Fishing At Clodgy Point

The weather was just right. The tide was out. We were going to travel further afield, but fishing was suggested by Alfie. And crabbing. Not for those tiddlers you find in the rock pools. The big ones, or 'Leviathans', as Sam used to call them. Rods and crab lines were collected. A bucket for our haul. Some bacon from the fridge in lieu of Sand Eels. And off we went. We parked up at Gramps' house, which overlooks Porthmeor and made the walk to Clodgy.

Clodgy Point is the first outcrop along this stretch of the footpath between St Ives and Zennor. Marc has fished off here since he was a boy, and over the years we have taken our boys, nephews and friends there too. It is a popular spot, and we have caught some great fish. It was the first time we had taken Olly to fish there. He was very excited, carrying Alfie's old fishing rod as he went.

 The hope is that something takes a bite. Sooner rather than later when you are fishing with young children. Marc and I pretended that the bait had been nibbled as we reeled in the line and casted off again. It kept Olly's interest up. The truth is we had nothing. Not a look in from the crabs or the fish.

Just as Olly's concentration had started to wane and he had handed his rod to Marc, up came two Crabs fighting over the bacon. We all clapped and cheered. Marc reeled them in and they dangled right in front of Olly. He did what most three year olds would do when faced with the sight of two angry crustaceans; he started to cry! It was probably all the excitement and anticipation that did it. Alfie got these waring pair into the bucket for Olly to have a closer look. Once he did he was thrilled, and sat watching them eat the bait.

We didn't catch anything else, but that didn't matter to Olly. He had caught two Crabs. We let them go before we got off the rocks, and watched them scuttle back into the sea. The boys played on the rocks at Clodgy while Marc and I sat in the sunshine. It was a lovely afternoon. Olly fell asleep in Marc's arms on the way back to the car. He didn't wake up. He slept through tea, and stayed asleep when I changed him for bed. He wandered into our room at about eleven, and slept until morning.

It wasn't the only wildlife we saw. We were visited by a couple of seals as we sat on the rocks. They bobbed about for a while looking at us. They seemed to be intrigued by what we were doing. There were sea birds diving off the rocks fishing too. We found lots of hairy mammoth caterpillars marching over the grass. There were some beautiful flowers still out there, being buffeted by the sea breeze. And Butterflies. Loads of them.

It has been a good weekend all round. Hope yours has been good too.

Leanne xx


(It's so lovely to have a place right on your doorstep that gives the children the chance for unfettered freedom.  To be able to see this as part of our backyard, as it were, is  source of constant joy for me. I wish I could convey the peace and beauty for you. My hope is that the boys will grow up, and maybe bring their own children here one day, to repeat the cycle of exploring their environment in such a blissful way).