The Herd reunited on Tresco

Wednesday 8th September 2021

After the travel stresses of the previous evening, we decided to treat ourselves to breakfast at the Flying Boat Café and Deli [see Dish of the day].

The extreme low and correspondingly high tides have an impact on the timings of both the Scillonian and the boats between the various islands so although we would have liked to go to St Mary’s to meet our daughters, we found we might not have been able to get the first boat after they landed back to Tresco with them as this was reserved for new arrivals. We therefore stayed on the island to wait for the girls to appear.

Matilda had cajoled both daughters into coming to Tresco this year as it coincided with a “walking tide” – one that is low enough to allow people to walk between Tresco and Bryher. At 0.6m it was slightly higher than is recommended for the crossing but it was good enough for us. To fill the time before our daughters’ delayed arrival we took a stroll to the point where it is recommended people start the walk to make sure we knew where to begin the next day. Some people were already making the crossing even though the tide was predicted to be slightly lower the following day. As we were standing watching their progress and trying to identify the best route, the girls passed us in the transfer vehicle on the way to our cottage. We turned and followed them back and once the driver had dropped off his other passengers he kindly offered us a lift for the last part of the journey.

Thankfully the crossing had been calm for the girls but the journey had still taken nearly 24 hours longer than planned and we all dealt with this in our own way. Jaime napped; Matilda went for a swim in the pool; Ruth went to the gym and Robert decided to walk along the spine of the island taking in the view to St Martin’s from the centre . . .

. . . a view of the highest point on the island . . .

. . . the view across to Bryher and . . .

. . . the familiar view towards the old Blockhouse.

It was a pleasure to find that the church is left open for visitors and Ruth and Matilda planned to visit it another day when Matilda was not wet after a swim.

For Robert, a long walk usually ends in a cool drink and he stopped off at the Ruin Beach Cafe [see Selfie of the day] from where, after a while, it was possible to see. . .