Mousehole's Sea, Salts & Sail festival starts today

there's some of survey work being undertaken close inshore.....

as predicted by local skipper Stefan Glinski at the MSC accreditation meeting last week, Cornish sardines turned up on Tuesday...

nearby, a healthy shot of quality netted fish including monk and turbot was landed by the Sowenna.....

in readiness for the festivities this weekend in Mousehole....

there is a bright and cheerful sign to greet visitors and locals alike for what promises to be a real treat for lovers of all things connected to the sea including amongst other 'quay' events the famous Mousehole Male Voice choir and the 'Kipper Man'! And it's not just fishing that Newlyn makes waves around the world, Newlyn Green played host to an event back in the 70s that has grown into a truly international affair!

Trials and tribulations

The unusual rigging on this yacht is clear to see...
the Nantewas has been turned round ready to anti-foul the bottom on the port side today......
PZ111 Veracity, first of the visiting traditional work boats put in an appearance ahead of Mousehole's Sea, Salts & Sail festival this weekend...
followed by the Fowey registered gaffer Velona May FY20...
and FY7 Our Daddy from Looe......
the rowers pass by the wondefully purple Veracity...
with their cox looking for some improvement in rowing technique methinks....
as if fishermen didn't have enough to cope with over fuel, here is the pose of a man contemplating the way the world is when installing a brand new £30,000 main engine becomes an exercise fraught with teething problems.....filling a bucket full of fuel and timing how long it takes to empty being the suggested method of calibrating the new engine's fuel pump is hard to take given the technology available in 2008!.....
the derrick on the St Georges hangs over the harbour light....

as Juicy seems to be contemplating the angle of something whilst manouvering a drum of new warp for the giant beamer.

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.