Cornwall April 2011: Boating on Carrick Roads

Included with the rent of our cottage was free use of the Plymouth Pilot boat Jean, which we took out twice, once travelling down towards Falmouth and once upstream towards Truro. With more time we would have made more use of the boat and used it to visit places on the river.

18 April 2011 - downstream

Lucy with Hetty, looking a little uncertain with her life-jacket on.

With time starting to get on to return the boat's keys and lifejackets, we turned just south of Mylor Churchtown and leaving this Coastguard vessel behind went back upriver.

The house at Trelissick Garden

Alye Parusa is a 27-metre yacht, for sale and yours for just €750 000. She was taken solo around the world by Feodor Konyukhov. She looks much bigger in real life than in this photo.

Returning Jean to the pontoon, there is a view of the Feock landing of the King Harry Ferry, and our cottage The Lookout peeking over the top of the company offices.

20 April 2011 - upstream

A couple of days later. This photo doesn't really fit anywhere in particular, but is a view from the south Trelissick woodland walk, looking south down the River Fal - the route we took two days ago. Today, however, we're going upriver.

Moroccan car-carrier Autopremier, which has been moored here since April 2009. These lay-up berths of the Port of Truro were once more popular and there were many boats laid up here waiting an economic future, but a number of the berths have been removed and replaced with pontoons for leisure craft.

After Ellie and Hetty came with us last time, today it's George's turn

A couple of the many side arms of the river, all very shallow and almost dry at low tide.

Smugglers Cottage in Tolverne dates from the 15th century, and is now a café and tea rooms. Another time we must pay it a visit.

Behind Lucy is Windsor Castle and another smaller boat, laid up; Autopremier can be seen again on the right.

A quiet Truro River as we leave the River Fal

We reach Malpas

Slightly anxious about the water depth on a falling tide, we turned at Malpas and returned downriver.

A mussel farm

Jean safely moored on the pontoon