Living and working on Tresco: Kagiso Mompoloki

Throughout the season, hundreds of people arrive on (and depart from) our tiny island. There is a huge amount of movement with holidaymakers – as well as locals - coming and going on helicopters, boats and planes. Greeting all our guests and making sure that everyone gets to the right place is our Transport team.

Whizzing about the island in our electric buses the team know the island better than anyone and do thousands of miles a year - which is phenomenal considering Tresco measures just 2 miles by 1!

Someone who knows their fair share about living and working on Tresco - and the transport team in particular - is Kagiso.

Kagi moved to St Mary’s when he was young but made the move to Tresco as a result of his Mum getting a job here when he was around 15 years old. He settled in very easily to life on Tresco and explains that it is a very special place that feels different to St Mary’s.

“There is definitely a different vibe here. It feels like more of a family compared to St Mary’s and it’s got more of an island feel. St Mary’s can sometimes seem like a small village in Cornwall but on Tresco you really get the tropical island vibe.”

Whilst work can be pretty busy, Kagi makes the most of days off. “Everyone’s got boats over here so throughout summer I meet up with friends and go boating. We go fishing or we go to another island – maybe have a little BBQ or watch some gig racing: can’t complain really!”

No day is the same on Tresco – especially when it comes to transport and the Isles of Scilly weather – but a typical work day for Kagi goes something like this…

“I get up in the morning, have a cup of tea and a little chat with the guys, and then make sure my bus is nice and clean. Next we make a list and a plan for the rest of the day and then I drive around in the sun living the dream. It can be hard work at times when there's helicopters coming in as well as boats to meet at the various quays across the island. It's nice to meet lots of different people though and hear their reactions if it's their first time on Tresco."

Although having a high profile guest in your bus can be an exciting moment, when asked to reflect on his Tresco highlights, Kagi says "it’s the people that I’ve met and the good times I’ve had with them that stand out for me." And he’s right; each season, a lovely community of different people from all corners of the world with diverse experiences are united by the little rock that they live on.

Now in his final year of university, Kagi has worked on Tresco every summer, Easter and Christmas holiday and will be moving here permanently after graduating this summer. “I’m excited about it. I’ll be struggling through the winters here as well as the summers now! Except I don’t think they’re that bad. I actually said to my mum the other day that I think my favourite time here is Christmas time. Everyone’s in good spirits, the weather’s a bit wet and wild - which I really like - and it’s nice and quiet.”

It’s obvious that Kagi loves the island pace of life but he does make it clear that it’s not for everyone. “You need to have the right mentality, be at home in a small community and – maybe most importantly - you need to be able to live without certain luxuries.” Tresco teaches you what really matters and makes you appreciate the simple things. A job you enjoy, days spent with friends in the sunshine and incredible natural surroundings – what more do you need.