A veritable feast

We must have looked a sight, making absolute and complete pigs of ourselves, we devoured, partook, scoffed, guzzled on lobster, gorged on crab, feasted on mussels, breakfasted, lunched and suppered; delighted in all the produce on display throughout the day. There was; Laughing Lobster fish cakes, scrumptious cheeses, intoxicating local ales, subtle wines for tasting, live shellfish, cooked shellfish, wet fish, smoked fish, fresh caught, cooked in Clovelly, on a plate with a bread roll fish, a day full of and for local products. This was the Clovelly Lobster and Crab feast.

We even let in the French connection, with their cider and bread, their olives and garlic, their crepes and their proud Tricolour, a little corner of France.

Lobster lunches were available and greedily consumed at the Roaring Red Lion Hotel, while local celebrity fisherman, "John Tuna Ad Glover," was seen dressed as a chef, serving lobster risotto and lobster bisque to eager, hungry, customers,

Hope Coves' Sue Morgan, willow lobster pot maker was displaying her craft and her wares, using skills once common amongst small fishing communities, now the creation of the old and the enthusiast. few fishermen remain that have the traditional skills and knowledge of the bygone lobsterman.

The day continued with people keen to join the magic show, interested in the maritime bird boxes on sale, browsing along the Clovelly Silversmiths stall, fascinated by the hypnotized lobster, Intrigued by the lobster quadrille, a Wonderlandful experience with children and parents led by Alice on a merry dance around the beach.

Seabourne melodies with haunting nautical lyrics float across the quay pool, filling the day with a sense of tradition while remembering that the fish that are caught are hard won and fought for, through endless, thankless days of summer winds and winter storms, many the fisherman lost, many the widow left behind.

But everyone that came went home the better, everyone that visited left happy, contented, full of the atmosphere of the day, brimming with shellfish, stuffed with crustacea, satisfied by molluscs, bloated by indulgence, pleasantly exhausted with the lively, jovial, end of season happiness, that filled the harbour and the village. It was a successful day, a good day, and one that we wait expectantly for next year.