For the first of my adventures with Jeep to celebrate their Renegades Wanted campaign Jake and I went snorkelling with seals on the gorgeous Isles of Scilly. Properly wonderful.
Adrenaline lovers Jeep have launched the Renegade, an all-new SUV that’s ready for whatever adventure you care to fling at it. And to celebrate? They’re offering you the chance to push your limits and try some incredible experiences this summer. How about learning to parkour, going off-road racing, having a snowboarding lesson with British pro Aimee Fuller or cage diving with sharks? They’re all on the list of ten incredible experiences Jeep have put together for you to win.
To celebrate the campaign the brilliant Jacob Little and I headed to the Isles of Scilly to tick off something high on our own bucket lists. In the clear blue water surrounding the tiny island of St Martins live a colony of friendly seals, and Scilly Seal Snorkelling offer something rather special – the chance to don a mask and flippers and hang out in the water with these beautiful creatures.
To get to the Isles of Scilly you catch a tiny, putt-putting plane from Land’s End Airport. The trip only takes 20 minutes but it feels like you’re being whisked to another world when the little archipelago comes into view, surrounded by aquamarine water. From the main island of St Mary’s we took a boat to St Martin’s and got kitted up in thick wetsuits on the gorgeous white sand beach. Armed with snorkels, flippers and thick gloves and boots, we took a speedy RIB out towards the uninhabited Eastern Isles, spotting flocks of seabirds on the cliffs.
And there in the water was a gang of shiny grey heads, bobbing up curiously to see what had arrived in their private basking spot. Just seeing the seals so close to the boat was wonderful. Popping our flippers and very attractive wetsuit hoods on, we jumped into the chilly water and found another world – a waving bed of reeds, and right in front of us, sleek grey seals whisking around in the clear water.
I immediately made a friend in a young female seal, who swam up under me and pawed at my flippers whilst I squeaked with excitement and breathed really fast through my snorkel. She took a playful nibble at my feet and then hung upside down in the water grinning at me. Seals are ENORMOUS when you’re close up but they are so friendly and relaxed that you can’t feel scared. As quickly as she came, my seal was gone, darting around in the reed beds and looping the loop around us. We spent an hour in the ocean, so overexcited we didn’t even notice the chill, watching the seals swim in and out of sight.
Enter Jeep‘s fantastic Renegades Wanted competition for the chance to tick off more incredible bucket list experiences.
Scilly Seal Snorkelling offer trips from St Martin’s Island from £44.
This post is in collaboration with Jeep
I would die with excitement about doing this! So lovely.
Omg the last picture – what a money shot! What an incredible experience for you. It’s moments like these that make you glad to be alive in this special world.