Of all our years in Cornwall, for very obvious reasons, this has been the most testing to date.
Back in January, bookings were filling up our diary and some weekends during July and August were sold out eight months in advance. We all know what happened next but thankfully, on July 7, we opened our doors once more not really knowing what to expect.
Our village, which had shut itself down to the outside world was now preparing to welcome visitors again. There was a mix of excitement anxiety and everything in between. For us, personally, the dawn of a new normal was very much a journey into the unknown.
We didn’t know what to expect, how people would be towards us and we would then react towards them. The friendly welcome and warm hospitality would remain, at a distance, although breakfast and other parts of guests’ stays would have to change.
Thankfully, the vast majority of those we have welcomed into our home since early July have been understanding at the measures we have put in place. We have stressed that these changes are temporary and the sooner we can revert to the old normal, whenever that is, we will.
However, a tiny percentage haven’t been so understanding and this is something that everyone in our beautiful quaint village has noticed. From Tom at the Fisherman’s Chippy, Mikou at She Shells, even our friendly Fountain Inn landlord Billy, they have all experienced visitors’ disappointment that COVID-19 measures are very much in place, despite Cornwall, thus far, largely escaping the might of this deadly disease.
In fact, one guest commented to us that we had taken COVID precautions too far, all because he couldn’t have a full-English breakfast each morning. In some respects, there was sympathy with said gentleman as Lara’s breakfasts are fabulous and a huge part of why people return to Tregorran year-on-year. Nevertheless, for some people, being able to just get away doesn’t seem to be good enough and the hospitality industry can’t do right from wrong.
We shouldn’t take this kind of comments to heart, but this is our business and our livelihood that could be adversely affected because A Person failed to see the bigger picture. Thankfully, our very next online comment was overwhelmingly positive and kind of restored our faith in what we were doing and how we are doing it.
With A Person’s cooked breakfast tantrum still not fully out of our thoughts, we decided to get away from it all last Sunday in an attempt to cleanse our weary minds and tested patience.
The four of us along with Nanny (Jackie) took ourselves to the water on board the fantastically restored vessel ‘Sea Scan’ for a harbour tour. A former fishing survey boat which was originally based in Whitehaven, Cumbria, current captain Rob has owned her since 2015.
Letting go from the outer harbour, on a flat calm day, with the sun beating down, the five of us quite literally left any negativity behind as we chugged out past the breakwater and into pure tranquility.
What happened next was the most amazing feat of nature which, in four years of living here in Mevagissey, we had never seen before. ‘Dolphins’ screamed one of our fellow passengers enthusiastically and captain Rob confirmed the excitable child’s sighting as ahead of the vessel, just to the starboard side, there were two pods of dolphins.
As we got closer to the pod, the dolphins put on our own very special show and lept from the Cornish water with regularity. It really was a sight to behold and after our trip was over, our cooked breakfast complainer wasn’t at the forefront of our minds anymore.
And therein lies the sheer beauty of Cornwall and especially Mevagissey. Captain Rob and ‘Sea Scan’ are just one of several boating trips you can embark on whilst staying here in the village. Brian Ball, when he’s not out catching scollops, will also take you on a harbour cruise, whilst the popular ferry to Fowey – not for those without sea legs – continues to operate.
Now, with minds cleansed, we are ready for Autumn and a return to the school routine too. We are fully booked until week commencing Monday, September 21, with some availability for the rest of the month and good availability in October.
We can’t promise dolphins, nor a full english breakfast, but we are now felling better for getting away from it all on Sunday and after a staycation in Mevagissey, you could too.
In our next post, we’ll talk about a very special award and our plans for 2021.
Gareth, Lara, Toby and Olivia xx.
For more information and to book a trip on ‘Sea Scan’ with captain Rob, click here