Y26 : D9 Glendurgan

Sat 27 Jun

The complete lack of mobile reception at the Helford River anchorage served as a gentle reminder of what life was like before the internet.

Trebah Beach, also known as Polgwidden Cove, is a secluded, privately owned shingle beach on the Helford River. We were anchored here away from the busy moorings around the bend at Helford.

This day of R&R started off normally…

Shipping forecast

(Lyme Regis to Lands End including the Isles of Scilly)

Sailing conditions

Force 5 winds blew across the valley, creating a choppy surface. Liquid Asset held fast on her anchor overnight, swinging rhythmically from side to side.

Daytime yarn / experience

Exploring Glendurgan

A short dinghy trip to a nearby beach was followed by a steady uphill climb to the entrance of Glendurgan, a historic and exotic wooded valley garden that sweeps gracefully down to the Helford River.

The day’s premier attraction was its substantial laurel maze. In this instance, the classic strategy of keeping the left hand on the hedge failed to find the path through. However, shifting to an alternative strategy proved successful, and reaching the centre was a rewarding triumph.

But as the afternoon pressed on, a new question arose: was there a quicker way out?

Friendships are formed along the journey…

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Heading for Helford

The push across the river toward Helford village was a slow, steady battle against strong winds and a choppy surface. Eventually, the dinghy was attached to the pontoon in the shallows on a rising tide (HW 16:30).

With the heat making the mile-long walk to the Shipwright pub seem uninviting, the Holy Mackerel cafe appeared as a welcome sanctuary.

It looked idyllic: outside tables nestled in the shade, table service, and a tempting array of local fish on the menu.

What followed, however, was a masterclass in overwhelmed customer service.
The cafe was intensely busy—perhaps too busy for the staff to maintain their composure. Under pressure, the team unfortunately expressed their stress with poor grace. Securing the final order before the kitchen ran out of ingredients felt like a stroke of good luck; everyone who followed was abruptly turned away.

Even the resident terrier joined the defensive front, growling and barking at anyone who ventured too close!

Yet, the test of endurance brought its reward. The food was first class. Delicate flavours pervaded the platter of sardines, and the crab pâté was exceptionally smooth and rich.

In the end, it was a delicious lunch—and an exercise in forbearance amidst midday adversity.

Children’s section

Knot quiz

Did you manage to solve yesterday’s wonderfully wild riddle?

The grand answer is… the fantastic monkey’s fist!

Now, don’t you worry, darlings, no little monkeys were teased to make this knot! It gets its silly name because when you weave the rope round and round into a perfect, clever ball, it looks exactly like a tiny, tight little fist.
Sailors use this heavy knot at the very end of a rope when they are coming into the dock. If a big, thick rope is too heavy to throw across the water to the land, they tie a monkey’s fist on the end of a smaller line to give it some weight. Then—heave-ho!—they toss it across the water. It flies through the air beautifully so the people on the pier can catch it and pull the big boat in! It’s like a knot with its very own superpower!

Did any of you guess this cheeky monkey of a knot?

You are absolute superstars!

Lessons learned

Timing your arrival at the Helford pontoon is critical.

Get it wrong, and you will find yourself dragging a dinghy over a long stretch of soft, sticky mud.

Get it right, and you glide off unhindered.

Experience is an excellent teacher. And we did learn the hard way many years ago!

Quote

All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full.

King Solomon

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