Island 220 - Pernagie Isle, St Martins, Isles of Scilly

Pernagie Isle is a small rocky tidal island linked to St Martins at low tide by 500 metres of boulders.  It is wholly unremarkable and probably doesn't have enough grass to graze a sheep but it is otherwise large enough to qualify as an island.  The highest point on the island is 11 metres above sea level.

Judging by the guano deposits, it is a favourite roosting and maybe nesting place for gulls.  The journey across the boulder field from St Martins isn't particularly difficult but it takes at least 15 to 20 minutes.   You have to cross areas of small boulders, large boulders and bedrock alternately.   As I was crossing to it, it occurred to me that if I had fallen and broken my ankle or hit my head, no one on earth knew where I was and the tide would be returning in a couple of hours.  Therefore I took my time and concentrated hard on where I was putting my feet and it was fine but I didn't linger long on the island.  When a seagull emptied its bowels from a height a few feet away from where I was standing, I decided it was time to leave.   Believe me, you don't want to be on the receiving end of a seagull bowel dump - I have experienced it before and it goes everywhere!  If you aren't an island collector or maybe a fisherman I wouldn't recommend a visit - it isn't worth the effort of getting there!

Looking towards St Martins and White Island from Pernagie Isle



St Martin's from Pernagie Isle



Pernagie Isle