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Please join us at St.Ives’ most venerable venue for a seasonal funraising get-together and let’s raise some funds whilst we’re about it!
We’ve laid on a variety of entertainment and, of course, great company is guaranteed.
Tickets are only £7 (NB food will not be available at the event)
But hurry as tickets for this delightful old venue are limited; this event will sell out!
Book yours now via this link: https://form.jotform.com/223324927974061
Presentation of a new tiller for BARNABAS. This was one aspect of the cancelled event (see below) that we were able to reschedule. In recognition of her origins and her 140 years, St.Ives Town Council made a substantial contribution the cost of a new tiller which they presented to her crew during a special event organised by the Jumbo Association at the Guildhall on Friday 18 November. Tony Mason’s video captures the community-atmosphere of the occasion which made front page news!
BOATS IN THE BAY 2022 9th/10th September (This event was cancelled folowing the death of Her Majesty the Queen).
Saturday 10th September will be a special day for St.Ives. The celebratory atmosphere generated in the streets by the opening of the September Festival will once again extend out across the water into the harbour and bay.
After a break of several years, the St.Ives Jumbo Association is to revive ‘Boats in the Bay’- their former annual gathering of traditional boats, in order to celebrate the anniversary of a very special visitor to the town.
The fishing lugger, Barnabas, which was built in St.Ives in 1881, is to pay a courtesy visit to the town. During her visit she will be returning to Porthgwidden – the very beach from which she was launched an incredible 140 years ago – predating even the original Jumbos themselves!
“Barnabas is an extraordinary survivor from the heyday of fishing; a living representative of St.Ives’ maritime heritage. To put it in terms that today’s festival audience might appreciate: her courtesy visit is a maritime equivalent of Stanhope Forbes visiting the Tate!” explained Jonny Nance, one of the event organisers, adding
“As the town prepares for another arts festival, it’s worth remembering that it was the activity within this bustling fishing port that attracted the early artist-settlers in the first place, providing them with an ever-changing and irresistible subject. Together, we hope to provide an opportunity for the town to acknowledge not only her recent artistic heritage but also her equally illustrious maritime heritage that prevailed before the artists came.”
On Friday 9th September, Barnabas will sail 40 miles ‘round land’ (around Lands’ End) from Newlyn using the wind and tide much as she would have done 140 years ago. Today she is sailed and maintained by members of the Cornish Maritime Trust.
Weather-permitting, she will be met off St.Ives Head by the Jumbos and a flotilla of small boats to escort her to the harbour. A welcoming reception of St.Ives town councillors, family and friends will be held at the Council Chambers in the Guildhall from 6pm.
On Saturday afternoon there’s to be a Parade of Sail in the bay followed by the ever-popular ‘scully’ relay race in the harbour soon after high tide at 6pm. (Scullying is local word for the technique of propelling a boat with a single oar over the stern). Scully-racing as a relay was introduced in 2013 by The St.Ives Jumbo Association as a more entertaining and manageable spectator sport to help revive the technique. It provides the highlight for Mousehole’s biennial festival, Sea Salts and Sail and is spreading across the county.
St.Ives Museum will be mounting a special exhibition in support of Barnabas’ visit.
David ‘Tatty’ Muirhead 1950-2021. A personal tribute to our friend and founder-member.
Following in Greta’s wake, the G7 2021 comes to St.Ives.
“A symbol of regeneration, respect for the past and a commitment to a low-carbon future…” Could this be St.Ives’ ambassador for 2021?
Working with Covid: A report on first maintenance session of 2021.
Sunday 3 January ’21. Tony, Jim & Scott met at the barn at 11am for the first session of the year. Each masked up and working on different boats with both sets of double doors wide open and a breeze blowing through, good initial progress was made.
The small amount of remaining sand in the punt was removed and the lower planks and bottom boards given a coat of wood preserver. She is now ready for oiling next time.
Both jumbos had the sand brushed down and some removed from the bilges. The bilge paint was scraped down and the bare wood treated with wood preserver. Next time we can hopefully get the rest of the sand out and repaint the bilges.
Lockdowns permitting, the next session will be over the weekend of Sat 16 & Sun 17 January when we hope to hire a generator so we can hoover out the last of the sand. In the meantime, if anyone would like to help, all the jumbo sole boards need treating with wood preserver. A simple job that can be done anytime.
Please contact Scott if you would like to help (07941 058509).
18 November ’20. In view of the photo below, you’ll be relieved to hear all the boats are now safely ashore where our volunteers have a new shed waiting for them. Maintenance sessions begin again on Sunday 3 January, lockdown permitting. Please call Scott Bowring 07941 058509 before travelling.
27 October ’20. Time to start thinking about recovering the boats!
10 October ’20. Success snatched from the jaws of disappointment. A dozen members showed up for sail but it was decided there was too much wind to sail despite the deceptively calm conditions inside the harbour. So the punts were called into action including the seldom used standing lug rig that one carries. So, whilst some practiced scullying others had an exhilerating sail around the harbour dodging moorings.
19 September ’20.
July ’20 The Jumbos are back! Despite everything, we’ve finally managed to launch our boats. However, crews will have to be limited to 3 to comply with social distancing. Please contact Scott Bowring 07941 058509 for details.
