Food for the mind, food for the soul, food for the belly - enjoy the veritable feast that is Newlyn.

Coming this week at the Tolcarne Inn, Rosie Packer hosts a literary lunch......

meal in your hand, a good way to start the day......

at the Newlyn Cafe opposite the fish market.......

next door the live shellfish tank has a growing population of tourist attractions......

and plenty of fresh fish on display......

in the harbour, big gears for big boats, bet this gearbox cost a little more than your average luxury car...........

there's some sort of metaphor going on here........

despite the mizzly weather, an enthusiastic group of 'A' level students from Godolphin School, Salisbury (founded by the family of Godolphin House, near Helston) take advantage of the shelter down the North Quay to capture the scene in front of them.......

in the first year of the course they get the chance to experiment with different styles and approaches........

and fill their sketch pads and memory cards with possible subjects for development back in the studio........

some are more than happy to show off their work.......

so it would be great to see the results of these students' artistic endeavours in Newlyn posted on the site in future - please Sir!..........

back in Penzance, the students would have the opportunity to check out the latest exhibition at the Penlee House Gallery and Museum where three local artists have their coverage of the same subjects subjected for comparison.

What to do with your fresh Newlyn Hake.

 The Hake.......a sleek, powerful predator........

 use the minimum of force when handling hake, after cutting around the nape of the neck, hold the head and gently twist the body away.........

 use kitchen scissors to remove the fins.........

 the flesh is easily separated from the fish's 'ribs' by sliding the thumb along the bone........ 

 the trimmings are more than enough for a superb fish stock........

two tail fillets, two steaks and two loins joints bagged and ready for the pot, freezer or fridge.

To get  the most from your fresh Newlyn Hake, watch this excellent video from Sue Lucas at PassionateAboutFish.

Ajax arrives back in Newlyn with top quality hake on board.

Matt Price, Tom Hicks, Ed Jones and Treeve Perry atop the shelterdeck on Ajax AH32 enter Through the Gaps in Newlyn on Saturday morning.

Having just steamed for nearly 15 hours from away west of the Scillies, the boys aboard the Ajax will be glad to hit terra-firma, and the warm hospitable ambiance of the Star Inn under the auspices of mein hostess Debbie.

Ajax AH32 slideshow

However, before the boys get to run ashore there's a tier of nets to be taken off and the boat cleaned down - enjoy the slideshow of pics as skipper Alan and the boys toil away under a drizzly old morning in Newlyn to get the boat ready for the next trip. Their second trip of 120 boxes of hake will go on the auction floor for Monday morning's market.

Ajax AH32 heads home.

North side of the Scillies, the hake netter Ajax is picked up and tracked via VesselTracker's AIS monitoring station in Penzance.  VT software owners can set up alerts via email triggered by a vessel's change in status or movement. In this case, when the Ajax entered the reception area - very useful for tracking specific vessels in range.

The day it all went wrong - some might say!

The day discards dawned as we know them today.

Cartoon (normally cartoons are funny) - though for many fishermen - and not just here in the UK - this joke is no laughing matter - the story of the Common Fisheries Policy from day one.

Sun up moon up.

Not often the moon is high in the sky as the sun puts in an appearance......

with five grades of JDs these are the medium sort of fish........

an almost double sided plaice with the normally white underbelly almost covered in the same markings as the top side......

"and I'll have those there"........

even fishing has its won fair share of red tape.......

looking out for potential new customers, fresh Newlyn hake keeps an eye on early morning proceedings......

top quality monk from several inshore boats was up for auction this morning on the last market of the week.......

with the sardine boats putting good shots ashore after a much quieter night weatherwise in the Bay.......

visiting beamers included the Admiral Gordon from Plymouth.......

and the Waterford registered Shauna Leon skippered by ex-Newlyn boy Titch Harvey........

the big cat Lyonesse makes waves on her way back to berth......

while the netter Gary M with her empty net bins aft indicating that all her nets are still out there fishing takes on ice before returning to the grounds........

tagged before the paint was even dry........

hard to make sou the numbers, but this looks like a new boat in town!........

with work still to be done on deck getting her ready for sea........

but the freshly painted stern reveals all - the much awaited third ship, Louisa N joins the Nowell fleet with the number PZ101.........

along the dockside work in progress on the old ice-breaker continues..........

as the Mount gets a dose of sun rays.

It's the same the whole world over........

 Wherever you are around the eastern coast of Sicily, Mount Etna dominates the skyline, rumbling away like some grumpy old uncle........

 down at sea level it's make do and mend, bits of an old Lambretta power this beach winch........ 

 with several examples of local craft at Giardini near Taormina high up on the sand......

 some have obviously been around longer than others.......

 no tide, no wind and 32˚..........

 one of the bigger boats in the local fleet that fish for tuna and swordfish in season.......

 with familiar variations on haulers.......

 on smaller punts too.......

the local fishermen's 'mission' is a scene familiar in every port........

for those with deep pockets the Villa Sant Andrea nestles in the cliff in a stunning location...... 

and at €52 for two OJs, a beer and a vodka and coke the service is impeccable!