Gweek Gods

Our dilemma in Fowey was what to do and where to go… The decision had already been taken to shorten the cruise because of the forecast big (?) winds and to crew change through Truro station, not Penzance. There were still strong easterlies forecast which would propel us nicely west to the Falmouth area but what to do for 3 days before mooring in Malpas at the top of the Fal for Davids exit and Paulas arrival. The easterly wind would make the Helford River mooring buoys lumpy so we rejected that option but  the Classic boatyard in Gweek had been ‘on my radar’ for some time. Gweek lies some miles up the Helford River and is rarely visited because of the tortuous drying channel but this would have the requisite shelter. In the spirit of ‘going to unusual places’, but concerned about the shallow neap tides, I phoned the boatyard and was reassured that there should be sufficient depth at the top of the tide to make the passage.

So, on the basis of nothing ventured, nothing gained, we gingerly nudged up the channel with a little keel showing for advance warning of shallows. The channel took us so close to the bank in places that we could have leant out and picked leaves off the trees.

As the passage approached the quay in Gweek, it took on even more twists and turns, passing very close to the seemingly abandoned but lived aboard boats in what was clearly a vibrant community of floating locals.

Thankfully, as we had been reassured, the seabed at the quay was flat and we dried out sitting horizontally when the tide receded.

The boatyard was excellent with very helpful staff and water, electricity, toilets, showers and even a very welcome laundry.

There was a sort of ‘eco’ shop in the tiny village, and the Black Swan pub was excellent.

Wating for the tide to return, we had time for a massive clean up and laundry wash, even managing to get the blood out of my sheets with a mix of bicarbonate of soda and white wine vinegar – very eco…

The only downside was a boat in the yard being sandblasted and when the wind turned in our direction, the deck was covered in dust.

All in all, the Gweek experience was very enjoyable and really unusual, we were all very pleased to have done it.

Richard writes;

Nick paints a very pleasant picture of Gweek, which whilst mainly true, the reality maybe slightly different. It is quirky certainly, bohemian definitely, industrious absolutely. It is typical of old boat yards that you used to see before the property developers recognised their potential and the likes of MDL and Premier Marinas moved in. Perhaps, because of its relatively isolated location, the Classic Boatyard in Gweek has escaped, although there are some new holiday cottages nearing completion. It is a graveyard of old boats with people living in all sorts of vessels, some smart, some ramshackle and some complete wrecks. But the locals we spoke to, talked about a strong community and great place to live.

Extraordinarily, amongst the shipwrights and marine engineers, is a café; located in a shed but very well appointed and with a terrace at the back overlooking the river. It is a Mecca for people coming from far and wide because it is excellent and well worth a visit.

The cruise up the river was tranquil and enchanting. You are surrounded by ancient oak forest which is a haven for wildlife. It brought back memories for me. As a ten year old, we would visit my uncle Tommy (an ex copper and hard as nails, but soft with it) who lived in Bar Road (now very exclusive) and kept a pram dinghy and small motor boat in Port Navas Creek. It was my first introduction to sailing and I have been hooked ever since.

Amanda writes;

It’s my birthday today. Happy Birthday me,