainees provided core rescue skills have been completed in advance.
Optional Training
The nature of our expeditions means we generally have very good opportunities to make a significant boost to your BSAC Diver Leader or Advanced Diver training which is very demanding and includes a lot of diving and dive management! For BSAC Diver Leader you need Advanced diver you need to complete and additional 20 dives with minimum 600mins in the water after qualifying or crossing over to BSAC Dive Leader, covering a range of experiences (planned deco, dive in tidal waters, drift dive in minimum of 15m, navigation dive, search dive, no clear surface, mixed gas dive, advanced deco dive, surface location dive). Of these 20 dives at least 10 should be carried out from boats of which 3 from boats of at least 9m in length and at sites in exposed locations. On at least two days students need to act as Dive Manager to an unknown site.
Please contact Andy if this is of interest who’ll send you a simplified wish list and discuss your personal development plan (PDP). There are no additional charges for this training, coaching and mentoring to those on the expedition.
Outline itinery
Saturday 30th May 2026: Departing from Penzance onboard Scillonian @ 6:45am
A container will be arranged for the groups’ dive kit and dry kit.
Sunday 31st May 2026 to Friday 5th June 2026: Diving – 2 days per day.
Saturday 6th June 2026 Depart island back to Penzance on the 16:30 ferry, arriving early evening.
Pre-requisite qualifications
Current BSAC members so you are covered by their third party insurance
(please contact me if you are not a member so we can arranged that – no need to join a club)
Fit to dive (with in-date self-declaration medical/diving medical). Minimum diving grade of Experience Sports Diver/Dive Leader Trainee or equivalent (including diver rescue skills).
Must be capable of launching a DSMB confidently and competently from midwater unaided.
Dive platform
We will be diving from Skin Deep, (www.skindeepdiving.co.uk).
It has an air compressor onboard.
Accommodation and food
We plan to book self catering accommodation is being booked in St Marys, a few minutes walk from the quayside and boat.
For food, this varies from group to group but we typically book a group meal in a pub first and last nights and can then self cater to keep costs down if the group so desire.
Budget prices
Diving charter (12 dives), accommodation, ferry (both ways) and dive container required to transport our kit = £1190
Booking Fee / Deposits will be required to confirm booking.
