Classic Coast Classic Coast
Smylie’s boats Smylie’s boats Itchen CornishFerries Crabbers
West Anglesey
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ollowing on from Classic Coast at Porthdinllaen in the April/May issue (it really is an idyllic place By the time you readhave this,described the very though I wouldn’t real Ty possibility imposing the Coch asofathis gastro pub; didn’t structure tumbling into theinsea do food in the evenings August may have averted, at least for 2016, yet been has been rightly voted another winter. Unusually one of the ten best beachsevere bars in south-easterly the world), it’sstorms a shorthave hoppushed over coastal erosion to Pilot’s Coveon offthe theSuff endolkofcoast’ the s Orford Nessisland to within a few feet wonderful of Llanddwyn. of the lighthouse’ foundations, Having had asmooring on the and members Anglesey sideofofthe theOrfordness Menai Strait, Lighthouse Trust have been working opposite Caernarfon (which is a flat outnot to install – town, a city)‘soft for defences’ many years, bagswere of shingle wrapped sausages we able quite ofteninto head to of high-performance geo-textile Pilot’s Cove for a night’s bbq’ing, bonding –out to over keep the sea at bayBar (see heading Caernarfon orfordnesslighthouse.co.uk). with the tide and anchoring snug e 98ftweather. lighthouse was built in Th settled Mermaid’s in 1792snug and decommissioned by Cove, behind Ynys Clochydd, Trinity Housechoice. in 2013,Closer in viewtoof was another the threat from encroaching sea. home, many a weekend were It has already survived an attempt spent anchored in sheltered waters by the National which owns tucked around Trust, Aber Menai Point, the Ness, to impose a policy easy to run ashore for bonfiofres. ‘controlled ruination’ (ieAnglesey let it fall But the west coast of down). has numerous anchorages in Thweather, e Lighthouse Trust aims fine though is obviously to keep ittostanding, exposed the SW and open W. to visitors, ‘forPool as long as possible’ Rhosneigr offers a degree. of Visiting, onthough open days only,shelter involves protection greater a short ferry trip andthe a 40-minute can be found under headland at walk, each just way,across acrossthe thebay. Ness. Cymyran, For the Dates for 2016 to be choice day sailor, thereare arestill various announced, andoff arefordependent on bays to anchor a lazy lunch the continuing stability of and a swim in the clear,and coolsafety waters. theAnother structureofand surrounds. myitsfavourites is the fine anchorage in Rhoscolyn Bay, snugspiral behind tiny at Ynys Traws. It’s The staircase Orfordness only a short walk the White Lighthouse may stillup beto climbed by visitors Eagle pub. On the west side of
Rhoscolyn is Porth-y-corwgl (cove of the coracle) though narrow and open to the SW. From Rhoscolyn it’s a short hop around the Orford Ness itself is a classic headland to Trearddur Bay which example of an ever-changing can get pretty hectic in summer coastline. The long,ofshift ing spitboats. of with a multitude moored landFrom that separates the River Ore here a carefully timed from the sea is quite capable of takes passage around to Holyhead closing the river’s forcing into account themouth strongand tides off aSouth breakthrough higher up,Holyhead where the and North Stack. river’s alternative is thegood Alde. has marinas andname facilities, It’s mecca forprovided connoisseurs of bleak, protection by the exposed seascapes (and WWII breakwater, but not a lot else. military Havergate Headingdetritus north on around Carmel Island). Access,good by boat, is carefully Head, there’s protection at restricted the National Trust. Cemlyn, by Cemaes and Amlwch. AI’ve good everyday on a copy of FHalternative Glazebrook’s the mainland the‘West equally Thenearby Inshore Passageisor Coast bleak stony beach known Shingle of Anglesey Local Pilot’as from 1937 Street. which describes the coast in full. has three pubs, ThOrford ere are,village of course, other charts! including the Jolly Sailor down From Anglesey and its coastal by the harbour; an excellent Tradition by Mike Smylie fish restaurant, the Butley Orford Oysterage, andIsland: the fine Pump Street Llanddwyn Peter Willis bakery. the disused 1846
PHOTOS: MIKE SMYLIE
Orfordness Lighthouse
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p16_CS0817_Coast Sml.indd 16
lighthouse is a well known landmark; Pilot Cove where the Caernarfon pilots lived
owned an Itchen Ferrynot once andmixed have fond memories of her beached ornish Crabbers, to be up with children of the alongside the second-homers, old Supermarine shed across thesailing river infamous refer at toWoolston, the various small Pal of Itchen shepots was called though she was from Southampton. luggers that traditionally fished for crabs, lobsters andno palcrayfi of thesh, new were lines, building at the time. Wethe – me andIn my asbridge well asthey inshore anywhere along coast. Pal that iscrab – were the are firstsimilar ones toin crash intoperhaps one of the support pillars. fact, Devonian boats shape, smaller versions This was Beer mostly down which to two facts: sails didn’t really the of last month’s Lugger, itself that is nothe relation to the beerfitluggers boat and the Stuart-Turner engine neverhostelry. started throughout my time that lurk around many a south-west coastal There are many of withlatter, the boat. It was, though, a great the I know, I’ve been out withlearning them! experience on ‘why not to buy a boat’ . I oft wonder what happened to her.of Britain on his motorbike in When PJenOke rattled around the coast was, inlines fact, aand finedrawing example plans of an Itchen Built byof theworking great theWonder 1930s, taking of theFerry. last vestiges has been lovingly he restored and Dan Hatcher in 1860, craft on behalf of theWonder, SocietySU120, for Nautical Research, identifi edsails from Faversham. remember seeing a few years backhis during theofSwale various of these Ismall crabbers. Thher us today we have plans these Bargefrom Match. DanielCove, G Hatcher, known as King Dan toand his contemporaries, craft Sennen Porthgwarra, Cadgwith, Gorran Haven wasCornwall. a very successful builder yachts at his Belvedere yard between 1845 in But before youofget all nostalgic, remember that various and 1880have and thus working boats were equally renowned for their speed. replicas beenhis built! was histhese fastest, butworking speedy she was. as well as Not Ththat ere’sWonder a degree ofnecessarily similarity in old vessels, Thethat rootsworked (and name) others the small coves anywhere between the river Tamar, of these craft came from around Land’s End, and up to Port Isaac. Generally they were transomthe smallranging fishing village of to 20ft LOA, rigged with a sterned, from 16 Itchen Ferry lying on dipping lug main andthestanding lug mizzen. Some river Itchen were flatter in inthe theeighteenth floor than others; century.deeper Small sprit-rigged others and beamier. As has clinker-boats worked off the been said many a time, differences beach,from fishing as far as stem theout boatbuilder’s the Isle of Their size choice, theWight. owner’s preference, grewbeach as they further the totrawled work off and the awaythey fromwork their in. base. seas Consequently Crab boats they fromadopted the gaff rig and as many working Hallsands Hope fellowsboth did. Th boats were Cove, in eDevon, three-quarter decked with a display similarities, smallI cuddy and guess ifwith youtwo go berths, a cupboard andthe coal stove to further along coast whileto away hours east, the the river Exewhen not fiaround, shing. Gaff -rigged and there will be with a long-boom the others. The hint isover in the stern and work theytwo did!headsails, some as longcoast as 30ft Onwere the north of in length. Much the catch Cornwall, theofinshore potters was shrimps oysters andsuch as tended to beand a little larger theyJumbos raced home the fromtoStland. Ives. One such Infrom 1872,Port according to thethe fishing registers, therebuilt wereabout 570 second-class Mizpah , that was 1895. She craft Isaac was boatsdipping workinglugs the and Solent and another 61 incraft Poole where the boats were had was typical of the working at the three ‘Ports’, similar. Thcrab e design widespread around Southampton Water andpilchard the working pots was in summer as well as lining, and drift ing for Solent– someinbeing referred to as winter. Hythe fishing cutters. Other well-known and herring the autumn and builders were Alfred Payne andsmall Fay, both of Northam, Lukes, whose Motorisation served these potters well and and many survived far Pal before he moved to Hamble. They yard wastheir aboutoriginal the same spot as as I kept beyond lifespan deemed by their builders. Many wooden were mostly worked by fishermen whothe crewed the yacht-racing fraternity ones came post-motorisation, given rich for stocks of shellfish around during the regatta season, andthe the1935-built fishermen too raced aboard their own craft Minerva , . this coast. One such vessel, Cadgwith crabber Freda , CS110, Bess, CS32, Itchen Ferries survivors:She’s FH58, today sailshave out been of Penzance. fuller thanBlack the original sailing Nellie SU71, see www.itchenferry.org for more as amongst they adapted to engine craft, ,and, as but production boats gained ascendancy fishermen, power lurk in One day I’ll ask them if today’squite boatswell areand notothers dissimilar inway-out shape toplaces. Minerva. anyone knows whatever happened to my Pal of Itchen.
Motorisation served these small potters well and The roots (andfar name) of their theseoriginal craft came many survived beyond lifespan from the small village of Itchen Ferry, lying as deemed by their builders... today’s production on theare river in the eighteenth century. boats not Itchen dissimilar in shape CLASSIC SAILOR 17
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