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About Us

Hayle’s advantages as a commercial harbour have been its geography and geology. Situated on the southern side of St Ives Bay, where the peninsula is narrow enough to move cargoes easily overland to the channel ports, it allowed traders to avoid the Western Approaches.
 
The estuary is formed by two tidal lakes, the Est Loe, fed by the Angarrack River, and Lelant Water to the south west fed by the Hayle River which funnel seaward through narrow Carnsew Channel over the potentially dangerous shoals of the Harbour Bar. At low water Copperhouse Pool dries out to a small river bed, while Carnsew has substantial tidal movement but retains water at all states of the tide. The tides can be very strong, and the unexpected surges, created by a heavy ground swell, build up on the Bar during bad weather are a navigational problem well known to even the earliest sailors. Once ships gained the inner estuary, however, they had a very safe anchorage.

Tin streaming began at least 4,000 years ago and later mining activities from the 14th century to the 19th century deposited large quantities of silt in both pools.  Urgent measures had to be taken when the foundries opened in the 18th century and trade began to increase to allow larger vessels to enter the port. In 1768 a series of gates and tidal pools were built to control the silting by sluicing it out on the ebb tide.  This was followed in 1791 by a deep water channel linking Copperhouse Dock to the harbour. Sixty vessels a month entered the port by 1832.  This raised £1000 in port dues paid to St Ives but by 1862 after persistent lobbying Hayle was made a Statutory Port with its own Customs House Hayle has a rich historic heritage with many features recorded.  Many of these relate to the industrial development of Hayle associated with mining, smelting foundries and the harbour. The international significance of the historic heritage is recognised through the inclusion of the Port of Hayle in the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Site.
Hayle Estuary supports a number of habitats and species of local and national importance.  In particular it is renowned for its bird populations with more than 18,000 birds recorded in cold winters.  Because of this, much of the estuary is notified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).  A significant area was bought by the RSPB in 1992 and is now an important bird reserve. The Estuary is surrounded by dynamic beaches and sand dunes which are also Sites of Special Scientific Interest and Biodiversity Action Plan habitats.

On the estuary itself, there are over 15 recreational user groups whilst the harbour supports up to 140 boats (30 commercial) during the year. The use of the estuary by residents and visitors is increasing all the time. Co-operation between the various interest groups is helping to create a workable relationship between conservation, tourism and leisure activities contributing to a viable future for Hayle Harbour. 
The majority of the Hayle Estuary is owned and managed by the RSPB as a nature reserve.  The other major landowner is ING Real Estate Ltd.  ING Red UK is proposing redevelopment and regeneration of the harbour and associated land.  Hayle Harbour Authority Ltd. (HHAL) manages the harbour as a public harbour undertaking and is responsible for the tidal waters, harbour premises and the estuary byelaws. 

Under the Hayle Harbour Act 1989, HHAL’s work is informed by the Hayle Harbour Advisory Committee (HHAC), with members representing statutory and non-statutory interests and user groups