This time last year I wrote about the amazing achievement of Thomas Coville who had just 
completed a single-handed, non-stop, round the world in Sodebo Ultim in 49 days, at an average speed of 24 knots. In December, another Frenchman sailing single-handed, François Gabart, knocked an extraordinary six days off that record with a circumnavigation in 42 days and 16 hours.
Gabart sailed his Ultime trimaran MACIF (named after his sponsors) so fast that he got within spitting distance of the overall world record of just under 41 days established by 
Francis Joyon’s fully-crewed IDEC Sport. Gabart’s average speed was 27.2 knots (31.3 mph) and during the 24hrs of 13/14 November, Gabart covered 851 nautical miles at an average of 35 knots (or 979 miles at 41 mph). This was a fantastic triumph of human endurance and skill, coupled with superb yacht and navigational technology.
Back home to more mundane matters: Adam Parnell has left for Tor Bay and Cameron Sims-Stirling has become acting Harbour Master. SHDC is planning to place adverts for a Harbour Master in mid-February, interview in mid-March and, subject always to notice and availability, it may be possible for the new Harbour Master to take up post some time in the middle or latter part of the season.
It will fall to Cameron to manage two issues: first, in the autumn the Shadycombe pontoon is due to be replaced by a brand-new and slightly longer one. This replacement is long overdue as the existing pontoons have not much life left in them. The second issue is, of course, the Egremont. It seems that the new money has not yet come through and everything has ground to a halt while this is being sorted. One concern which has to be resolved is the balance between boutique hotel and sailing school and any implications this may have for the extent of public access. All this means that even this October is beginning to look ambitious as a return date, so it could be March 2019 at the earliest. A consequence for the Harbour is the uncertainty this introduces to the proposed pontoons on the east side of the Bag.
It seems that Salcombe Harbour was ahead of the game in its campaign against plastics. Perhaps we can make less plastic in the Harbour part of our New Year resolutions.
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