The Looe Old Cornwall Society held its annual trip up the West Looe River on Tuesday 17th May 2011 in the evening. Whilst the trip is always called "The Kingfisher Trip" it is a bit of a misnomer as we have never seen a Kingfisher. This is not because they are not there, but purely because we have so much fun and make such a noise of laughter and enjoyment that the little wily blue and red birds are well out of it before we get near them.
This year, as usual we had two full boats. Beyond Watergate the going gets tough. Overhanging branches threaten to wipe you off the boat unless you sit well down on the floor. Alligators and pythons are not to be seen but easy to imagine. The two boats skippered by Clark Barnham and Colin Crabb were expertly negotiated between the branches, although with the rising spring tide the Secretary did get the tides wrong and we couldn’t quite make Shallow Pool. Next year the advice of the boatman will be taken! However close to our objective we moored up and had wine and nibbles, which kept the Kingfishers even more away! A one-minute silence was held purely to listen to silence. It was delightful and complete. What a great time. By popular demand the trip will certainly be back next year and some members have requested we do it again in September of this year. Maybe…. watch this space.
Peter King
Here is a series of photos taken that momentous evening!