Developments in Penzance

After years of waiting, the disused building at the back of the dry dock basin in Penzance is finally being developed - offices and a roof terrace are amongst the planned additions to this classic granite harbour building...
against the harbour wall the remains of steps run up towards the Abbey Hotel...
over in Newlyn, the Orion Gallery has new piece of installation art out front - or is it just the stores for the building work in progress.......
to prevent the memorial being washed away by heavy seas?
on the quay, W&S fleet boss Andy discusses the future of the Filadelfia, bound away today after a four month lay-up....
Over on the new quay another early start for the Valhalla boys as the trawl gets cut from the footrope...
and Colin's mending needle flashes like the blade of Zorro across the stocking....
a familiar figure, complete with harbour box, in the shape of Cap'n Keast makes his way down the north quay....
Elizabeth Veronique makes her way to the ice works....
also in the early morning sun, a couple of twitchers are spotted.............twitching...
over on the slip the Cathryn .......
has undergone some intensive surgery for the medical equivalent of a 'prolapse', after losing some internal support her bottom has successfully been restored to its former position - Edwin will have to treat her gently in the coming weeks when she gets back to work.

A bellyfull of laughs - not!

8am and Colin and co on the Valhalla are busy cutting out their damaged Jackson scraper trawl....
on the Sapphire the gear is up and the needles are out too.....
by 8.30am the market is deserted........
at the iceworks a little ongoing maintenance is underway.....
and by 6pm, Colin and co have worked their way down through the belly and stocking having shot in whole section of trawl, all in a days work and of course what makes trawling such fun!

Over the tide

Sowenna waits at the end of the quay for the next neap....
Crystal Sea waits under the ice works....
The sky matches the fleet colour of the Rowse crabbers.

Hull remembers the worst three weeks in its long Fishing history

Many of the beamer fleet are in but the forecast is looking good - for a short patch....
the Nellie will be keen to get underway later today...
so for some, it's an early stroll down the to the boat before sailing...
as the sun comes up the JTS reveals her missing foremast....
some hi-tech row-locks are evident aboard the Row4Home Scilly Boys challenge
yet the oars look as though they are made of more traditional, tried and tested materials! I'd be looking at sheepskin for the seat covers knowing how vinyl seat covers fall to bits in wheelhouse chairs!

Today, Hessle Road in Hull became the focus of attention as thousands of people poured on to the road and stopped the traffic as the city gave up one minutes silence in memory of the 58 fishermen who lost their lives 40 years ago. The events, in what became known as the, 'triple trawler tragedy', made international news. One of the BBC video clips captures the strength of feeling with the women of Hull who were instrumental in making the changes that were to be introduced by way of improved communication and safety for the distant water fleet at the time. Sadly, even today, too many boats go down where mandatory safety devices fail, eg Margaretha Maria (see the 5th paragraph).

Sparks fly aboard the JTS

Still in daylight, and with the top of the wheelhouse and casing gone the old JTS is about to lose her foremast...
Pendeen gas-axe man Dave Rhodda gets to work on the forestay with the oxy torch...

slashes through port side of the 'H' grame gantry...
and gets a touch over-zealous with the torch....so then has to get busy cleaning the nozzle....at which point gaffer Clive gets a touch impatient...
until the sparks are flying again...over on the New Quay the Scilly Boys is out of the water and being ready to be shipped to the Scillies for the transatlantic race - check out he news on their website.

Quality Newlyn fish head for the hottest chippy in London

Opening tomorrow is top London chef Tom Aikens' Tom's Place, a fish restaurant and takeaway with a difference. St Ives and Newlyn fishermen are amongst those supplying the best possible fish taken from sustainable species, many caught using traditional methods. The photo, taken last summer, shows Tom (right) discussing crab fishing with traditional withy pot maker Dick Edes while Tom's twin brother Rob discusses supply logistics with Nick Howell. Keep an eye on BBC1's Saturday Kitchen in the coming weeks!

Tom Aikens spoke at this week's Seafood Sealife event at Billinsgate Fish Market. You can hear his passionate commitment to sourcing and cooking fish from sustainable stocks - all of which will help secure a future for our local boats and crews.

Help solve a painting puzzle

Here the view looks towards the Old Quay and slip (before it was built in the late 1880s)at the far side of the harbour and shows a large rock formation to the left. Here is a photo taken in 1882 showing a rock formation, but much lower in height just to the left of the luggers drawn up on the beach). The artist would appear to have painted this belwo where the Suggler's Restaurant is today. We are trying to locate other paintings or drawings showing these rocks as they are no longer visible. It could be that the rocks were blasted away?
The watercolour, signed JC Uren, is in a private collection and is dated 1872.
An unusual aerial shot of the harbour taken while the New Quay was in the process of completion....
in the graveyard, surf's up!
while new Pendeen training gig Avarak gets some practice in out of the heavy seas.