Goodbye to Cliff House

We were just leaving on a trip to Falmouth when I noticed that the heavy mob had arrived down at Cliff House. Looks like our view is going to change for ever as I doubt if it's going to be too difficult to knock down.

Rick Steins new Fish & Chip shop

Viewed from Events Square in Falmouth the newly opened Rick Stein's Fish Restaurant. Although they call it a Fish & Chip shop, they do offer a wonderful looking range and it can all be fried or grilled. We did not have time to go today, having a full day already organised. It is close to the Maritime Museum Car Park.

A sunny but cold Falmouth Harbour this morning

A few white caps on Falmouth Harbour and the Penryn River

Looking down into one of the dry docks, one of the Grimaldi Lines ugly car carriers the Grande Brasile that come past us heading for Bristol

The beautiful little St Mawes Castle

Pendennis Castle

We took the dogs for a walk on a huge Gyllingvase beach - the last time until 1st October due to the dog ban in that part of Cornwall.

Falmouth Bay, relatively sheltered from the NW wind.

From the beach this Belgian fishing vessel appeared to be fishing very close to shore - cheeky !

We stopped in Helston to walk the dogs along the Penrose Walks towards Loe Pool.
Lots of Lovely Narcissus flowering alongside the path

A calm & peaceful Loe Pool

We walked up the path as far as the hide and looked out across Loe Pool, but apart from a few Swallows and Sand Martins, there was not much about.

Just a lonely Pochard

The only other birds around the hide were these Canada Geese

A lovely patch of Wood Anemones along side the footpath

Not quite gone yet !

Just half a house left !

A wild and windy night

Scillonian III made a special trip to Scilly with goods as Gry Maritha had engine problems.
Unfortunately the weather got much worse as she was on her way back and she arrived in Penzance not too long after low tide. The NW wind gusting around 67mph was also making it very difficult for her and she has been riding it out off Mousehole/Newlyn for quite a long time, but she looks like she's heading in now.
She eventually came alongside Lighthouse Pier Penzance around 02.15

Spring tides, big beach !

Walking down to this end of the beach was easy as the wind was pushing us along.

It really took a lot of effort to get to this end of the beach against the wind- getting my face sand blasted - my ear hugging fleece hat was blowing off, so I had to pull the hood of my coat over it - which was fortunate, because a few moments later the huge dark cloud dropped some rain on us for a short while. We decided enough was enough & headed home.

Some wild sea photos taken whilst struggling along the beach

The demolition of Cliff House continues. The insides have been gutted and this guy was taking the ridge tiles off in the most horrendous conditions with gale force gusts of wind & lots of showers.

Amazing after the winter we've had that the Hottentot Figs in front of Cliff House are beginning to flower.

We walked back home in a more circular direction to give the dogs a longer walk as the beach was too windy to do a second lap ! The sun was shining on St Michaels Mount over the top of the village

Looking down across a very windy Mount's Bay towards Penzance/Newlyn

A couple of fishing vessels off Newlyn with the sea a mass of white caps

Jim's Saturday Walkies photos (at last)

Not too many flower fields around this year, this one is near Marazion.

Looking East over Trenow, still some nice blue sky

Really dramatic skies over Mount's Bay when looking West

The Lands End Peninsular still looked like this as we approached on SCIII. Time for Jim to head for home.

An awayday on the Isles of Scilly

Saturday 27th March 2010

I arrived on The Quay to notice that someone had dug a big hole that Scillonian had fallen into ! Never seen her quite that low to the Quay before.
As we eventually set off, we were asked to sit down as there was quite a swell rolling in, but in the event she really didn't keel over as expected.

A joint effort !

After a good breakfast at the cafe by the Harbour, Jim drove along the road towards Mousehole to take some shots of us as we headed out. Here she's reversing for what seemed a long way due to the low tide, before turning to start our journey to the Islands.

Heading in the right direction at last !

Looking "Through the Gaps" as we pass Newlyn

The swell rising up St Clement's Isle as we pass Mousehole

SCIII looking very smart on a nice blue sea - I'm busy taking photos on the lower aft deck

Off we go heaving our way out of Mount's Bay - not bad at all, no banging and shaking just up & down !

The SCIII was heaving around quite a bit as I tried to get a photo of Tater Dhu - the Panasonic anti-shake really can't cope with up & down and side to side !

Wolf Rock Lighthouse and we are well on our way - the Islands were unfortunately just rather misty humps until we got quite close. Time for a coffee and a KitKat !

Round St Mary's

Still a bit of swell hitting the end of Penninis

The Star Castle as we round The Garrison

so fast they're a blurr !

The crew in Golden Eagle really going for it - not that long before the Championships !

Voyager heading out to St Martins - past all the empty moorings

Town Beach at around high tide

Whilst at home our Aeoniums are looking pretty sick after all the frost, over in Hugh Town they look lush and are flowering !

Surprise & the now very gold, Golden Spray now ready for the season

A walk round The Garrison

Looking down Tresco Channel, with Bryher to the left and Firethorn just leaving Tresco to the right

The twin hills of Samson