Island 218 - Rat Island, St Mary's, Isles of Scilly

Rat Island has been joined to St Mary's by the harbour wall at Hugh Town since 1835-8.  When Augustus Smith became Lord Proprietor of the Isles of Scilly in 1834, one of his first building projects was to extend the quay on St Mary's out to Rat Island.  The first quay had been built by Francis Godolphin soon after 1601 and it was rebuilt in 1740 and 1748.  The quay was further extended by T.A. Dorrien-Smith in 1889 to cater for the expanding flower trade.

Rat Island is now home to a few companies e.g. the Rat Island Sailboat Co. and the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group's ticket office, toilets, exhibition area and waiting room.  There is also a small café but it was closed all the time I was there in mid March 2014 - like almost all the other cafes on the Isles of Scilly that week! The Scillonian III docks at the end of the quay and the smaller off-island boats moor up nearer the landward end. 

Scillonian III and St Martin's Boat Service boat moored at Rat Island, Hugh Town, St Mary's

Several businesses are based on Rat Island behind the Harbour Offices

 Rat Island - not terribly scenic!

 Rat Island at low tide

 Rat Island from the Garrison

Scillonian III at Rat Island Quay