Looe Island
Situated in Looe Bay just a few hundred yards from the shore lies St. George's Island or more locally known as Looe Island. Looe Island lies just off the shore from Hannafore Point on the town's Western side. Looe Island acts as a natural breakwater making for safer bathing from East Looe's golden sandy beach. St. George's Island has a varied history and was featured on BBC's "Coast" programme this year (2009). Ledgend suggests that Joseph of Arimethea landed on the island with the Christ child presumably to trade tin. Later, the island became of place of pilgrimage and monks established a monastery.
In later times smuggling became prevelent on the island as it was in many Cornish ports and harbours with the island becoming a great natural hide away to stash such loot ready for its final destination on the mainland. Looe and Polperro have since become renowned as traditional Cornish harbous that are steeped in smuggling history.
The island has also in more recent times had two full time residents in Miss Evelyn Atkins and her sister Babs who were self contained on their island paradise for many years living in the island cottages which they fell in love with after holidaying in Cornwall many years before.
Today, the island is owned and managed by the Cornish Wildlife Trust and can be visited daily via a boat taxi service where boarding takes place weather permitting near East Looe's long sandy beach.
26th August 2009.
This Visitor Attractions Cornwall article was created on 31st August 2009
