Summer is here and the weather has been so hot that the sea water temperatures have already reached over 20°C – something which doesn’t normally happen until September. On 16 July it was 21.7°C in Inner Hope at low tide and on 17 July it was 20.5°C at South Sands at low tide (in spite of the cold water from the stream). Seas as warm as this give rise to high winds and thunderstorms, and we have had those as well. The Harbour is having a good year so far: the fine weather came early and visitor numbers are up.
9 July saw the season start for the Rivermaid, which this year is scheduled to run a full service all the way through to September. It is still skippered by Peter Moule, who has been doing this so expertly for years, but is believed to be operated now by the “Egremont Ferry Company”. Of course, the Egremont is not yet with us. Its scheduled return to the Harbour in October has been put back until December, which probably means next spring because it is likely to be difficult to find a suitable weather window in the winter. About £200k has been spent on her so far, which is money that the Egremont Trust always had, so her hull and critical superstructure is secured. However it seems that not much has been done since January and no new money has yet been spent, so the major works which were promised have not yet come about. Nevertheless the plan is still that the Egremont will return fully refurbished in time to be ready to operate next season. Let’s hope so.
In Kingsbridge some people have been trying to break their way on to the pontoon, not for the first time. So a single, new, stronger, gate is now due to be fitted on the quayside. The continuing demand for pontoon berths there has raised the question as to whether the pontoon can, could or should be extended. The “temporary” fencing on the quayside is while SHDC gathers together the funds to repair quite a long section of seawall.
This is the season when those who have spent the colder months decrying the fact that there are so many unoccupied houses, switch to lamenting the crowds in Salcombe and the difficulty of travelling along the lanes because of so much traffic, and saying they are longing for the holidaymakers to go and leave them in peace. The alternative is to enjoy it all.
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