When I described the proposed Kingsbridge mooring pontoons last month, I thought that was it. Not at all: it’s all changed into something even better. Everything has now been agreed by the Harbour Board, with building planned for next autumn so that the new pontoons should be ready in March 2014.
The final scheme is to replace the current residents’ pontoon with a single, straight, greenheart piled, 220m 132-berth pontoon, with fingers both sides. It will run 16m parallel to the car park and connect to it by a bridge where the visitors’ pontoon is now. The current visitors’ pontoon will probably be removed but, in any case, the new pontoon will have a similar-sized visitors’ section in the centre, accessible both sides, and reinforced to allow the ferry to take on disabled passengers. The new pontoon will start more than 100m from the top of the basin and stretch down to the slip, but no further. Apart from a few greenheart piles for a single alongside drying-out berth, there will be no more wall moorings, no more ladders and no more (expensive to maintain) stern chains; and the top of the basin will be completely free of boats. It should make Kingsbridge most attractive.
This is such an important development. The difficult weather and diminishing number of visiting yachts has focussed attention on making the most of the facilities within the harbour, so that crews sheltering from strong winds and rough seas can have fun things to do – like go to the beach (Salcombe is unique in having golden sandy beaches inside the harbour) and venture up to Kingsbridge, Frogmore and, of course, South Pool. There’s much more to do than in many other harbours and this is a considerable strength. But we have to make it known and we have to have good facilities to welcome people: Kingsbridge should now have these when the new pontoons are in place.
The latest Harbour Newsletter contains, amongst other things, the design for the new shower block in Salcombe (at last, although worryingly the builders don’t seem to have started yet) and the new Fish Quay. You get this by googling South Hams Salcombe Harbour and going to Latest News (am I doing myself out of a job?). On the way you will find a useful live link to the weather at Prawle Point. Have a Happy Christmas.
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.