Tresco Boat Services
We connect Tresco and Bryher with the rest of the Isles of Scilly, offering island‑hopping day trips, wildlife cruises, scenic tours, and year‑round arrival and departure transfers.
Join us for unhurried island-hopping day trips, wildlife cruises and sea-swept scenic tours, or simply let us carry you across the water on your arrival or departure.
Step aboard Firethorn, our faithful ferry, or skim the surface aboard our jetboats, Lightning and Thunder. Drift between islands, trace the curve of hidden coves, and keep watch for seals slipping through the swell and seabirds wheeling overhead.
We are on the water in every season. From April to October, a full daily schedule links the islands from morning to dusk. In March, we sail each day, with most trips arranged by phone.
Through the quieter months of November to February, services are largely by request, with scheduled crossings to St Mary’s on Thursdays and Saturdays when tides and weather are in our favour.
Book a Boat (Office open Mon - Sat 8:30am - 4pm)
Seasonal Boating Schedule
The schedule below operates from 1st April - 31st October each year. As ever, it's subject to the weather and the tide.
| Tresco ↔ Bryher | Daily |
| St Mary's | Monday - Saturday |
| St Martin’s | Monday, Wednesday, Friday |
| St Agnes | Tuesday, Thursday, Sunday |
| Samson | Please call to enquire |
| Wildlife Trips | Please call to enquire |
| Evening Trips Tresco ↔ Bryher | Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday (May to September) |
| Evening Trips Evening Trips Tresco ↔ St Mary's | Thursday (May to September) - advanced booking essential |
Boats to other islands generally leave Tresco and Bryher mid‑morning, returning in the late afternoon. There are usually several sailings each day between Tresco and Bryher, as well as regular trips to St Mary’s.
We move with the weather and the tide. Each afternoon, we confirm the following day’s sailings, and while we share an indicative weekly plan, this remains just that - a guide. We always recommend checking the confirmed times the day before you travel.
Find out more about our services, check the latest boat times, and get in touch below.
Scheduled Boating returning 2026
Please phone the office on 01720 423373 to book a jetboat
Scheduled Boating returning 2026
Please phone the office on 01720 423373 to book a jetboat
Our Boating Services
Find out more about the services we offer
Island-Hopping Daytrips
During the main season, boats run daily between Tresco and Bryher, with regular sailings to St Mary’s, St Martin’s and St Agnes on set days each week. We publish confirmed times each afternoon for the following day, alongside a weekly plan to help you look ahead. As ever, timings are shaped by weather and tides, so we recommend checking the latest schedule before you travel.
Jetboat Specials
If our scheduled sailings don’t quite suit your plans, we can arrange a private trip aboard one of our jetboats for a supplement. Simply give us at least 24 hours’ notice and we’ll confirm your departure time the afternoon before you travel. To find out more or to make a booking, please call 01720 423373 or get in touch via the link below.
Arrival & Departure Transfers
Whether you arrive by air or sea, we’ll look after your onward transfer to Tresco or Bryher. Simply share your travel details with your accommodation provider and they’ll pass them on to us - if you’re staying on Tresco, you can do this using the link below. Most transfers run on our scheduled sailings, though a private jetboat can be arranged for a supplement if you’d prefer a more tailored crossing.
Wildlife Spotting Trips
Set out in search of seals, seabirds and, if you’re lucky, dolphins, as we explore some of the archipelago’s quieter, lesser-known corners. Choose a relaxed 90-minute cruise aboard one of our larger ferries - with under-14s half price and under-3s free - or opt for a one-hour run on our high-speed jetboats for a faster, more exhilarating trip.
Gig Race Spectator Boats
Six rowers, six oars, one coxswain – gig racing is the Isles of Scilly’s national sport, rooted in seafaring heritage and island pride. On Wednesday and Friday evenings from May to September, step aboard a spectator boat and follow the action from the water as crews race hard across the channel. Check the boat boards and this page for the latest details.
Fishing Trips
Join the crew from Scilly Fishing Charters and head out in search of your own supper. Choose a relaxed, family-friendly trip in sheltered waters, or venture further offshore for a deep-sea tuna catch-and-release adventure.
Evening Boats
From May to September, round off the day with an evening boat trip to dinner on a neighbouring island. Several nights each week you can hop between Tresco and Bryher, and once a week cross to St Mary’s for supper ashore. On most evenings you can simply step aboard; if advance booking is required, it will be clearly noted on the schedule.
Please note
All luggage must travel with you; we’re unable to take responsibility for unaccompanied items.
Kayaks, bicycles and outboard engines can be carried by prior arrangement. Other freight should be sent with Isles of Scilly Freight
We’re unable to carry camping gas; this can be purchased on arrival at Bryher Campsite.
