Egremont’s routine refit has come round again and by the time you read this, she should be safely in Penzance. It is obviously a struggle to keep her going – the tow there and back costs around £100k and that is before inspecting, repairing and maintaining. Having a sailing school up north in the Harbour is so valuable and Egremont is so large, with kitchens, lavatories, dining room and bar, let alone considerable sleeping accommodation, that she would be difficult to replace.
The mild weather at half-term beautifully demonstrated the diversity of Harbour users. As it was October, the yachties had packed up for the year and not a single sailing boat was moving. But there were a dozen or more canoes, sit-upons and paddle boards exploring the shores and beaches and playing in the surf. They rely on the beacons to keep away from Old Harry, Pound Stone and Blackstone and, although these beacons are now redundant for vessels entering and leaving, they will nevertheless be retained and refurbished this winter. Castle Rock beacon, however, which did not really tell you anything new, has been dismantled and will not be replaced.
The autumn has seen some very green algal bloom outside Kingsbridge. I was alarmed about this as I had thought that South West Water’s nitrate-removing equipment was now running, but apparently it will not be fully operational until the Spring and then we should see less algae. The Marine Biological Association is currently seeking EU funding for a study of the Harbour’s algal blooms, including the red tide which embraces Kingsbridge in the summer and poisons the water.
The big item for the November Board meeting was the decision to go ahead (early) with replacing the Shadycombe pontoons: that should be a major improvement. Speeding continues to be an issue, at the Bar, in Widegates and in South Pool creek. This is not trivial: the patrol boat can bang along at 35 knots but has still, on occasions, been unable to overhaul someone breaking the speed limit. We heard also of the awful case of a teenager who was lying in the bow of a rib when it went over a wave and, as the rib crashed down, the bump fractured her back.
Greetings to you all for Christmas. Thank you for your (usually!) kind comments and to those who email me about particular Harbour issues (and not only waterskiing): and best wishes for 2015.
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