That Friday afternoon was the end
of a busy couple of days in Pembrokeshire preparing to move out to the island: packing
(and repacking), filling fuel cans, collecting stored equipment, and food
shopping. Standing above the Dale Sailing boats at the top of the gangway to
the pontoon it all started to feel a bit more real and arriving on the island again
that bit nearer.
We started unloading and ferrying stuff from our cars to the Helen Clare, steadily filling the forepeak and then the deck space, leaving everything tied down and ready for sea the following day.
 |
| Friday evening. All packed and ready to go... |
 |
| Saturday morning. The team assembles at Martin's Haven... |
With everyone and the last few items aboard, we headed out of the shelter of Martin’s Haven to meet the Atlantic swell. The island came into sight shortly after, bright in the sunshine and flecked by seabirds.
Heading to an island for the
first time is exciting. But to return to an island which is already well known
is perhaps yet more special - anxiously wondering how the place has weathered the
winter, but eager to see old haunts and familiar places. And this is the case
for all the Skomer team this year. This season’s line up is the same as 2025, with
the addition of Izzy Burns (who already knows a thing or two about the place
through volunteering), and joins the team in April in a new role as seasonal assistant
through the busiest months of the year.
With island warden Leighton away for a few days on a much-needed break, it was five in total who landed on the steps and started the process of transferring all our belongings from boat to shore, and from the landing stage to the sales point at the top of Skomer’s infamous 90 concrete steps. Some choice language was directed at a 25kg sack of potatoes, perhaps also towards the five tins of fuel, but somehow everything arrived at the top of the steps within an hour and a half of leaving the mainland.
 |
| The Helen Clare arrives at Skomer, and the unloading begins... |
Satisfied smiles all round, as we rested briefly on the benches looking out at fulmars cackling on the cliffs opposite in North Haven. It was good to be back. The start of another season.
Enormous thanks to all those who helped support the move on this year; for putting us up and putting up with us. Especially to Sash and Lucy Tusa, Lisa Morgan for all the shifting at Neyland, Amy Compton and Anna Webberley who came across and helped on the island, and the crew at Dale Sailing for making it all work.
 |
| Three car journeys, one boat crossing and 90 steps later... the spuds have arrived! |
Will Whittington, Skomer Fieldworker