St Ives by train.

Spotted on the St Erth to St Ives branch line train, there's no escaping the draw of fish, fishing and eating fish as one of the many reasons people make the region such a popular tourist destination.........

work is well underway on the Porthmeor Renovation Project to the Sail Lofts on Porthmeor Beach, hopefully Bish will not have his net mending activities disturbed too much - an ongoing image gallery is viewable here - a Daily Telegraph article gives some background.......

here, Chris 'Bish' Care, net setter for several Newlyn and St Ives boats, talks about his work in one of the net lofts - which is what the buildings were originally built for of course.........

with a commanding view over St Ives Bay towards Godrevy Point the National Coastwatch Institution's watchkeeper has to remain vigilant at all times.............

perhaps the growing fleet of restored and newly built luggers will attempt to break this incredible feat of sailing and seamanship in the future?

Can you solve this picture mystery?

 Four names appear on the bottom left hand corner, Joe Maddern, Dick Ro??ns,Ellie Hooper and Dennis Renfree........

of this small watercolour - on the transom is the boats name Four Boys and underneath that the letters DWB - CA in capital letters - the boat looks like an American shrimper a la Forest Gump.  The picture is dated with what looks like 6/14/'72 which would suggest that the artist was American.  Given that the painting has appeared in a shop in Penzance and three of the names are 'local' can anyone throw more light as to the provenance of the work?

Spring-like morning just in time for the half-term break.

 Diana Marion full steam ahead........

 a word of warning guys, some of the feeds from these boxes are at 410 volts and not 240!.........

 a tense moment in the Mission as the Saturday Euchre school reaches a climax.......

 all in a mornings bidding for the man in his luck hat........

 another 'be there' event if you are involved, none more so than this year.......

 high water and time to get the punt on a mooring at high water........

 complete with personal fly-past from the resident gull squadron......

and then it's time to get down on your knees for the season's first bottom scrub.....

 one over the bow for the Wayfinder still looking for a new owner......

 a heavy ground sea over the last few days have revealed more than is usual of the old causeway that ran from Newlyn to Wherrytown........

and left its mark on the prom.......

even the hand rail is looking the worse for wear.........

 along with a few decorations from 'ol Neptune........

 and an endless variety of patterns created on these steps........

beach cleaners wanted!

Public meeting to discuss the proposals to 'modernise' the coastguard service.

These days people immediately become suspicious when they see the word 'modernise' in the context of the future of something - and in the case of the coastguard service rightly so - up and down the country there are dozens of similar meetings being held in the fight to preserve the integrity of the service - be there!

Fact finding Friday.

Signs of Spring as the light creeps into the sky noticeably earlier each day.......

at £3.00 per kilo these cuttles made the Cornishman's latest trip another good grossing for the fleet's flagship........

keeping those rays inside the market on the move.......

and if the sardines aren't there, get the gurdys out and pull in those mackerel.......

active research as Will and Alex, third year students from Falmouth School of Art discuss the state of fishing with Robert George from Seafood Cornwall.......

queuing up to buy.......

good to see such cheerful CEFAS faces as a the old hands show some new recruits the way things are on Newlyn market...... 

with the challenge of locating those somewhat elusive otoliths proving the most popular as ever.

Coastguard Cuts - next week's public consulation meetings.

MPs to probe coastguard cuts plans             17 February 2011

The House of Commons transport committee has announced a full inquiry into government plans to close ten coastguard stations with the loss of more than 200 jobs.
Eighty-seven MPs – including 19 from the governing coalition parties – have signed a parliamentary motion opposing the scheme.


Individuals or interested groups should send written evidence for the committee to transev@parliament.uk by Tuesday 26 April.


Already 1,176 people have written to their MPs to protest using a form on the PCS website.


The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) – which runs the service – is holding twenty open consultation meetings around the UK in the next three weeks.


PCS – which represents coastguards and other workers at the MCA – is urging everyone who opposes the cuts to attend the meetings and make their feelings known.


Each event will be independently chaired, starting at 7.30pm and scheduled to close at 9pm.


The full list of meetings from the MCA website is:


• Humber - Monday, 21 February 2011, The Spa, South Marine Drive, Bridlington, East Yorkshire. YO15 3JH
• Thames - Tuesday 22 February 2011, Columbine Centre, Princes Esplanade, Walton on the Naze, Essex. CO148PZ
• Yarmouth - Wednesday 23 February 2011, Great Yarmouth Town Hall, Hall Plain, Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. NR30 2QF
• Aberdeen - Wednesday, 23 February 2011, Pittodrie Stadium, Pittodrie Street, Aberdeen. AB24 5QH
• Forth - Thursday, 24 February 2011, Waid Academy, St Andrews Road, Anstruther, Fife. KV10 3 HD
• Dover – Thursday, 24 February 2011, Dover Town Hall, Biggin Street, Dover, Kent. CT16 1DL
• Shetland - Monday, 28 February 2011, Town Hall, Upper Hillhead, Lerwick, Shetland. ZE1 0HB
• Stornoway - Tuesday, 1 March 2011, Nicholson Institute, Springfield Road, Stornoway. HS1 2PZ
• Solent - Tuesday 1 March 2011, Thorngate Halls (Community Centre), Thorngate Halls, Bury House, Bury Road, Gosport, Hampshire. PO12 3PX
• Holyhead - Wednesday, 2 March 2011, Holyhead High School, Alderley Terrace, Holyhead, Gwynedd, Isle of Anglesey. LL65 1NP
• Clyde - Wednesday 2 March 2011, Port Glasgow Town Hall, 35 King Street, Port Glasgow. PA14 5HD
• Belfast - Thursday, 3 March 2011, Marine Court Hotel, 18-20 Quay Street, Bangor. BT20 5ED
• Liverpool – Thursday, 3 March 2011, Southport Convention Centre, The Promenade, Southport. PR9 0DZ
• Milford Haven – Friday, 4 March 2011, Cleddau Bridge Hotel, Essex Road, Pembroke Dock. SA72 6EG
• Swansea – Monday, 7 March 2011, Marriott Hotel, Maritime Quarter, Swansea. SA1 3SS
• Portland - Tuesday, 8 March 2011, All Saints Church of England School, Sunnyside Road, Wyke Regis, Weymouth. Dorset, DT49BJ
• Falmouth – Wednesday 9 March 2011, Tremough Campus, Treliever Road, Penryn, Cornwall. TR10 9EZ
• Brixham - Thursday, 10 March 2011, Brixham College, Higher Ranscombe Road, Brixham. TQ5 9HF
• Kirkwall - Tuesday, 15 March 2011, Town Hall, Broad Street, Kirkwall. KW15 1DH
• Ullapool – Wednesday, 16 March 2011, Macphail Centre, Mill Street, Ullapool, Ross-shire. IV26 2UN.


House of Commons tRansport Commitee


Read the parliamentary motion opposing the cuts


Write to your MP quickly and for free – even if they have already signed the motion


Lib Dem leaders rebel over coastguard cuts


PCS in the Department of Transport

Crossing Padstow's Doom Bar with a ground sea running.

The 15 metre Brixham registered beam trawler Harvester is caught on CCTV camera as she crosses the aptly named Doom Bar at the entrance to the river Camel and Padstow Harbour on the North Cornish coast. In what looks like relatively benign conditions a huge wave picks up the boat as she crosses the bar.