Mousehole
May 6, 2019
Roydon Painter started fishing in Mousehole when he was aged 11. He has worked there all his life and is now the Harbour Master of this iconic Cornish fishing harbour....the most westerly on the south coast of Cornwall.
For many of us the village is most famous for the tragic events of December 1981 when the local Penlee lifeboat was lost with all hands, attempting to rescue the crew of a stricken cargo ship close to Lands End. Roydon told me how he was one of the volunteer crewmen on that very night, but by a twist of fate he did not go out on the boat. All 8 members of the crew were from Mousehole, and the current Severn Class lifeboat based at nearby Newlyn still bears the name Penlee (a local headland between Newlyn and Mousehole). Roydon says not one day goes by without him thinking of the friends he lost. Meanwhile I was lucky enough to meet Patch Harvey the current volunteer lifeboat skipper. The day we arrived they had rescued a sailing yacht travelling from Weymouth to South Wales which has simply run out of fuel.
.
The harbour at Mousehole is tiny, and wooden bolts are fitted across the gap in the entrance walls from October to Easter. Although stunningly picturesque, one unique problem it has is seaweed collecting on its beautiful beach. The day I was there, 30 tonnes had been piled up and Royon was keen to get it removed before it started to smell! Like a lot of ports, Mousehole is a "Trust" port and has to make a profit. Disposing of seaweed at £35 per tonne is a cost the HM could do without! Thank you Roydon for your time and sad memories.
.
About the Harbour Master Sailing Challenge: I am circumnavigating the #UK attempting to visit every #harbour with a #harbourmaster #fundraising to #support @Seafarers_UK and their work in the #martime industry, supporting #seafarers and their #families. You can #sponsor my #challenge by visiting the link in my bio. Thank you for your support!
For many of us the village is most famous for the tragic events of December 1981 when the local Penlee lifeboat was lost with all hands, attempting to rescue the crew of a stricken cargo ship close to Lands End. Roydon told me how he was one of the volunteer crewmen on that very night, but by a twist of fate he did not go out on the boat. All 8 members of the crew were from Mousehole, and the current Severn Class lifeboat based at nearby Newlyn still bears the name Penlee (a local headland between Newlyn and Mousehole). Roydon says not one day goes by without him thinking of the friends he lost. Meanwhile I was lucky enough to meet Patch Harvey the current volunteer lifeboat skipper. The day we arrived they had rescued a sailing yacht travelling from Weymouth to South Wales which has simply run out of fuel.
.
The harbour at Mousehole is tiny, and wooden bolts are fitted across the gap in the entrance walls from October to Easter. Although stunningly picturesque, one unique problem it has is seaweed collecting on its beautiful beach. The day I was there, 30 tonnes had been piled up and Royon was keen to get it removed before it started to smell! Like a lot of ports, Mousehole is a "Trust" port and has to make a profit. Disposing of seaweed at £35 per tonne is a cost the HM could do without! Thank you Roydon for your time and sad memories.
.
About the Harbour Master Sailing Challenge: I am circumnavigating the #UK attempting to visit every #harbour with a #harbourmaster #fundraising to #support @Seafarers_UK and their work in the #martime industry, supporting #seafarers and their #families. You can #sponsor my #challenge by visiting the link in my bio. Thank you for your support!