ISLES OF SCILLY

TIDES

LABIRYNTS

About most amazing place since I visited Vancouver Island 20 years ago. I met a local man here in Scilly, Julian, who is a biologist, working with archeologists and volunteers.

Nothing is more precious than personal stories told over a beer. I visited Abbey Gardens on Tresco Island today with a boat.

Tomorrow I will visit St. Agnes Island where a 300 years old labirynth exists and has lots to do with Vikings.

SCANDINAVIA ENGLAND

There’s something about England that pulls me in, its been my home for 7 months … 20 years ago.

But now I was suddenly back. On this magic island Tresco.

I love British accent!

I am drawn to islands.

But I am also scared by islands.

I didn’t sail to Isles of Scilly in my own boat of course.

It’s dangerous, especially Western Rocks, so many shipwrecks there

My dream is to find a place for some art residency or to go exploring a place with a compagnion or two. Pairs of three. Have a common mission. Remember that, please, maybe now or in the future you’ll be able to give me a hint or connect me with someone.

Maybe it will even be on an island?

I met a fascinating Irish girl – Saoirse – last year in Helsinki on Winter Art Symposium with Nordic Summer Universiity where we both presented our artistic projects.

Thanks to her… you know she connected me with someone.

His name is Julian*

Julian Branscombe.

Nothing is more magical on a new island than hearing a local’s story over a beer.

He is a biologist also working together with archeologists and artists.

Why so much fascination about Vikings? I asked Him

“I wanted to make you feel home” he answered.

“but you know I’m Polish” I said to him.

I didn’t mind! That’s how my exploration started. He told me about Vikings on British Isles.

And sent me searching for something special on another island.

And I found the real labirynth he was talking about. Without phone and maps. On St. Agnes island.

Troy Town Maze from 1729, St. Agnes, Isles of Scilly

They say it’s been built by Vikings in 1729.

I also had an honour of meeting artists on St. Agnes – Teän Roberts and Layan Harman – with their Scilly Labirynths Project. It was also Julian’s idea to go find those people. The most hidden and remote treasure exhibition one could imagine.

So before in time, Isles of Scilly were Christian then pagan then Christian again.

Maybe this Scilly labirynth was a magic totem to enchant good wind for the sailors?

Cause the seashore there is soo dangerous it created a multitude of shipwrecks in the area.

On the most south-west tip of Britain, beyond Land’s End … end of England.

And the climate is so subtropical there!

Abbey Gardens on Tresco is the most mesmerizing botanical garden I’ve ever seen. Created by some British noble man in 19^th century.

I was travelling on my own.

Don’t remember being that happy because of a place.

Abey Gardens, Tresco, Isles of Scilly

Islands are brilliant …strategically.

Military has almost always been there.

Islands are both beautiful and scary to me.

So Julian moved from Orkney Islands in the north of England to Isles of Scilly in the southest south.

The end of England.

Vikings have been both places.

What is particulaly facinating about Orkney for a sailorette like me who likes reverse-phenomena is

SCAPA FLOW

It’s like a reverse island phenomenon: normally by definition island is a solid Land surrounded by Water from all sides.

Scapa flow is though like a reverse thing.

Scapa Flow is an island made of Water, surrounded by Land from all sides.

Oops, I’m suddenly talking about Orkney Islands, because Julian used to live there.

But now he lives on Isles of Scilly.

And I totally fell in love with Isles of Scilly!

BACKGROUND: THE ISLAND PROJECT

I am drawn to islands.

Summer’24 I wrote about Ungdomsøen close to the Copenhagen shore. An artificial island, built for military.

Military again, of course.

Last year I wrote about Hel, a peninsula in Poland where on its very tip two different waters meet.

Then I participated in Saoirse’s artistic radio program describing a trip to Easter Island that I never took!

It was an aesthetic storytelling in form of a “FORWARD MEMORY” ( you coined that word, Christian ). Saoirse that I had met in Helsinki the same year, was also the one connecting me with Julian from Scilly.

Then I bought myself a ‘Pocket Atlas of remote islands‘ ( thank you for a hint, Rolf )

Hopefully the next islands I’ll visit will be Marquesas Islands in the middle of Pacific Ocean.

If flow of life allows it.

This Christmas 2025.

I am scared again.

*great thanks to Julian Branscombe and his Scilly Wildlife Trust. And thank you all that contributed directly and indirectly to my Scilly journey

” If you’re either into me or into islands – both physical and metaphoric islands – you’re welcome to follow my ISLAND project. Both on Water and Land – as a sailorette and artistic reasearcher – I’ll be adding to this website new input treasures with time.“

Iwona.