Annual Conservation Cruise

Byjeff

8 July 2007

After weeks of heavy rain countrywide we hardly dared to hope for our “traditional” sunny day for the cruise but we were not disappointed as the sun shone brightly until obscured by cloud at the very end of the afternoon! The water sparkled against the soft green of the Helford woodlands. In Polwheveral Creek our enthusiastic passengers saw 15+ snowy white Little egrets around their nesting site in the trees by the heronry and overhead buzzards were mewing. Upstream two pairs of shelduck and their families paddled vigorously as we passed whilst curlew, redshank, greenshank and some smaller waders probed the mud for food.

Helford MC Group members spoke knowledgeably about the fish and fishing as well as the various boats as we cruised round to the picturesque Gillan inlet. Geological features, land use, marine research, eelgrass beds and the Helford oysters were not forgotten. The National Trust warden and volunteers were on hand with information about the woodlands and their management and displayed a wide range of rock pool and other marine flora and fauna in their marine tanks onboard.
It was a perfect opportunity to encourage everyone to think carefully about the sensitivity of the marine environment and the need to protect it through energetic local and national efforts.

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