Wishing you and your families a wonderful Solstice, a very Merry Christmas
and a happy and healthy 2023!
It's all been rather quiet down on the creek from our point of view the last few months, we're all currently tasked with other work away from beach cleaning and looking after the land.... here's an exciting update!
Footpath Works
Many of you eagle eyed types will have noticed that Cornwall Council's Countryside Access Team have been re-routing and re-fencing the path above Sailors Creek which we are really happy about, and the bonus being a lovely pair of old and overgrown granite gate posts are back in commission.
Centre for Alternative Technology, Machynlleth
Mark and Anna have been in communication with Fin Jordao, the CAT Water Officer, over the last few months discussing some of the issues around water quality and waste management and how a biological and holistic circular economy approach to waste resource management could have a really positive impact on Sailors Creek and the wider boating community in our local Cornish rivers. You can read the feasibility study for the Circular Revolution project supporting the canal and boating community close the loop on their waste resource! We attended Fin's excellent Reed bed systems: Live Online course in early December and we all plan to make a pilgrimage to Machynlleth in the spring to investigate how we can draw on their wealth of experience and create a zero-waste haven for nature and for sailors that is practical, beautiful and circular!
Update on Ibis - Sail Trade South West project
Some of you may remember the Lugger Ibis FY519 that has been at the creek for years. We can very happily share with you that the team behind the Tamar Barge 'Lynher' have been granted £250,000 of heritage Lottery funding to 'educate coastal communities on the benefits of creating a net zero carbon circular food economy by restoring the Port Mellon lugger “Ibis FY519”... Sail Trade South West will enable young refugees, asylum seekers and coastal communities of the South West to connect with maritime heritage and learn new skills, such as boatbuilding, seamanship, digital skills, cooking and dancing ... School children from the Plymouth area will learn how food used to be sourced and transported under sail. Young people with disabilities will have the opportunity to learn the tale of Ibis FY519 and interpret it into a dance workshop and performance. Finally, the project will create volunteering opportunities for young refugees to learn boatbuilding and seamanship skills and provide a safe space for asylum seekers to be together to cook and share their kitchen culture using fair trade produce transported under sail.'
Full press release here: https://tamarbarge.org.uk/support-ibis-fy519/
Film making and a radio show..
There have been some excellent independently made films and a radio show made about Sailors Creek this year and we'd love to share them with you here for those moments when you're lying around in your pants and there's nothing better to do:
From the River - A documentary
'From the River tells the story of a unique and fascinating place - Sailor's Creek in Cornwall - exploring what happens when the romantic ideal of living outside of societal norms meets the harsh realities of modern life, and the harsher realities of nature.' (fromtheriver.co.uk)
'Paul Mulraney and Thom Axon have have been friends ever since Thom rocked up in the small village where Paul lives. They share a passion for storytelling - for tales of the ocean and of the river, and of the people who live, love and work there.' (fromtheriver.co.uk)
The crew have their crowd-funder still running if you want to support their work with a donation. If you go to their website there are many other ways you can get involved. And we believe they have plans to enter the piece into film festivals over the coming year....
You can view the film here:
Pword: FTR2022
Sailors Creek by Saskia Sichermann
'It all started with a neglected creek near a well-walked footpath in Cornwall and a Community Interest Company. After a callout for volunteers, many people started to come together in nature. To clear this creek of rubbish. To plant fruit trees in two adjoining fields. To talk and share stories and memories. Together they build a place that can be enjoyed by anyone. A place anyone can feel welcome. A place where humans and nature can live together.' (vimeo.com/782444537)
Saskia will also be entering this piece of film into film-festivals over the year ahead...
You can view the film here:
Radio Evasion - Gaid Carval
'Gaïd Carval is an international volunteer on mission for the department of Finistère in Cornwall. She is also our international correspondent at Radio Évasion. For this new episode of Longs Courriers, our microphones have been taken to places where we are reinventing the collective space: living together differently!'
- Sailors Creek: a common space to reclaim
At the bottom of a small branch of the Penryn River, in its estuary, bordered by Falmouth and Flushing, nestles a place apart, Sailors Creek. Looking like a dump for boats or a squat for wandering sailors, it is home to heaps of sea and land stories, each as surprising as the next. The pieces of hulls, masts, pontoons that pile up there challenge walkers who take the coastal path. Residents of the surrounding area have decided to rehabilitate this place, to clean it and make it safe to make it accessible to all sailors, especially those who have little means. The ambition is also to make it a place connected to nature, especially on the fields bordering the creek, which the volunteers of Sailors Creek take great care of.
Against the backdrop of the housing crisis in England and climate change, Sailors Creek is an island of hope and optimism! (Translated from here)
You can listen in French here:
And now Our Favourite Photos from 2023!
Andrew writes: 'My favourite Sailors Creek highlight of 2022 was making a bommi-knocker! And a new style of wood stack- I have never seen anyone stack criss-cross like this before but it seems to counteract the slope of the hill quite well. Hopefully there will be time for lots more of this in 2023 - especially if I can persuade Dirk the Spoonmaker to run a workshop!'
Mark writes: 'I nominate this photo! For me it shows the unbridled joy of clearing the beach of rubbish.'
Anna writes: 'For me this photo represents that hugely satisfying feeling you get walking back across the meadow towards Flushing after a really good days work down at the creek, having a laugh with friends old and new!'
Loz says: 'After many months and many attempts we finally pulled the first pontoons together.'
Have an excellent festive period everyone!
XXX
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