Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas Everyone!! So here is our not too long message about what Oliver, Elizabeth and I have been up to in 2012! 

Thinking back to the beginning of the year many of the months seem to blur into each other rather a lot. I was very busy finishing my foundation degree in Marine Science and the children were settled well into nursery and school. More memorable recollections include a week of fabulous diving in Egypt for myself and an indulgent Easter in Cawsand with my folks who as usual boosted the sales of Cadburys by a noticeable proportion. I also spent a week camping on the Scillies as part of my course which was very enjoyable and I relished the remoteness and isolation while being surrounded by rugged beauty and dramatic seascapes.

 

When summer arrived and I had handed in my last piece of coursework it was then time to spend much more time with the children and we went camping, visited even more beaches than usual and enjoyed spending time together without the pressure of deadlines. Once Oliver had finished school for the summer we joined mum and dad (aka Nanny and Grandpa beach) in France aboard Midnight Hour for an unforgettable trip and four weeks of exploring islands off the south coast of Brittany. Highlights were seals, dolphins and of course quaint little French harbours complete with patisseries, creperies and local markets. The trip was finished with a city break in Vanne before I ventured home to the UK and the children went to their other Grandparents (aka Nanny and Grandad chicken). They live in Northern Brittany and The Children, Kirk, Shona and Martha spent two weeks relaxing in their lovely garden and swimming pool as well as exploring the local area and venturing out on their motor boat. On their return it was again time for school, not only for Oli though as it was now time for Liz to don a smart grey uniform and join the reception class of Trannack School. After a few weeks though I made the massive decision to move them from their lovely little school to our local school in Cury. It is equally lovely but instead of the 20 minute drive each way we now walk around the corner and the total journey time is about five minutes. Both children have settled in really well and the past few weeks has seen them performing their nativity, a trip to the pantomime and two Christmas parties.

 

All in all we have had a brilliant 2012 which was topped off by me finishing my course and being awarded Plymouth Uni student of the year for Cornwall College. I continue to volunteer with Cornwall Seal Sanctuary, Cornwall Seal Group and The Helford Marine Conservation Group until September when I start my Honours degree top up at Cornwall College. In July I am hoping to complete a trek around Cornwall to finalise my gap year and raise money for Grey Seal Conservation in Cornwall. Be assured I will let you know the details soon and would love everyone’s support!

 

 

 

 

We wish you all a fabulous 2013 and hope you are surrounded by good health, love and success in everything you do!

All our best                                     

Oliver, Elizabeth and Jessica xxxxxx

 

 

 

Canadian Seal Cull

Prevent a massive cull of grey seals

Click on picture or heading above to sign a petition to stop the Canadian Senate culling 1000's of seals!!!

I am a whole hearted follower of many conservation pages on facebook. Hundreds of people put in vast amounts of effort to communicate many terrible occurances to animals across our planet , always due to human activity. Some of these occur through ignorance, some through greed and some through various cultures. I just don't get though how a developed, relatively rich and technologically advanced country can come to the conclusion that butchering thousands of seals is a solution? Even when scientists and experts are telling them not to?? Even when they still allow boats to go out and take every last fish out of the sea? I am apauled at the humans involved in even suggesting this. I wonder how many of them would support something like the slaughter of dolphins in Japan or the Shark Fin industry, or perhaps whaling?? I bet it would be the minority if any, but seals oh no seals they need to be culled because they eat all our fish, even if it was us humans who took a wopping 70% out of the sea in the first place!!! ggrrrrrrrrrr! it makes me so cross! ok rant over x x




more information :o( :o(

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2012/10/23/nl-senate-grey-seals-cull-1023.html

A prayer and a wish for the dolphins of Taiji and The Cove Guardians

Save Japan Dolphins Taiji Cove Monitors Page on Facebook

This is really a very difficult page to follow as every night there are photos of the boats going out to hunt for dolphins and I know that in the morning their profile pic will either be blue or red. I find myself saying a dolphin prayer every night and I am not even religious??

https://sites.google.com/site/trekcornwall/home

 

 

 

Please check out my website for Trek Cornwall 2013 and my quest to raise awareness of North Atlantic Grey Seals and their conservation.

Helford River Kayak Clean Up

Below is a flyer for my latest event, I am really looking forward to this, plus it will be a really good insite into where we need to focus our energy!!

 

Trek Cornwall 2013 planned route

 

This is my planned route for the trek, I just need to calculate distances and plan my days now!!!

 

 

 

for previous posts  about my trek please see

 

 http://bluecoastcraft.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/trek-cornwall-2013.html

 

http://bluecoastcraft.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/interesting-start.html

 

http://bluecoastcraft.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/for-past-few-months-i-have-been-toying_9.html

I got published :o)

Volunteers were asked to write something for the Helford VMCA newsletter. I thought I would write a thank you letter and it got published!! yey :o)

When the newsletter arrived it was mainly filled with very informative articles about recent events and scientific findings, non the less there on the back was my rather different peice trying to point out why we all do the work we do - I just hope it worked??

June was a very wet affair with very little opportunity to get outside without donning a full set of waterproofs or an umbrella.  It was a lovely surprise one afternoon when collecting my children from school to feel warm rays of sunshine hitting my cheek, an almost unfamiliar sensation. I quickly called some friends and within minutes it was arranged to meet at Tremayne Quay for a fire and some supper.  Half expecting the weather to disappoint us I put the children in welly boots and packed coats along with a large picnic fit for an army platoon.

I love the walk to ‘The Quay’ and today was even more beautiful than usual, the relentless rain had made the woodlands’ various shades of green almost luminous, throwing colour out like an oil painting. It was a real treat to see various wild flowers blooming with colour, some still with rain drops glistening in the sun as it beamed through the canopy.

On arrival a fire was prepared and after a cool dip in the sparkling still waters of ‘The River’ we all tucked into a tasty fire cooked meal of sausages, corn on the cob and vegetable kebabs. As we sat quietly devouring the food we watched others making the most of the sunny spell, kayakers and other watercraft pootled up and down the river, leaving a trail of ripples which lapped onto the beaches as it reached the shores.

You are probably wondering why I am writing an article of such an ordinary affaire which many of us are lucky enough to regularly participate along various locations of the river or coast. My answer is that due to the weather preventing this from occurring as frequently as usual I felt overwhelmed at how fortunate we are. I often take The Helford River for granted but not only do we have such wonderful places to spend our free time, we are also lucky to have people who care enough to look after it.  So thank you to all the volunteers and members of the HMCG and also other organisations who contribute, making our river one of the most beautiful places in Cornwall.

Please, if you feel you have any free time available to volunteer for the HMCG please email…………….there are many ways in which you can help and we have various opportunities available. We look forward to hearing from you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hope you like it??

Trek Cornwall 2013

No I haven't forgotten this and I am currently trying to compose a website so I can receive sponsorship money but also pass information on about the charities I am doing it for, a training plan and of course information about Grey Seal Conservation. So watch this space for a link soon.


I am planning on doing a three day trial in a few weeks time and then I can estimate how long it will take me and what equipment I need etc.... I plan to take a a little seal around with me so I can photograph him at various locations en route. Oh I am so excited to be doing this and for such an important cause! I think Grey Seals are wonderful ambassadors for all local marine creatures as many of the plights they face also effect other species. I feel under pressure from myself to raise as much as I possibly can!!

 

related blog

Windmill Farm

On a recent trip to windmill farm on the Lizard I managed to get a few shots I was very happy with!!

 

 

 The place is absolutely filled with wildlife and usually very quiet. I spent an hour in the hide watching a couple of buzzards hunting for their tea but with no success - atleast not while I was there?? If you are passing I reccomend a visit, it is free and really very lovely :o)

Windmill Farm, Lizard

 

Some old pics I found

 A wintery walk on the cliffs last year................

 

 

I have been looking through my hard drive of pictures from last year and came across this collection. They were taken last half term when we had friends to stay so I got in the photo myself for a change :o)

 

 

 

The children patiently waiting for the picture to be taken

 

 

 

yes he did get wet :o)

 

Elizabeth looking rather fresh faced - I remember it was rather chilly

 

The local mountain goats

 

 

 

Wintery Sunset

 

 

The Isles of Scilly

Earlier this year I visited Bryher one of the Isles of Scilly off the South Western tip of Cornwall they are one of the most beautiful places on Earth and we are very lucky to live so close by!!

 

 

 

 

Some friends and I enjoying the beautiful and wild scenery as the sun was setting

 

 

We found some beach art which people have been adding to - it seems to work as this was the cleanest beach on the island!!

 

The various spring vegetation was blooming with colour and softened the harsh granite formed archipelagos.

 

 

 

I hope to visit again very soon! 

 

 



The Rubbish problem with marine litter!!!

The other day I went to checkout another little pup for British Divers Marine Life Rescue, what I saw reminded me of this image I saved on my computer but sadly don't know who came up with it or else I would link to it,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

 

 

 

Like most Marine Animals marine plastics and litter have a rather negative effect on Seals

 

 

 

 

 

 

These scars around the seals necks are caused by nets and rope getting caught around the seal as it is growing. Sadly they soon grow into it and it cuts right into its flesh. Some seals live like this throughout their life with great open wounds which are extremely painful. If a seal is lucky the net or rope will eventually break but they still wear terrible scars showing what the have had to endure!!

 

 

 

 

 

When I got to the little pup on the beach it was surrounded by harmful debris.............

 

 

 

 

The pup totally unaware of any danger used the litter as a toy.

 

 

 

Today I went there and saw this.....

 

 

 

 

 

Luckily the pup was on the other side of the beach!!

 

 

 

 

 For more info

http://www.cornwallsealgroup.co.uk/