Contacts
Harbour Master   tel no 01637 872809  #12  

This is another of the drying, Cornish fishing harbours but was initially developed in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries for the export of Cornish minerals from inland. It is tucked away in the South West corner of Newquay Bay underneath the prominent Atlantic Hotel (huge white building) and is well sheltered from the South and West though it is exposed to Northerlies and North easterlies.

There is an elongated mole in the middle of the harbour (used nowadays to store lobster pots and other fishing gear) originally built to enlarge the area available for loading ore ships and was connected to the South Quay by a trellis bridge along which ran tram lines. At its southern end beside the Rowing Clubhouse you can see the entrance to the tunnel and tram tracks used to bring the ore down to the harbour. 

 There can be quite a surge in this harbour in adverse winds which is why you’ll find that all the boats are moored on unusually long, heavy warps (even when rafted up) along the South Pier.  The harbour is not much visited by cruising yachts as the more popular Padstow is only a couple of hours or so further up the coast but it should be born in mind as a very useful alternative should conditions over Padstow’s “Doom Bar” be unsuitable for inward passage. 

 Newquay is famous for its gig racing and on most evenings they can be found training. This sport is massively popular up and down this coast and over to the Scillies. The oldest boat on record is still rowed here; built in 1812!!

This town is a hugely popular holiday resort and in the mid season is packed.  The Victorians were the first to flock here when the railway was built and the clarity of its light was much admired by painters (as it was all over the Cornish peninsular, giving rise to the “Newlyn School” of painting). It has remained popular and became the home of the UK version of the “Beach Boys” when surfing went global from California in the sixties and seventies and has remained as such ever since. 

Down by the harbour the town is not so “quaint” as St Ives; the streets are long and straight as opposed to narrow and windy, there isn’t the cluster of fishermen’s cottages around the harbour and it has a more “planned” atmosphere, as it was indeed planned to get ore to the sea by the most direct means possible.
The best time to come here is in the early summer or late in the season otherwise you will be swamped by “grockles” (or “emmits”)

We have dealt with the routes round Lands End in our article on St Ives

If coming from St Ives stand well out from The Stones off Godrevy Island and watch out for the Bawden Rocks north of St Agnes Head (Outside or inside; your choice) You’ll note that some parts of this coast are “Unsurveyed”; presumably no one of Their Majesties’ loyal subjects fancied going that close in shore to swing the lead although, no doubt, you’ll find Cornish Lobster Pot Men in there!

Further north, off Penhale Point there’s that wreck to avoid but basically if you leave the NCM off the Stones on 050°T you’ll arrive off Towan Head about three hours later and ready to turn in towards the bay. There can be nasty overfalls off Towan Head so give it a healthy berth. You’re not home and dry yet though; don’t be tempted to make for the Atlantic Hotel as you need to stand off round the Old Dane Rock and the Listrey Rock before making for the harbour. If you wait until the light on the end of the South pier is well open behind that on the North Pier (ie to the left of) you’ll then be clear to turn in for the harbour mouth.

From the North you will have come down from Trevose Head having passed between The Bull and Quies. You can just shape a course directly for Newquay from there and, if you want to enter the harbour you have the choice of pegging the flood or arriving on the ebb just too late to get inside!! If you left Padstow about an hour before high water and make it round to Trevose Head around slack you may just make it down here in time to slip alongside just inside the East harbour wall but remember, you’ll be in competition with the fishermen for that slot and you’ll need to maintain a good 5kts through the water.
 

Most visiting yachts who can take the ground tie up alongside a ladder on the South wall but be warned, if there is any ground swell you would be better going on to St Ives or back to Padstow because the South wall is unsuitable in heavy ground swell.

You will find that the local fishing boats tie up here on long heavy warps to combat surge so you will have to go quite a long way in to find a spare ladder. (about abeam the Harbour Master's shack. They charge (2022) a flat rate of £18.00  per night per boat up to 12 metres

 The alternative is to anchor out in the bay.  The Reeds Almanac mentions Gannel Creek just to the South of Newquay as a possible anchorage for shallow draft boats but you are talking eighteen inches draft, at HW Springs and with the aid of a white walking stick; there’s nothing in the way of buoyage or withies. They’ve had nothing but trouble with silting here since the 1800s when they used to chase along the cliffs with warps to departing ships in case they ran aground!!

Their website can be found at:-

Newquay - Cornwall Harbours

There’s water from taps on the quay and public toilets available close by.  The rowing club has changing rooms and showers. Petrol and diesel is a long way away on the outskirts of the town but the HM may be able to help out if you ask him nicely.  Provisions, Gas & Gaz refills can be obtained in the town.

As you would expect there is plenty of choice here. 
Other than that, Beer in the Evening website lists 43 pubs with reviews and you can find them at

http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/results.shtml?l=Newquay