This year’s annual inspection of the Harbour took place immediately following the visit of HRH the Duke of Cornwall. His visit was as landlord, as heir of the Black Prince, and will doubtless be well reported in the Gazette. One of the things he saw was a new yawl being built, at an estimated price of £55,000. That is some dinghy!
Another was the wash-down lagoon on the Batson boat/car park. This was installed last year as an initiative of the Harbour Master. It is a blue polythene lagoon, a bit like an over-sized children’s paddling pool. The boat is suspended for pressure-washing over the lagoon in the new lifting cradle. The detritus and water are trapped in the lagoon. The water is filtered and recycled on-site for use on the next boat (thereby avoiding a £10k pa water bill), whilst the detritus is shovelled out and sent to landfill.
When the system was introduced last year it seemed to trigger great anxiety about a change of practice on Batson “dump”. But gradually it is becoming accepted that this is an easier way of pressure washing. More important by far is that the detritus no longer ends up in the harbour. In the old days, it used to fall on the tarmac and wash away with the rain. It would then settle into the mud of Batson creek. That was not good. If the creek becomes contaminated – and there were signs that it was beginning to – Natural England will not allow the fundus to be disturbed so there could be no more dredging and it will be only a matter of time before Batson ceased to be navigable. The new lagoon is a major innovation to prevent this. Salcombe is the first harbour in the country to introduce it and we are receiving plaudits from Natural England as a result. And it is Natural England’s support which allows the Harbour to dredge and install new pontoons and generally keep our infrastructure up-to-date.
The Harbour inspection also covered the moorings in South Sands. These are very exposed in an easterly or south easterly, and they are also in the middle of a (protected) eelgrass bed. So, gradually, as these moorings become vacant, the Harbour Board is withdrawing them and providing alternative moorings elsewhere in the Harbour. There is, however, one new mooring for the temporary use of those who wish to dine at South Sands Hotel. It is white. Pick it up and paddle in to eat. But you must not remain on the mooring overnight.
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