A Christmas tree’s journey to the Isles of Scilly
While the winter season brings fewer visitors to the Isles of Scilly, it’s one of the busiest and most important times of the year for our freight team.
From trees and decorations to food and post, the team works tirelessly to keep the islands stocked for the festive season.
Among the many parcels, post and decorations we ship each December, Christmas trees are always a special cargo. We followed the journey of two trees as they travelled 35 miles from our Hayle warehouse to one of the Isles of Scilly, St Martin’s, passing through our freight system.
Tuesday 0830: Trees arrive in Hayle
The trees begin their trip on a Tuesday morning at our storage facility. Here, inbound deliveries are checked, sorted and prepared for shipping. Each parcel is organised onto island-specific pallets and loaded ready for Penzance Quay. Warehouse Operator Tony prepares the two trees in time for collection.
Wednesday 1330: Hayle – Penzance
HGV driver and maintenance operator, Nick, loads the freight lorry, ready for offloading at Penzance Quay.
Wednesday 1400: Penzance Quay
After a short trip down the A30, the trees reach Penzance Quay where the quayside team – Hayley, Paul, Mark, Logan and Neil – take over. From the quay, Gry Maritha’s master, Tom, operates the crane to lift the trees onto the 590-tonne vessel, where chief mate Jessie and deck rating Olly secures them on deck.
Neil Harvey, Quay Manager, said: “This time of year brings a higher volume of freight and a tight turnaround schedule, so co-ordination is critical. Our administration and quayside teams manage the increased workload extremely well, keeping operations running smoothly.”
For the crew, this year carries extra meaning. It will be Gry Maritha’s last year carrying the islands’ Christmas cargo before she passes the baton to Menawethan in spring 2026.
Tom, Master of Gry Maritha, said: “Knowing this is Gry Maritha’s last Christmas makes every sailing feel a little more special. She’s been part of island life for so long, and it’s a privilege to see her through her final festive season before Menawethan takes over.”
Wednesday 1815: Penzance – St Mary’s
Gry Maritha sets off on her four-and-a-half-hour sailing to St Mary’s arriving at 2245.
Thursday 0800: St Mary’s – St Martin’s
The next morning, the St Mary’s Quay team, Ben and Daryl, offload the trees and set them aside for the final leg.
At 1030, the inter-island freight ship Lyonesse Lady, crewed by Tyler and Connor, departs St Mary’s with the trees on board. The 30-minute crossing to St Martin’s is calm and the pair of Christmas trees arrive safely on the island.
Connor said: “We really enjoy delivering freight during Christmas period. It feels like we’re helping to bring the Christmas spirit to the off-islands preparing them for the celebrations.”
Thursday 1100: St Martin’s
After travelling by land and sea, the Christmas tree reached St Martin’s – right on time to be set up and decorated. Their journey is a snapshot of the teamwork and planning that keep the Isles of Scilly supplied throughout the year.
Andrew Fogden, Freight and Commercial Manager, said: “Our freight link is a lifeline for the islands, especially in winter. Christmas really highlights just how important that connection is and we’re proud to keep it running smoothly. Last Christmas, we delivered 804 tonnes of freight to ensure every celebration had what it needed.”
Delivering Christmas from the air
It’s not just our freight vessels shifting Christmas cargo. Skybus also plays a key role during the festive period carrying approximately 23 tonnes of Royal Mail to is Isles throughout the month. Post arrives at Land’s End Airport each morning before being loaded onto a Skybus aircraft bound for St Mary’s and the other islands.
Cath Rapsey, Skybus Operations Manager said: “December brings a significant increase in Royal Mail volumes, and our team at Land’s End Airport works hard each morning to ensure everything is loaded efficiently onto Skybus flights. Reliable mail delivery is essential for the islands, especially at Christmas, and we’re proud to play our part.”
