Cornwall, Day 34 (When We Needed a Rescue)

We had wanted to be in a boat, but didn't want to be sick while being in it. That is the difficulty when it comes to the sea. It moves.

So it wouldn't be a boat in the traditional sense of being taken miles along and seeing a lot of seals. I had already asked the nice man at the harbor if they might 'come back to the shore if someone is sick'. 


"Well, ah..no madam, we don't normally come back, really. Once you're in the boat, you pretty much stay in it until we are finished.."

So - no, that wouldn't be it. But we came across a little red sign with the words 'self driven boats for hire', and knew we had struck on a plan. We would drive our own boat!

We arrived at 9:00 a.m. and were given a nice, bright red craft. The young man told us what to do and how to do it, but not everything was crystal clear (it might have been the Cornish accent). Still, we were pretty sure we could handle it, and so off we went.

We took turns driving, and at first felt great confidence in our little boat. We were driving it out into the lovely waters off St Ives and Porthminster, when suddenly it quit. The engine lay in silence, and we were stranded. Not terribly far from the shore, but far enough not to think of yelling or anything. I reached for my phone.

However, daughter-of-Rosie found this message: "In case of need, wave your oar in the air." We held up the long black oar, and almost instantly another boat began hurrying out toward us. The young man finally got it running and said, "Right! off you go again," only to hear the engine quit again before he was 10 feet away.

And so, a second rescue. And then, a third when it stopped after he had gone back to shore. Three attempts, three rescues. By that time we probably wanted to quit just as much as our little engine did.

But it was absolutely beautiful out there. Nary a breath of wind anywhere, and no cloud. Calm, blue seas, and peace. We just let ourselves be taken care of, and be rescued.


We weren't finished with our fun, though. We tramped down to the Porthminster Beach Cafe, for breakfast. I enjoyed their granola, while my friend had poached eggs on toast, with smoked salmon. Some of our favorite things! But before very long, it became time for the railway station, and yet another goodbye. Sad!


With that goodbye, I would be left on my own again. On my own, to walk the pretty hills and Cornwall valleys, to continue the sweet story that deserves to be told, and to MAKE MY OWN FOOD! For I had been fed beautifully, here. And it was all delicious.

But I will be thinking ahead now, to when I will climb aboard that same train. And the three little blondes will no longer need to ask, "But when are you coming back, Grandma?

For I will be back, and no one will need to ask me that question again for a long, long time.


See you along the way!
the SconeLady