The start of new season is when we get the final news about the old season. Another year, another fall in the number of visiting yachts – we are now getting about 600 fewer than five years ago – but another, relatively small, but nevertheless useful, surplus to keep us going. It is becoming clear that July looks likely to be the busiest month (not August, as it was for so many years); that yachts are crewed by the middle-aged and fit, and few yachts have children on board; that, fortunately for the Harbour’s revenues, yachts are still getting longer and stay a little longer than they used to.
So it was good that the Harbour Board’s end-of-February meeting had a scoping paper which begins the discussion and consultation for the plan for the five years 2017-2022. This raised the issue of whether the number of moorings should be increased slightly, but using pontoons so that their footprint on the Harbour would leave more clear water; whether a better deal could be struck with SHDC so that some water-side assets, like the slips at Batson and Kingsbridge, were brought into the Harbour’s estate; whether there is scope for dredging the channel up to Kingsbridge because just 40cms more depth would give an extra four hours’ tidal access; what to do about water quality; and whether the eco-friendly electric water taxi will perform as hoped.
The bad news is that South Sands has lost its Blue Flag again, entirely due to an abysmal reading last July when there had been heavy rain and, presumably, Malborough sewage works had overflowed yet again. But attentive readers of this column in February and March will understand how the major sewer works in Salcombe, which are going on as I write, should have a significant effect in reducing the 200 hours every Summer that Malborough spills onto South Sands. The plan is, therefore, to get the South Sands Blue Flag restored and look also at a Seaside Award (like the Blue Flag but allowing dogs) for North Sands and Mill Bay.
I understand that the Egremont is being readied to go to sea, returning in May, spick and span and Bristol fashion on the outside but absolutely nothing done on the inside – that is apparently left for volunteers to do so that she is ready for the 2017 sailing season.
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