Misty Monday morning.

Mounts Bay ushers in a tranquil scene, no wind, no rain, no snow on the first Monday morning of the New Year ........

 giving the solitary bird watcher fine spotting conditions probably on the lookout for a couple of young Eider ducks and a pale-bellied Brent Goose which the local gulls have taken to harassing - daily sightings are reported on the CornwallBird Watching Society's site here .........

the recent heavy swells have carved an unusual pattern in the seaweed on the beach at Newlyn Green.......

 time off for those who had a busy break.......

including the netting fleet over the big tide.........

always keen to recycle, a set of rail track clamps now used as 'end stones'.......

looking for a new home this year, the Wayfinder......

looks like there's a caulking job to do on the Anthony.......

also washed up by the heavy swell, a couple of inshore pots that have seen better days......

a plume of diesel smoke fills the air as a beamer fires up her main engine.......

looks like some sort of coble converted to a motorsailor.

When pots succumbed to the divers.

British Pathe have huge archives of movie film shot all round the UK.There are a number of short clips featuring Newlyn. In this clip, which documents a period in fishing history when divers took advantage of huge stocks of sedate crayfish, a few faces from the past are caught in action - can names be put to faces?

Blydhen Nowydh Da and Bloavez Mad!

Wishing all hands a happy and prosperous New Year.

Shine on you Lizard light.

 Looking back over Kynance Cove towards Land's End.......

with a big swell filing the cove.......

 and heavy evening skies make for a bracing post-Christmas walk.......

 round the UK's most southerly point past the old Lizard Lifeboat house........

 and under the huge foghorns at the........

 Lizard Lighthouse complex which stands some 70 metres above the sea.......

where the light, established in 1625, can be seen 26 miles out to sea - in the right conditions making the crossing from Newlyn to Douarnenez the loom from the Lizard and similarly powerful light on Ushant can be seen at the same time nearly 100 miles apart. Amazingly, one of the world's most powerful lighthouses only uses a 400W bulb.


If you are looking to book an unusual holiday in the coming year, why not check out the chance to take a voyage on the Trinity House vessel Patricia and see the world from a very different perspective.


There is a superb not-to-be-missed exhibition currently running at the centre called, 'Lighthouses: Life on the rocks'.

England 29 Ireland 12 - Cousin Jack scores try and wins 'man of the match'!

Grandad Terry and young Jack smile for the camera after the match...... 

It's winning smiles all round from the fishy Penzance pair Jack Nowell (left) and Luke Cowan-Dickie - 10% of the England squad were Cornish boys!



Rugby playing skipper's son Jack Nowell helps England Under 18s to a big victory over the Irish national team in Dublin when he score the try that changed the face of the game. By the end of the match full back Jack had acquitted himself to such a extent that he was awarded 'man of the match - what an achievement for the fisherman's son!

England U18 full back Jack Nowell (Truro College) put the away side back in charge of proceedings with ten left on the clock, scoring a brilliant solo try in the corner. Hooley’s replacement Henry Slade (Plymouth College) duly slotted over for the two extra points."


Read the full story in Rugby World.


The Irish Times describes Jack as 'brilliant' in their match review.

Catch the Newlyn Harbour Lights

 With the forecast looking good a few of the fleet have left for a New Year landing....... 

leaving the harbour showing off its lights, including some new features this year like the yacht in front of the Red Lion Inn.

Scallops for tea.

Scallops and blackpudding - simple but delicious and easy to put together - scallops need a bare minute or two in a frypan with butter - or bacon fat (gives you an excuse to have a bacon sandwich first).......

cleaning a scallop is easy enough with a knife that doesn't need to be too sharp...... 

and there's one little spot on the right (underside or flat) side of the scallop where it is easy to insert the blade (this is one job almost impossible for a left-hander).......

if you are still not sure,watch the movie clip to see how it is done.