Our Cornish tall ship adventure on Blue Clipper begins as we watch the stately 10 sail gaff schooner moor up on the quay at Penzance on Friday afternoon. We’re greeted on board by the crew who welcome us with a mug of tea and a big slice of coffee cake each as we introduce ourselves before being shown to our comfortable cabins.
The clouds part, the sun appears, and we edge away from the quay as the bow swings out into the channel. With much winding of winches and pulling on ropes, sails are raised and we’re gliding silently, serenely southwards, leaving the town behind.
There’s a surprising amount of room on deck to walk about and relax as the crew go about their tasks. It’s so peaceful. The only sound is gentle conversation and the even gentler wash of waves against the sides of the boat.
The plan is to head as far west up the Cornish coast as we can, before coming back east with the westerly tomorrow. We won’t make it past The Lizard, though, says the captain; the tide will be against us.
In open sea, we stay close to the coast – a coast of coves, green hills and harbour villages. We take it in turns to take the ship’s wheel, which is quite a feeling. A pod of dolphins joins us, darting back and forth across the bow of the boat, playing games with the would-be photographers among us.
Dinner is served downstairs – a warming mushroom risotto. Sure enough, we don’t make it round The Lizard; we drop anchor at Coverack just after sunset, and head to bed soon after. All of this watching the crew work hard has taken it out of us.
Next morning, we take the dinghy ashore and have an hour to take in the unspoilt charms of little Coverack, unaware that 48 hours later flash floods would wash homes away and make the village a national news story. Back on board, we head a little further south down The Lizard’s east coast, and tack into Cadgwith Cove, catching a glimpse of The Devil’s Frying Pan, a spectacular natural rock arch that angrily spits out seawater in heavy seas.
We moor up on a jetty with a dozen or so smaller boats, and enjoy top quality pork sausages and creamy potato mash on deck as evening draws in.
On Sunday morning, there’s time for a stroll around the rolling grounds of the National Trust’s Trelissick House before the final leg back to Fowey and some fond farewells. It’s been a wonderful weekend of reflection, relaxation and gentle education in the ways of traditional tall ships.
