During WW2 the Royal Marines Boom Patrol Detachment,  later to go on to become the SBS Special Boat Service took part in Operation Frankton. These brave men were immortalised by the film ‘Cockleshell Heroes’ and the boats used during the daring operation were tested out here in the surf of Praa Sands.  Just click on the video below or scroll down to see more information and more videos of these brave heroes.            https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Frankton 

The canoes were designed by Herbert ‘Blondie’ Hasler who was an inventor and pioneering yachtsman who led the daring raid.  Combined Operations commander Admiral Louis Mountbatten regarded it as “the most courageous and imaginative of all the raids ever carried out by the men of Combined Operations” please see the video below on the daring raid and click on the link for more information on this brave man.

  https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/herbert-blondie-hasler-cockleshell-hero

"See you at the Savoy" was the promise to each other, thes men agreed should they survive the mission.  There were 5 canoes and 10 men.  8 men were drowned or captured and then shot.  The 2 men that completed the mission then walked accross occupied France and accross the Piranees to Spain  This film is featured Bill Sparks one of the 2 heroes that survived the mission.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Sparks 

Please click and see how the Canoe's looked  via  https://nmmc.co.uk/object/boats/aluminium-canoe-3/Blondie 

Also Haslar designed a remarkable Junk that he nicknamed Jester because when finished he said "it looks like a bloody Joke."  But along with the Cockleshell design he helped design you can see his inspiration was unique.  Please see the video below.