The opening of the Kingsbridge pontoons by the Mayor of Kingsbridge may have managed only page 16 of the Kingsbridge Gazette but around 200 people came and there was much excitement and talk of a new boost for Kingsbridge. The pontoon is gradually becoming populated with boats and is so popular that a waiting list has quickly grown up.
The Kingsbridge pontoon project was Ian Gibson’s last big task as Harbour Master. Ian was appointed in 2006 and came directly from the Navy, having been Commander of the Port at Devonport. He immediately saw the difficulties which the Harbour was facing – in particular, poorly maintained infrastructure and an unimpressive reputation for customer relations. With a clear vision of what was required and a great deal of nautical commonsense, Ian began at once tackling each problem in turn with practical and efficient solutions to previously seemingly intractable problems.
Ian worked his way systematically round the Harbour – replacing the residents’ and visitors’ pontoons in Coad Cove, using water injection to dredge Batson and Kingsbridge, replacing the whole Batson pontoon system, the Whitestrand and Normandy pontoons and finally, this year, Kingsbridge and Victoria Quay pontoons. Alongside this he also upgraded South Pool pontoon and put in a pontoon at Frogmore. He revised the estuary speed limit and updated the byelaws. He introduced new buoyage and marks, built showers at Whitestrand, rebuilt the Fish Quay and introduced improvements in lifting out, slipping and scrubbing in the boat park.
Ian brought all this about with his impressive ability to get alongside, understand and consult communities and to treat everyone with courtesy. He has, thereby, quite rightly gained massive local support and respect.
But perhaps Ian’s crowning achievement has been that, throughout his time, he has been steadily building a new reputation for Salcombe as one of the friendliest harbours on the South Coast and a standard setter in the region. A reputation like this is beyond price. It makes everyone, visitors and residents alike, proud to be associated with Salcombe.
Like Ian, Adam Parnell, the new Harbour Master, comes directly from the Royal Navy and is also a Commander. He has an MSc in Maritime Operations and is currently studying the IBC Academy’s Diploma for Harbour Masters as well as the Nautical Institute’s Harbour Master’s Certificate Scheme. It is so good that Salcombe can continue to attract such excellent candidates.
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