It was a beautiful spring evening when we arrived for a boat trip from Mousehole harbour, with the hope of seeing some sealife and to soak up the Cornish coastline from out on the waves. After a walk around the picturesque harbour we found the skipper, Mike, sitting in the sunshine waiting for us. His boat, The Cormorant, was doubling as a diving board for some local children who were happily diving and back flipping into the crystal clear water.
The sun was out and the harbour was calm. Following the safety briefing, which consisted of the 360 degree exit routes being explained in aeroplane style, we set off out of the sheltered harbour. We’d decided to set off west towards Lamorna Cove - you can go east and head off to St Michael's Mount on the other side of the bay if you request. Within minutes the tour guide in Mike was revealed as he took us to a sea cave that looked just like a mouse hole and (according to Mike) where the village gets its name. Further on we passed the landing spot of the Spanish invasion of July 1595 which had disastrous results for Mousehole and was the last time the British mainland was invaded by hostile forces.
We passed a huge mine opening that dated back thousands of years, and fisherman pulling up their crab pots, before motoring in to Lamorna Cove and seeing the damage to the harbour caused by the winter storms of 2014. Heading back to Mousehole we went further out to sea, in the hope of seeing some marine life; we had views of the trawlers heading out to sea and of Tater Du lighthouse with Logan Rock as a backdrop. It was a little rougher out there and one of our party had to concentrate on the horizon to stave off the oncoming nausea, but Mike quickly brought the boat into more sheltered waters. It was only once we got back to St Clement's Isle, the reef just outside the harbour mouth, that we finally saw a seal, but (as Mike explained) it was fairly rough and a high tide so they tend not to be so visible on days like these.
If you are holidaying in Mousehole or west Cornwall we would definitely recommend a trip aboard with Cormorant Cruising. If you are heading west it may be better to book earlier in the day as the sun will be setting behind the land and if you want to go around St Michael's Mount the evening light brings it to lif, although it can be done at any time of day (depending on the tides).
For more information visit www.cormorantcruising.co.uk or give them a call on 01736 362032. Or if you're in the area , just pop along and they may well be able to fit you on the next Mousehole boat trip.
