Well, the Sennen relief lifeboat did have to go out, details at
www.sennen-cove.com/recent.htm . Terry George (the Coxswain) did get
interviewed for the BBC news, and they showed some rough seas at the
lighthouse. Shame it was Longships, with Land's End clear in the
background.

The 5-6 metre swell at the time was big enough, it was not possible to
get the lifeboat around Land's End & back to Sennen, but the swell is
still forecast to be at least twice that size tomorrow morning. The
good advance warning means Newlyn Harbour is full with fishing boats,
and there are already boats sheltering in Mount's Bay. The harbour
walls in Mousehole are shut to cars, virtually every boat now out of
Penzance harbour etc.

I always find it a bit strange that there are always warnings for
tidal surges, river flooding, gales, but rarely for a large sea, which
is what causes the greatest amount of damage down here. So, on those
occasions when there is a very large sea, but no gales (not true this
time) there is never a warning. There have been a number of occasions
in recent years when there has been significant damage, but no
warning, for exactly this reason. (The person who bought a property
off me in Mousehole had her car written off after it was washed into
the sea, on exactly one of these occasions. 'Threshold values for a
coastal location had not been met' - according to the MetO. I'd like
to know what the inland theshold values for a large sea are.)

The advance publicity this time means there are a number of people
heading down the A30 with surfboards on the car roof, hoping to catch
there biggest wave so far.

I'll stop waffling on now, otherwise I might mention scattered showers

Graham
Penzance

Of course - why not come & see Cornwall in winter www.easterling.freeserve.co.uk/