Brisons


The Brisons is a twin-peaked islet in the Celtic Sea situated 1 mile offshore from Cape Cornwall in Cornwall, on the south-western coast of Great Britain.

Geography

The Brisons are and high and are said to resemble General Charles de Gaulle lying on his back. The rocks are connected to Gribba Point by the Guthen Gwidden reef. The gap in the reef is called the Adgiwar Gap. In 1878, an article in the Cornishman newspaper names the reef between the ″Brissons″ and the land as Bridges, and the reef had three gaps; the nearest known as Rose-an-pons.

Wildlife and ecology

In 2016 the rocks were visited by the West Cornwall Ringing Group where they heard at least two European storm petrel calling; an indication of breeding on the only known site in Cornwall. Sixty-six birds were ringed:
In 1851, the 250 ton brig New Commercial was wrecked, striking the ledge between the Great and Little Brisons. A dramatic rescue of the surviving crew was attempted, resulting in the death of all but two of the members. As a result, the National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck established a lifeboat in Sennen Cove in 1853, where one is still based today.

Recreation

During "Cape sports" an annual water sports event based on the beach at Cape Cornwall, swimming races are conducted from the Brisons back to the beach.