expensive visitor mooring/anchorages

[Litotes]

What has happened to Salcombe is very, very sad. It used to be a wonderful place when I sailed out of there regularly in the sixties and seventies. No doubt it is still as beautiful as ever, so maybe the winter is the only time to go.

 

[NealB]

Whether you pay £19 in Salcombe or £16 elsewhre, (seems about the average like for like), then what is all the fuss about! We had a good experience there this year, what has happened in previous years is a bit irrelevent, it is now what matters.

The fuss, from my own viewpoint, is about being charged for lying to my own anchor.

On one memorable occasion, we had a friend's boat rafted alongside us, both boats lying to one anchor. On passage, we arrived late in the evening, and left straight after the shipping forecast at about 0600, and didn't go ashore. As we left, the HM launch came speeding after us to claim two anchorage charges.

This was some years ago now (about 20ish), but I've heard nothing that tempts be back to Salcombe.

Shame - it's a beautiful natural harbour (if over-crowded).

If I choose to use pontoons or visitors' moorings, that's another matter - I expect to pay for services used.

However, paying to anchor really does my blood pressure no good at all.

Yeah, I know.......sad old git!

 

[Kurrawong_Kid]

Some years since I have been there, but my chief objection was the difficulty of getting ashore with your own dinghy. The water taxi or ICC boat used to hog the outside of the landing and when you had finally got ashore the local boats made it almost impossible to tie up your dinghy. Now give it a miss and go direct Plymouth to Dartmouth when in the West Country.

 

[Danny Jo]

He was very miffed, after all getting a free night is all part of the sport.

If this deplorable attitude was as prevalent as you imply, the generally excellent relationship between yachties and harbour staff would suffer.

My crew were a little censorious of my leaving Port Ellen without paying earlier this year, but there was the tide to catch through the Sound of Islay and there wasn't time to go down to the Co-op and leave my dues there. I pointed out that if I have to leave before I've paid, I always cough up I next go back.

This approach is not founded exclusively, if indeed at all, on high moral principals or a holier-than-thou priggishness, but on good old-fashioned self-interest. Salford aside, perhaps, we want these harbours to be maintained for our use, and that requires cash.

Which, er, reminds me that I still owe for a night on a mooring at St Mary's four years ago (lovely place, but I've not been back since).

 

[TamarMike]

This approach is not founded exclusively, if indeed at all, on high moral principals or a holier-than-thou priggishness, but on good old-fashioned self-interest. Salford aside, perhaps, we want these harbours to be maintained for our use, and that requires cash.

Which, er, reminds me that I still owe for a night on a mooring at St Mary's four years ago (lovely place, but I've not been back since).

It's paying for just anchoring within unmaintained harbour limits I try to avoid. If I have tied up within the shelter of a harbour's walls or used the authorities buoys/pontoons then I will of course seek out the harbourmaster to pay my dues.

 

[john_morris_uk]

I have been as critical as anyone over the attitude of Salcombe and the HM's staff and some on here will recall that I met up with the HM's secretary when I was refereeing Salcombe RFC a year or two ago and had a discussion with her on the subject.

Firstly, part of the problem is that the harbour is run by the council. I can't possibly comment, but the local council might just see the income as a bit of a milch cow. Perhaps part of the story is that the locals are fed up with the price of housing and the fact that their town is completely dead in the winter and they can't afford to eat and drink in the centre as they have been priced out by second home owners. For a very few weeks of the year, the town is taken over by a few people who don't always bring very good attitudes with them.

The impression I get is that us Yachties tend to get lumped in with the second home owners, and although the HM is very sympathetic, he doesn't set the rate for dues. He has argued for cheaper rates and incentives to visit, but its an uphill struggle.

I still find the attitude objectionable at times, although having boycotted the place for several years, we have started visiting again and have found the staff much better than they used to be.

On one final positive note, we have anchored for a few hours on couple of times - waiting for the tide to turn fair to cross Lyme Bay and when we have explained, the HM has not charged us a penny.

 

[Danny Jo]

It's paying for just anchoring within unmaintained harbour limits I try to avoid. If I have tied up within the shelter of a harbour's walls or used the authorities buoys/pontoons then I will of course seek out the harbourmaster to pay my dues.

Yes, sorry, it's our old friend Fred Driffed interfering again.

 

[jonjo]

... For a very few weeks of the year, the town is taken over

If the Salcombe season is that highly polarized then surely there is an economic argument for French style peak charges in July & August or Yarmouth mid week discounts. While cruising in Brittany in early July I met quite a few oldies heading home to the UK having scheduled their cruising around the May/June mid season rates.

I doubt that Salcombe restaurants are fully booked mid week in the middle of May.

 

[Skysail]

Last year in Salcombe there was a lower rate in September for a mooring and on the pontoon in the Bag.

 

[doug748]

If this deplorable attitude was as prevalent as you imply, the generally excellent relationship between yachties and harbour staff would suffer.

I used to have a more honed sense of social conscience, and even remember sticking a weeks mooring fees into the letter box of the Falmouth Harbourmaster. Over the years the corners have been knocked off though.
In that same harbour I was made to feel like a freeloader after anchoring to pick up a few provisions, after paying for the night in Truro ("well ok then, this time, but you should really be paying"). We have all been nailed coming in at 9pm even when leaving at 4am. The anchor scam is another one (eg Salcombe) ie paying for nothing except the use of a public toilet in the town. I generally sail alone and pay the same as a boat full of six or more.
I doubt if much of the money raised goes to improve facilities apart from employing more people to collect the money......The upshot is, if I am missed I do not go out of my way, neither do I grieve.

 

[Iota]

If the Salcombe season is that highly polarized then surely there is an economic argument for French style peak charges in July & August or Yarmouth mid week discounts. While cruising in Brittany in early July I met quite a few oldies heading home to the UK having scheduled their cruising around the May/June mid season rates.

I doubt that Salcombe restaurants are fully booked mid week in the middle of May.

Salcombe has a >60% second homes, the restuarants are now geared towards them rather than visiting boats, in winter many are closed.