Shipping minister to visit FCG on 26th April - reception committee needed!

The man with the axe - Shipping Minister to visit Falmouth Coastguard station on the 26th April - give him a big reception.

Please support your CoastGuard.

For how much longer? - ETV Anglian Princess on guard duty in Mount's Bay.

In light of the Transport Committee's intention to review the cuts:

New inquiry: The Coastguard, emergency towing vessels and the Maritime Incident Response Group

The Transport Committee is to conduct an inquiry into the Government’s proposals for modernising the Coastguard. It will also examine the impact of the Government’s decisions not to renew the current contract for emergency towing vessels when it expires in September 2011 and to review arrangements for the Maritime Incident Response Group, which responds to incidents at sea for which fire-fighting, chemical hazard and/or rescue teams may be required.

The inquiry will build on the oral evidence provided to the Committee by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency on 8 February. The Committee expects to hear further oral evidence from a range of interested parties, beginning after Easter.

Written evidence would be welcome on these issues from any individual or organisation affected by, or with a view on, the Government’s proposals. This could take the form of a paper or letter written specifically for the Committee or we would be grateful to be copied into responses to the Government’s consultation exercise on the future of the Coastguard service. We would be grateful to receive written submissions by Tuesday 26 April.

For guidance and more information on submitting a response - visit the web site here.

Star role in a documentary - your chance to be living history.

Ever wanted to be on TV? or have your say recorded for posterity - your time has come! Here's a message from Lisa Bowe at Lone Wolf Documentary Group in the USA. Here's a request received by Through the Gaps from across the big pond.

"I am working on a new History Channel special that will highlight people who make a living working on the Atlantic Ocean.  I am hoping that you would be willing to share my information with anyone who may be interested. "

Here are the details:

A new History Channel special on the Atlantic Ocean is looking for people who make a living working on the Atlantic Ocean. 

You must have a great personality with plenty of stories to tell. We are looking for people between the ages of 25- 50 who feel comfortable on camera and can speak about their livelihood on the Atlantic with passion and charisma. If interested, please reply; introduce yourself, explain what you do and supply a picture. A video would be best.  If interested, please contact me ASAP. 

If selected I am going to request a "character reel" from you. So be prepared to have a friend with a camera (doesn't have to be nice) ready to film you.

Or, you may want to nominate a friend, in which case just follow the guide above instead. 

Thank you! 

Lisa Bowe

lgbowe@gmail.com

207-799-9500

www.lonewolfdg.com

Win a trip to London aboard the Amity with 'Trawlermen' skipper Jimmy Buchan.

CLICK HERE EVER WANTED TO BE A TRAWLERMAN?


Then look no further than the Fishermen’s Mission! To celebrate the publication of ‘Trawlerman’ , the autobiography of Jimmy Buchan, the star of the hit BBC TV series ‘Trawlermen’, The Fishermen’s Mission is teaming up with Jimmy and his publisher Little Brown to offer a ‘money can’t buy’ experience to Giving Lots customers -the chance to join Jimmy's crew!

The highest bidders will enjoy 60 hours of great fun, food (the freshest fish you’ve ever tasted!) and company. You’ll leave Peterhead on the evening of Sunday, 29th May, arriving into London on Wednesday, 1st June. The return voyage leaves St Katharine Docks on Saturday 4th June, arriving in Peterhead on Tuesday 7th.

Mirror-like morning.

End-to-end with net fish on the market this morning.......

and some cracking inshore ray from the Cadgwith boat, Scorpio.......

ling roe in slush ice from the Little Pearl.........

a double act exit stage left........

Padstow skipper Sid Porter's new boat is all set to take on gear......

a good night's hunting for the ring net fleet.......

all set for another trip.......

good example of a hard chine hull, scalloper Golden Promise........

single man-power cart.......

and a mirror-lke harbour this morning......

clear skies and cold enough for a light frost.

Some sunny spring like Sunday.

In the Star Inn no doubt the wake will be well attended and many a yarn spun recounting the life and times of the BMC over the next few days.......

and as one leaves the port, a brand new addition to the Cornish fleet in the guise of the Sparkling Line, the ex-Grimsby auto-liner now owned by Waterdance Ltd (Govenek of Ladram) and registered in Padstow where she will now be based........

good to see more evidence of investing in quality boats built for the conditions here in the Western Approaches........

to fit in with another sparkling line.......

like this euro-cutter beam trawler built for the port of Plymouth........

looking down by the head, and nothing to do with Bruv stood on the bow of course, the Admiral Gordon with 180 boxes makes her way in to land, probably her last trip on the cuttles as they are now beginning to show up dead on the grounds with the back bones being seen floating on the surface off in the deep water, a sure sign........

when she will pass the Jacoba looking as if she is almost ready to hit those scallop beds........

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another job for Brian and the guys on Monday........

fancy leaving the evidence........

over in Penzance Dock there's a new addition to the Marine Discovery fleet......

while the boys aboard the work boat My Lady Norma must be wondering if they will ever set sail......

doing just what is says in the window - check out Blurring the Lines at Penzance Contemporary gallery till 21st March.

Luggers.

300 year old lugger fleet in Newlyn Town.

Barnabus - Happy Return - Ripple

Hundreds of people and several dozen artists descended on the Old Quay in Newlyn to celebrate Painting Day - when three classic luggers, two from St Ives and one from Mount's Bay were moored in the harbour to create a sight not seen for nearly 100 years. Those who came were able to watch a host of artists at work using a range of mediums to capture a scene from long ago. Harbour Commissioner Kevin Bennetts described the scene as magical and spent time talking to many of those involved - there are high hopes that this will be the first move to create a heritage harbour within the 500 year old harbour wall.

Visit this gallery of images that captured images as the day unfolded.

Painting day - luggers in the old harbour, Newlyn.

Before the painters arrive - first light sees the luggers Happy Return, Barnabus and Ripple berthed inside the Old Quay........

a scene not seen since the early years of the last century.