Heading back to the mainland on the Scillonian.

Absolutely pouring with rain when we woke up on our last day on St. Mary's. Thankfully it cleared off mid-morning and we were able to take a walk around the The Garrison. We'd left our bags, per the instructions of the B&B and the travel company, outside our B&B with £1.30 pick up fee balanced on the top. The boat cargo people, who drive around the island each day there is a sailing, pick up luggage from all the hotels and B&Bs which is then placed in a container on the quay to be loaded into the hold of the Scillonian. This was another one of those Isles of Scilly things that to a jaded city dweller seemed quite amazing. You mean our bags and the money won't be stolen?!

The boat crossing wasn't too rough, it took about 2 hours and 40 minutes. The weather remained fairly clear until we reached Penzance just after 7 p.m. when a storm of wind and rain materialized. We all stood miserably on the dark Penzance quay waiting for the containers to be unloaded. There were a couple of flood lights to illuminate the area where the workers unloaded the bags, it was raining sideways, bags and cases in puddles of water.

In the wind and rain we found our way to our hotel which was thankfully very nearby!