The Mediocre Dad

The boat Swan Dancer, which we unintentionally photographed twice almost two decades apart in 1989 and 2006.

With the recent news that Scilly could be set for a new passenger ferry, I thought it might be nice to get some shots of the previous incarnations. Sadly I don’t have any of the original Scillonian yet, but I do have shots of the Scillonian II in 1967 and 1969, and the Scillonian III…

A selection of shots centred around the Mermaid, as seen from the Quay. This one is probably only of interest to experts in pub signage, or Pub Historians – my favourite type of historian, by the way. The shots are from 1987, 1995, 1997 and 2006.  

The famous Bishop and Wolf pub, photographed here in 1987 and 2006 – or as I knew if for many years (due to an unfortunate signage incident), the Bishop and Olf…!

The Swordfish II as captained by John Hicks in 1993, 1995 and 1997 – all from after she was retro-fitted to be a day-trip boat rather than the pleasure boat that she used to be.

The end of the quay on St Marys, taken from a boat entering the harbour. These three shots were taken in 1970, 1995 and 2006. You can’t quite tell from the first two photos how much longer the quay is now.

The St Martins Hotel in 1989 just after it opened, 2000 and 2006. Unlike the other hotels in the islands, the St Martins Hotel doesn’t appear to have changed much in 17 years.

The beach of Higher Town Bay next to the quay on St Martins, pictured here in 2000 and 2006. You can just see the daymark in the distance of both pictures.  

The view up Garrison Lane towards the Star Castle, pictured here in 1969, 1970 and 2006. Whoever owns that Landrover has had the same parking space for over 30 years now!!

The St Marys Quay, as seen from the Star Castle Hotel on the Garrison in 1969, 1987, 2000, 2005 and 2006. The 2005 shot is used here courtesy of John Jenkins; The 1969 shot is courtesy of my parents