The Islands in the Bay – Chapter (036) Outings

 

It was a lovely sunny day, so they were up bright and early, and left Cliff Haven soon after, Danny and Sam took the boys on the Water Taxi to the neighboring island of St Giles, which is the smallest of the two Bay Islands, 6 miles long and 4 miles wide.

Following the formal end of the Roman occupation of Britain at the beginning of the 5th Century AD, the islands were largely unoccupied until the arrival of the Norman’s after their victory over King Harold at Hastings, when a minor nobleman, Gilbert du Beaumont, claimed the islands for himself, and took up residence on the larger Island which he promptly named after himself. 

He named the smaller island St Giles du Cabot in honour of his cousin and childhood friend who died of his wounds after the battle.

It was a rugged inhospitable and largely uninhabitable island surrounded by treacherous rocks. 

For hundreds of years following the dissolution of the monasteries a hardy community of Monks eked out a meagre existence before they had to share their seclusion when work on a lighthouse at Cabot point began in the middle of the 19th Century.

By the 21st Century, three quarters of the island is a Wildlife Sanctuary, there is a small Meteorological Station, a small Hotel, the Seaview, and the Monks, who now ran St Giles’s religious retreat, which meant there was a population of between 50 and a 150 people, depending on the time of year. 

There is no Church on the Island but for those of a religious bent were always welcome at the St Giles Chapel.

 

The port of Cabot Town, in the southwest corner, is actually just a hamlet, and is also not really a port, it’s just a jetty for the car ferry and a small quayside, where the Water Taxi moored.  

The fresh water on St Giles came from Hastings Lake, which was surrounded by woods, both courtesy of the Monks, who cleared the lake of silt and debris, then planted and managed the woodland.

Over the centuries the lake and woods had become an excellent source of sustenance in their lives.

 

There were two beaches on the eastern side of the island, Smuggler’s Beach is on the northeast coast below the cliffs, but no one knows why it got the name as there was no evidence to suggest it was ever used for smuggling.

The only other beach was Broad Beach Sands, a wide and deep expanse of yellow sand at the narrowest part of the island.

The whole southern end of the island below Broad Beach was the Wildlife Sanctuary and was out of bounds to residents and visitors alike and a permanent presence of wardens on the island keep the over inquisitive at bay.

However, visitors still had the beaches, bird watching and fishing in Hastings Lake to amuse them and the Seaview Hotel was the place they stayed.

 

Meanwhile, Molly and Emma went horse riding, Molly hadn’t ridden since leaving Colorado, and after speaking to her “go to” source of all things Beaumont Island, Katie Harrison, she recommended Woodside Farm, and gave her a phone number and directions.

The journey up to the farm was simple enough, straight through the village and take the second left onto Halfway Lane and then the first left onto Woodside Farm.

 

Woodside was the largest of the five farms on the island covering the whole of the southeast corner, a large wedge-shaped parcel of land bordered by Halfway Lane to the north, Spanish River and the Eagles Crag in the west and the rugged coastline from Manor Cliff Beach to Armada Head to the east.

The Beaumont family had once owned the whole island but after three successive heirs were killed in action during the Great War the accumulated death duties forced the only surviving Beamont, George, to sell off the estate in 1920, auctioning off the buildings, the port, and parcels of land.

Fortunately, the sale managed to raise enough to pay off the taxman, while being able to keep Woodside Farm and retain a Beaumont family presence on the island.

More than 100 years later the farm is run by the last remaining members of the family, George’s grandsons, fraternal twins, Joshua, and Ben.

 

When they arrived at the farm and parked the car they were greeted by the Beaumont brothers.

“Hello Molly pleased to meet you” Josh said and shook her hand “It’s true, you are the image of your mum.”

“You knew her?” she asked.

“She used to babysit us when we were small” Ben added “For her pains.”

“Thank you for this” Molly said.

“Our pleasure, Katie speaks very highly of you.”

“She’s very kind” Molly said. “This is Emma by the way”

Just then they were joined by their respective girlfriends Olivia and Tanya Shaw, who owned and operated The Shaw Brothers Ferry Company, and it was the Shaw girls who were going to ride with them.

 

Phil Holgate started the engines of the Water Taxi, and the boys got very excited.

The 40ft Downshire Duchy 22 Motor Launch, Ocean Breeze, did thrice daily crossings from Spaniards Creek to Cabot Town on St Giles.

It was a very calm crossing and Danny really enjoyed their boy’s day out, spending time with his brother and nephews was incredibly special.

Danny liked St Giles Island, and he would go again soon, but with Molly next time, they'd have to pick a day when the weather was good, maybe in the spring.

 

Molly had also had a good day and thoroughly enjoyed the riding and the company in equal measure and felt sure that the Beaumont’s and Shaw’s would become firm friends and that they would visit Woodside Farm again.

Both parties got back to the Cottage in Spaniards Creek at the same time, the boat party were cold but invigorated, and the girls were tired and sore after an enjoyable ride.