I’m sharing a conversation with islander Jo Williams. Jo is one of my lovely neighbours on St. Martins and has extensive knowledge of the waters surrounding the Isles of Silly.
For 17 years Jo ran a dive charter boat called Moonshadow, taking visiting dive clubs around the islands to experience wreck, scenic and wildlife diving in Scilly. Alongside this Jo also ran another boat called Scavenger, a steel workboat. Jo and her team operated as commercial mooring contractors servicing roughly 400 moorings around the islands during the winter months for 6 years. Jo now runs the SeaQuest glass bottom boat, taking visitors (and locals!) on wildlife trips around the islands. Her trips are a must if you are visiting Scilly. Not only is Jo full of knowledge and enthusiasm, but her glass bottom boat gives a unique insight into the islands waters. I was lucky enough to take a trip with dolphins swimming underneath the boat! But whatever you see, it will be magical.
I found out more about Jo’s passion for the islands and the sea surrounding them…
You’ve always been drawn to working on and in the water. Why do you think this is?!
I have always been drawn to working in and around the water. I inherited my love of the sea from my father, he introduced me to boating life, kayaking and snorkelling, taking me for my first Scuba dive from Highertown Quay when I was 11. By the time I left college at 18 I had my instructor qualifications in both Scuba diving and kayaking, teaching both from St Martins over the summer months before moving on to running diving charters.
What does a normal day running SeaQuest boat trips look like for you? And what do you expect your customers to see?
A normal day on SeaQuest usually consists of a variety of wildlife tours, day trips to drop passengers ashore on neighbouring islands, or occasional trips for visiting cruise ship passengers.
Wildlife trips are the main focus on SeaQuest. I take passengers to explore the shallow waters surrounding the outer uninhabited islands, such as the Eastern Isles or Northern Rocks.
There is so much to see above and below the water, our native Atlantic grey seal colonies are always a big favourite with my customers, every so often a curious little seal will swim under Seaquest’s viewing windows.
We are so lucky to have such exceptionally clear water here in Scilly. It’s amazing to be able to look down through the Kelp and Thong weed forests as they brush under the windows, great for spotting Spiny Starfish, Wrasse and sea Urchins.
Do you have any particularly memorable trips?
One of the most memorable SeaQuest trips was meeting a pod of Dolphins near the Eastern Isles. They followed SeaQuest, leaping alongside and swimming underneath the windows, incredibly agile and playful, they put on a fantastic show before disappearing back out to sea.
What do you think makes Scilly such a special underwater environment?
We are really lucky to have such a special underwater environment in Scilly. Our clean, unpolluted water gives a sustained clarity not found in many other places around the UK. Looking down through SeaQuest’s windows, you can commonly expect to see the Seabed 10m below, at its best I’ve viewed the seabed to 20m. As a result, Scilly has some of the healthiest, most abundant Seagrass Meadows in the country. Not only is the Seagrass visually stunning, with its vibrant green fronds but also an environmental gem, creating biodiversity and sequestering carbon with supreme efficiency.
I absolutely love seeing the seaweed through the glass bottom, is looks so magical. I have learnt a lot about seaweed on your trips! What is your favourite variety to eat?
We have many different varieties of seaweed around the islands. Most varieties are edible and highly nutritious. Occasionally I will harvest a little for some home cooking. Our family favourite is Thong Weed. It makes great spaghetti, with a subtle flavour and a delicate texture, it goes so well with a good bolognaise! My daughter likes to chomp on it raw, fresh off the rocks, I prefer the cooked less slimy version!
What is your favourite way to spend a day off on the islands?
My favourite way to spend a day off is to row out to one of the uninhabited islands, with my family and a large picnic, for a spot of exploration followed by a snorkel in the shallows for some underwater photography, there is so much to see all around our shorelines.
Finally, do you have a favourite P & P product?
My favourite P & P product is the Nurture Face Oil. Working outdoors is wonderful, but it can leave my skin looking and feeling a little weather-beaten. Using just a few drops of P & P face oil adds a deep moisture, it feels like it’s giving a little life back to my salty, wind swept skin, smoothing out a few of the crinkles along the way!
You can find out more about Jo’s SeaQuest boat trips on her website here.
Thank you so much for your time Jo.
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