Fowey Today

Fun in store for the port's royal week

The last Royal Regatta Week in Fowey of this Millennium is to begin tomorrow (August 14) and run until August 21 with the traditional torchlight procession and fireworks bringing the fun to a close.

Sailing races will take place over four days, from the Tuesday through to the Friday, with the competitions being staged outside the harbour in the morning, and in the river during the afternoons. The youngsters will have their chance to demonstrate their prowess on the Friday when the under l6s race will be held.

The gigs will take over on the water on Saturday, when the Fowey River gig club will be host to gigs from throughout Cornwall, and from the other side of the River Tamar.

The new pontoon at Albert Quay will hold its first crab catching contest on Monday - with all crabs safely returned to the river after being counted. Other entertainment for Monday will include children's entertainment on the town quay, line dancing, the crowning of the carnival royalty and a flora dance led by Bugle Band, together with fireworks.

Children's entertainment and music for visitors and locals will be held on the town quay on the Tuesday, with raft races also planned, while on Wednesday the carnival itself will take to the streets - always a colourful event to watch, or take part in.

The Falmouth working boats will arrive in port on Thursday, while in the evening the Red Arrows are due to put on one of their daring displays, and the giant pasty will be brought over from Polruan in style.

Entertainment for youngsters is on Friday's agenda, together with the grand draw and the 'Last Night of the Proms' with Mount Charles Band. Children's sports will kick off the Saturday which will end with the Fowey sky being lit by torches and fireworks.

Trio of concerts

St Fimbarrus church at Fowey was due to host three concerts this week, and from Wednesday has been presenting an Eclipse flower festival entitled 'The Creation' due to run until August 16.

The concerts have included the Mevagissey male voice choir on Sunday, the Mount Charles Band on Tuesday and the appearance of opera singer Julian Jensen yesterday (Thursday).

Yacht in lobster pots

Fowey's relief Trent class lifeboat 'Dora Foster McDougall' was launched just after midday on August 6 to assist a yacht that had got tangled up in lobster pots just east of the Udder Rock.

Several other yachts stood by the 'Aoelian' from Plymouth until the lifeboat arrived. Coxswain Keith Stuart found both the screw and anchor of the boat had fouled the pot lines, and sent second coxswain, Steve Barker, into the water to cut the vessel free. Both the lifeboat and the yacht were then able to return to port.

The bishop will be the preacher

The Bishop of Truro, Rt Rev Bill Ind, will be the preacher at Regatta Service at St Fimbarrus church on August 15.

There will be the usual decoration of the church with sails, oars, anchors and buoys etc to give a nautical flavour.

At 6pm there will be a Songs of Praise on the town quay led by the church choir, the theme this year being 'darkness to light'.