Sunday, 16th May 2010
Despite the unpromising weather – overcast and drizzly, 35 enthusiastic members and friends, including 5 children, gathered in Helford Car Park to meet Caroline Davey, the ‘Fat Hen’ food forager from St Buryan, and Ruth Williams from CWT, to learn about what natural foods can be gleaned from the vicinity of the Helford.
Sunday, 18th April 2010
What a pleasure to be in the open air, ambling gently along the Calamansack road with the blackthorn bushes in full flower and listening to bird song. The sun shone warmly from a cloudless blue sky and a goldfinch popped on to a nearby hedge to greet the 21-strong party with a cheerful tune. Chaffinch and blue tits added to the chorus, a couple of linnets flew over, twittering, and an unseen dunnock gave forth a beautiful melody. As if in contrast, a green woodpecker ‘yaffled’ in the distance. Turning off the road and across pastured fields we had an uncommon view along Polwheveral Creek, with white houses at its head and above them the village of Constantine, dominated by the church, whose bells were ringing out clearly across the valley.
Thursday, 1st April 2010
The beach in front of the Ferryboat Inn resembled a market day, with a group of colourful tables, a banner and a leaflet stand, all weighted by heavy rocks against the brisk, rather chilly wind. Abby Crosby, with Emma and other volunteers, had brought her displays for the Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s ‘Your Shore’ Project, teaming up with Ruth Williams’ ‘Seashore Safari’; and so there was no lack of expert knowledge as people crowded round the tables to look in the tanks and trays at live creatures collected from nearby rock pools.
Saturday, 20th February 2010
Starting with a global perspective, Dominic Boothroyd told us that the world’s population of some 6 billion people is expected to rise to over 9 billion over the next 40 years, with the largest increases being in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Such growth will not only require the production of more food but could also increase the demand for protein, including a higher demand for sea food.
Saturday, 23rd January 2010
In his talk to an appreciative audience of 57, Dr Tregenza began with the largest cetaceans, the whales, showing photographs of stranded animals, alive and dead, and mid-water sightings. It was a surprise to hear of the great variety of whales which have been recorded in Cornish waters, for example a Baleen whale at Sennen, Fin whales around the Lizard and Lands End and Sei whale in Carrick Roads.
5th December 2009
Nare Point, at the south-east corner of the Helford estuary, appears to be unremarkable, just another of the many Cornish headlands although with a look-out post on top. But if an author had decided to weave a story about it, such as was about to be told by our two speakers from the National Coastwatch Institution, Paul Phillips and Len Jepp, he would be accused of having a fevered imagination.
14th November 2009
Reality sometimes exceeds expectations, sometimes it does not.
When Helford River diver and expert photographer, Tony Sutton was invited by the Bahamas Tourist Board to dive on the reefs of this Caribbean Archipelago his feelings of good luck and expectations were, not surprisingly, high. Likewise, his audience of Helford River supporters, who, braving the frost, gathered at Mawgan Village Hall expecting to escape in, if only in their imaginations, visions of blue tropical waters, multi-coloured corals and fish of innumerable shapes and sizes.
17th October 2009
Around 35 members were treated to a fascinating evening on Saturday, 17th October 2009 at Gweek Village Hall, when Sue Sayer of the Cornwall Seal Group spoke with great enthusiasm on The Private Life of Cornish Seals, illustrating her talk with a large number of photographs, drawings and video clips.
Sunday, 6th September 2009
Over 30 friends and members of the Helford MCG gathered at Mawgan Village Hall for an evening “bat talk and walk”. Dr Carol Williams, with her characteristic enthusiasm, delivered a 30 min. crash course in bat identification, life-cycle and habits before we ventured out into the gathering gloom assembling in the woodland car park on the Trelowarren Estate. Bat detectors swung into action immediately and to our delight we heard several pipistrelle bats as they hunted for insects overhead using their stuttering echo-location calls.
Sunday, 23rd August 2009
“Dare you to put your finger in this bucket!”. Then came a yelp, and a rapid withdrawal of the hand. The Velvet Swimming Crab had instantly reared up, arms wide, claws open, its bright red eyes glistening. Only later, when it had subsided, did we see the flattened back legs, with hair-like fringes, that enable it to swim.
Saturday, 25th July 2009
Clearly something interesting was about to happen as a group of nearly 30 people, adults and children, gathered on the beach at Helford Passage for a short introductory talk by Ruth Williams, Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s Marine Officer. Then, armed with an assortment of nets, buckets and trays, we set off, clambering over limpet- and barnacle-strewn rocks to the shallow pools left by the receding tide. The Seashore Safari had begun. Weather conditions were ideal – sunny and warm with a slight breeze. Intrigued holidaying families joined in; and by now the numbers had swelled to 40, of whom half were children.
Sunday, 21st June 2009
It was a glorious day – the sort of weather one always hopes for, with a warm sun, hardly a cloud in the sky and negligible breeze. The boat was unfortunately late in arriving, but the 100 passengers were very patient, enjoying the sunshine, watching holidaymakers and having an occasional ice cream. Setting off, we motored up Porth Navas Creek to see the Duchy Oyster Farm and Childrens’ Sailing Club, then across to the mouth of Frenchman’s Creek, where Justin Whitehouse of the National Trust took up the commentary.
Thursday 29th January 2009
The boardroom at Fugro Seacore in Falmouth was packed as 40 members squeezed in to hear John Gleadowe’s re-scheduled talk. Seacore began in 1976 as the concept of two CSM mining engineers to develop underwater drilling equipment for tin exploration off the north Cornish coast. A prototype was tested in a creek in Zambia.
Sunday 20th April 2008
At 6am, in the half light of a slightly misty hut dry morning. 15 persons converged on Goongillings Farm near Constantine to ioin Martin Rule and listen to the dawn chorus. Some of the birds were already in full voice. A wren interrupted its song to tick annoyance at the group and a chaffinch, likewise, gave vent to “spink-spink”. A wood pigeon cooed in the distance, more melodious than the pheasant’s harsh welcome to the new day.
19th January 2008
The hidden world of our Helford creeks was revealed to a large gathering by the well-known marine broadcaster and retired lecturer of the University of Exeter, Dr Tegwyn Harris.
1st December 2007
Dr Thomas Bligh, who lives beside the Helford River, has enjoyed an illustrious career in precision engineering and craftmanship, explosives research, energy conversion, robotic systems, underwater diving equipment, catamaran design and more recently until his retirement, Fellow and tutor at Caius College, Cambridge.
3rd November 2007
National sea bass expert Graham Pickett described the life-cycle of this fish so familiar to our shores and also commercially important, these days attracting higher prices than salmon.
27th October 2007
Dr Paul Chanin, international otter expert, talked about the milestones of the last 30 years of otter studies.
28 July 2007
Sat. 28 July 2007 was the day of the Port Navas Regatta Family Fundraising Day, where the Helford MC Members Group for the first time decided to have a stall to further the public awareness of the HVMCA.
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.
