Kayaking on the Isles of Scilly: Hire, Tours and Where to Paddle
Everything you need for kayaking on the Isles of Scilly: where to hire, guided tours from St Mary's, Eastern Isles routes, seal etiquette, closed islands, tides, weather limits and how to bring your own kayak.
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The Isles of Scilly are made for kayaking. Clear, shallow water sits between dozens of small islands, and calm channels link white sand beaches. You can paddle to an empty island, land on a sandbar at low tide and watch grey seals bob up beside you. You do not need any past experience to do it.
This guide covers kayak hire on the Isles of Scilly, guided tours from St Mary's, the best places to paddle and the rules that protect wildlife. It also explains how weather, tides and boat times shape your day. That way you can plan a paddle that is safe, simple and one you will remember.
Key Takeaways
- Kayak hire runs from St Martin's, Bryher, Tresco and St Mary's, mostly from April to October. No experience is needed, but you must be able to swim.
- Kayak Scilly runs guided half day and full day tours from St Mary's, in groups of no more than eight.
- The Eastern Isles are the classic route, with seals, sandbars and empty beaches, but some islands are closed to landing.
- Keep well back from grey seals, especially in pupping season from August to November.
- All hires are weather dependent. Carry a charged phone and call 999 for the Coastguard in an emergency.
Why Kayak on the Isles of Scilly?
Visit Isles of Scilly says the islands' clear water, rich wildlife and more than 900 shipwrecks make them one of the finest places in the UK to spend time on the sea. From a kayak you see it all up close: the seabed below, birds on the rocks and coves you cannot reach on foot.
Best of all, you go at your own pace.
Kayak Hire on the Isles of Scilly
There are hire bases on four of the five lived on islands. Most use sit on top kayaks, which are stable and easy to get back on if you slip off. Each firm gives you a buoyancy aid and a safety briefing. Most also set a hire zone based on the weather and how much you have paddled before.
St Martin's Watersports (St Martin's)
St Martin's Watersports hires single and double sit on top kayaks from Par Beach, opposite Higher Town Quay. It opens Sunday to Friday, 9.30am to 5pm, from April to October. You can hire by the hour, for a full day or for up to six days. Booking ahead is wise in summer.
It is the only hire firm whose zones include the uninhabited Eastern Isles, about 25 minutes away by kayak, according to Visit Isles of Scilly. You do not need to stay on St Martin's. Its FAQs point to an 8.45am boat from St Mary's on most days, with the last boat back usually at 4.45pm.
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Hut 62 hires stable sit on top kayaks, see through kayaks, paddleboards and boats from Green Bay on Bryher. The family has hired boats from Bryher since 1962. The Isles of Scilly Steamship Group lists a single kayak or SUP from £40 for four hours, seven days a week in season.
Hut 62 also hires from Ravensporth on Tresco. If you are staying on St Mary's or St Agnes, you can take the boat over for the day and hire there.
The Sailing Centre (St Mary's and Tresco)
The Sailing Centre is based on sheltered Porthmellon Beach on St Mary's and also runs from Ravensporth Beach on Tresco. Visit Isles of Scilly describes it as the only RYA, BSUPA and AALA licensed provider on the islands. As well as kayak hire, it runs kayak tours, lessons and taster sessions.
| Provider | Island | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| St Martin's Watersports | St Martin's | Eastern Isles, seals and sandbars |
| Hut 62 | Bryher and Tresco | Inner channels and families |
| The Sailing Centre | St Mary's and Tresco | Lessons and taster sessions |
| Kayak Scilly | St Mary's | Small guided tours |
Guided Kayak Tours from St Mary's
If you would rather someone else plans the route, book a guided trip. Kayak Scilly runs half day and full day tours from St Mary's. The Steamship Group says routes can take in the seal colony on the Eastern Isles, a beach landing on St Martin's and a sea view of Tresco's castles.
Groups are capped at eight and all kit is provided. Guides are qualified, insured and first aid trained. A tour suits first timers, nervous paddlers and anyone short on time, because the guide reads the weather and tides for you. It is also a good option if you are staying on St Mary's.
Multi day sea kayaking trips
Experienced paddlers can join a longer trip. Some outdoor firms run three to five day sea kayaking breaks based at St Martin's Campsite. One five day trip listed on Beyonk asks for at least three days of past kayaking. It plans paddles around the best forecast days and leaves one day free.
Where to Kayak on the Isles of Scilly
The Eastern Isles
The Eastern Isles are the classic Scilly paddle. These small islands lie just south east of St Martin's and are a haven for seabirds and seals, says the Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust. St Martin's Watersports notes that curious seals off Nornour and Ganilly sometimes follow kayakers.
There is also a sandbar about 15 minutes from Par Beach that only shows around low water. Time it right and you can land on a strip of white sand in the middle of the sea. Ask your hire team when it will appear, and plan your trip around the tide.
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From St Martin's you can also head west to Tean and on towards Tresco, says St Martin's Watersports. The water between the inner islands is often calm and shallow, which makes it good for families. On a still day you can see right down to the seabed as you paddle.
The Norrard Rocks and Western Rocks
The rocky outer islands to the west feel wild and remote. They are also the most exposed water on Scilly and some of the most important sites for breeding seabirds and seals. The Wildlife Trust says landing on the Norrard Rocks is never allowed. These are best seen from a wildlife boat trip.
Islands You Cannot Land On
The Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust looks after around half the land on Scilly, including most of the uninhabited islands. Some are closed to protect breeding seabirds and pupping seals. Annet is always closed. Before you set off, know which islands are off limits.
- Closed all year: Annet, plus Mouls, Innisvoul, Hanjague and Menawethan in the Eastern Isles
- Closed in the breeding season: Little Ganinick, the southern end of Great Arthur and the southern end of Great Ganilly
- No landing at any time: the Norrard Rocks
Wild camping is not allowed anywhere on Scilly, including the uninhabited islands. Your hire firm will give you a map of where you can go.
Kayaking with Seals: How to Do It Right
Grey seals are the stars of a Scilly paddle. The Wildlife Trust asks kayakers to keep a good distance and move away if a seal shows signs of stress. It asks boats to stay 100 metres away and keep noise down, so seals are not frightened off the rocks.
Take extra care from August to November. This is grey seal pupping season, when young white coated pups may be on beaches. Never paddle close to a pup or land beside one. St Martin's Watersports belongs to the WiSe scheme, which trains people to watch marine wildlife without disturbing it.
If a seal changes what it is doing because of you, you are too close.
Safety, Weather and Tides
Scilly is open water, so conditions matter. All hires depend on the weather. St Martin's Watersports cancels if the wind is forecast above 18 knots from any direction, then tries to rebook or gives a full refund. If the weather turns while you are out, staff will phone you.
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- You must be able to swim
- Under 18s must be supervised by an adult
- Carry a charged phone that is switched on
- Only people who heard the safety briefing can use the kit
- Stay inside the hire zone you are given
Tides and boat times
Tides shape every Scilly paddle. Sandbars appear and vanish, and shallow channels can dry out. Check tide times before you set off and plan landings around them. If you are coming from another island, fit your hire around the inter island boats. You can check today's sailings on the Scilly Live board.
In an emergency
The RNLI advises carrying a way to call for help and keeping it on you at all times. In a coastal emergency, call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard. Always wear your buoyancy aid, and tell someone ashore where you are going and when you plan to be back.
Bringing Your Own Kayak to Scilly
You can bring your own kayak on the Scillonian III, but space is limited, so book it as freight in advance. On the Steamship Group's 2025 freight price list, a rigid kayak, canoe or SUP cost £49.66 one way when travelling with you. Check the current price before booking.
Can you kayak to the Isles of Scilly?
Paddling out from Cornwall is a very different thing. The islands lie about 45 kilometres south west of Land's End, according to the Ramsar site record, across open Atlantic water. It is a serious expedition for highly skilled sea kayakers with support. It is not a holiday paddle.
What to Bring
- A change of clothes and a towel
- Sun cream, a hat and sunglasses
- Water and a picnic
- A fully charged phone
- A dry bag for keys and snacks (15L bags can be hired at St Martin's)
- A warm layer or wetsuit early or late in the season
Kayaking on the Isles of Scilly FAQs
Do I need kayaking experience?
No. Sit on top kayaks are stable and easy to paddle. Hire firms give you a safety briefing first and pick a zone to suit you. You must be able to swim.
Can I hire a kayak on St Mary's?
Yes. The Sailing Centre at Porthmellon Beach hires kayaks, and Kayak Scilly runs guided tours from St Mary's. You can also catch a boat to St Martin's, Bryher or Tresco for a day's hire.
Can I take my dog kayaking?
At St Martin's Watersports, yes. It can provide doggy life jackets for your hire.
When is the kayak season?
Most hire runs from April to October. July and August are the busiest months, so book ahead. From August, keep a close eye out for seal pups on beaches.
However you choose to paddle, kayaking is one of the best ways to see Scilly. Pick the right day, respect the wildlife and you will come home with memories that last far longer than the tan.
