Trawling, then and now

Two boats in blue have moved for the first time in weeks, the seiner/trawler Valhalla with her new Caterpillar main engine, now being commissioned and the George Johannes after her paint-up.....
In front of the harbour offices, Roger Coutsoubus tightens a shore rope while waiting for his inshore stern trawler to ground 'on the hard' so that her bottom can be anti-fouled....
one of his old commands, the Anthony lays ahead of him also undergoing paint and repairs. The photo of the Anthony, a traditional sidewinder trawler, was taken from the Jacqueline, seen here in behind one of the Penlee Quarry 'trains' that used to load stone boats on the South or 'Stone Quay' as it was known locally. The photo may have been taken when the Jacqueline went for a major refit which included a new wheelhouse - there is no radar atop.

MSC accreditation on the way

From seven in the morning, the Mission provides fine mugs of tea......
ice and water in one go at the iceworks.....

perhaps someone can throw some light on the origins of these granite stones in the harbour area?.......

Badcock's Gallery have a new collection of paintings on show.......

melt-water and empty boxes adorn the market floor by 8am.....

hoping to emulate the MSC acccredited mackerel fishery (above), and after some fairly hectic discussions the accreditation for Cornish Sardines took a step closer to completion last week....

the run of mackerel is average for the time of year

a steady hand and eye for Plugger as he puts in the top-coat aboard the inshore trawler Shiralee.

Golowan Festival's Quay Day on Sunday

Look out! there's an Admiral (Gordon) in town.......

As the Ivan Ellen heads off across the Bay, cox Neil Brockman confirms his itineray one the way to give her contribution to the Golowan festival's Quay Day, .....

and the Nellie clears the gaps to start another trip chasing soles.

Sowenna sails

Time to stow the ropes as the Sowenna heads for the gaps.....
B522, Still Waters now back in action and undergoing sea trials...
a serious ocean-gong yacht from Southampon, the Golden Mean on a pontoon berth....
as Andrew heads back home after tending his small fleet of pots.

Golowan tomorrow, wet tonight!

The annual Golowan or Mazey Day Festival hits Penzance this weekend - as many young children are involved and much of the action is in and around the streets and outdoors, everyone will be hoping the sun will shine......but for Friday night it's damp drizzle all the way.......

as this shot show looking down the length of the New Quay to the giant scalloper, Jacoba berthed at the end.......
W&S's plea to 'Save our Fish' reminds visitors of the perilous state of play at the moment. The lifeboat-house flag flies at half-mast for one of the West Country's most well liked fisherman, Bobby 'Boxer' Laity who was buried in Porthleven today - for many years he fished with the Marina....
that Finning service van is here again for final checks on a main engine....
one little splash of red reflected on the quay......
along with some green to even things out.

Antipodean presence on the Billy Rowney

Aboard the Billy Rowney, Dan is kept busy with stitching a piece of sheet netting in the cod end......
doing her bit (maybe someone could supply a name?) and 12500 miles from home, Norwich University Fisheries Technology Degree student, Tabitha Abernathy an Aussie relative of young Mr Downing brightens up the working deck......
the firm's boxes wait to go back aboard....
beam-eye view of proceedings down on the deck.....
down the quay, there's a whole container of oil going aboard the Cornishman, maybe it's recycled chip oil?.....
as more boxes go ashore over on the North Quay....

follow some deck action aboard the Billy Rowney - if you look carefully through the galley window you'll just make out the Aussie cousin!.

Where there's The Will

Two insulated fish tubs with dividers to reduce the 'free surface' effect and four hydraulic reels grace the transom of the Nova Spero, currently undergoing the trnsformation from gill-netter to tuna pole & line boat..... [on Breton tuna boats there are three lines rigged across the stern known affectionately as, 'Mother in Law', 'Father in Law' and the 'arshole' in the middle!]
the poles for the lines are already in place.....
which flag is this aboard the FN landing craft HMS Albion?.......
bit easier on this one on her stern......
both A3 and A4 are in Newlyn on passage.......
the business end, well both busienss ends of the landing craft.....
on passage, the RNLI'srefief lifeboat The Will enters the gaps in the evening....

and straight into the glare of the sun for the old man.