It is rare to find a Cornish harbour which faces southwest, directly into the prevailing winds, and Porthleven's development as a port was always hampered by its orientation. Doubtless, Porthleven would have remained a small fishing inlet to this day had not there been an overriding need, in the early nineteenth century, for a harbour of refuge along this forbidding lee shore to which ships could run in times of distress. The National Seal Sanctuary is set in the picturesque Helford Estuary, by the beautiful village of Gweek, in Cornwall. The Sanctuary is a busy rescue centre, and also has resident Grey Seals, Californian and Patagonian Sea Lions, Goats, Ponies and Otters.
National Seal Sanctuary website: http://www.sealsanctuary.co.uk/corn1.html |
