npf1
Active member
I did get a response from the Tourist Board saying they "will ensure that the harbour are aware of the comments that have been posted."
Guernsey Marina confusion
- Thread starter Yacht Breeze
- Start date
HappyHunter
Member
We visited twice last year. On each occasion whilst waiting there was inappropriate rafting of much larger vessels against us - the answer from the skipper on each occasion was "we were told to go here". HM staff were mostly kids with no understanding of boats and their limitations.
On the second occasion, after a five night stay we were refused permission to moor on pontoons outside the marina for a getaway. The reason - a large rally arriving overnight. Fair enough, we went back inside.
Next morning, got up at 3am, over the cill at the last possible moment and guess what - not a single boat on the pontoons. We parked there for a cup of tea and within minutes out comes the dory with a young lad saying that we had to leave - despite pointing out the absence of the supposed incoming fleet, and a promise we would leave the moment anyone tried to come alongside. Do they not check with organisers whether a fleet is indeed on its way, and when it is not, can they not believe the evidence of their own eyes? Is initiative not encouraged?
So, a really delightful island destination made something of an ordeal by a harbour staff which, frankly, doesn't seem to care one way or another. Compared with marinas in northern Brittany they really are a shambles. From what I have been told, bureaucracy in Guernsey makes the banana republics of South America look swift and purposeful so don't hold your breath for change any time soon.
Wait three months, though, and a committee will have formulated a response to this thread denying everything!
On the second occasion, after a five night stay we were refused permission to moor on pontoons outside the marina for a getaway. The reason - a large rally arriving overnight. Fair enough, we went back inside.
Next morning, got up at 3am, over the cill at the last possible moment and guess what - not a single boat on the pontoons. We parked there for a cup of tea and within minutes out comes the dory with a young lad saying that we had to leave - despite pointing out the absence of the supposed incoming fleet, and a promise we would leave the moment anyone tried to come alongside. Do they not check with organisers whether a fleet is indeed on its way, and when it is not, can they not believe the evidence of their own eyes? Is initiative not encouraged?
So, a really delightful island destination made something of an ordeal by a harbour staff which, frankly, doesn't seem to care one way or another. Compared with marinas in northern Brittany they really are a shambles. From what I have been told, bureaucracy in Guernsey makes the banana republics of South America look swift and purposeful so don't hold your breath for change any time soon.
Wait three months, though, and a committee will have formulated a response to this thread denying everything!
Koeketiene
Well-known member
longjohnsilver
Well-known member
I have also emailed both Guernsey tourist board and SPP harbour with a link to this thread. I won't be holding my breath waiting for a response.
It's a real shame that there are frequently problems in SPP as we love Guernsey as place to spend time relaxing.
It's a real shame that there are frequently problems in SPP as we love Guernsey as place to spend time relaxing.
guernseyman
Well-known member
The harbours in Guernsey are run by a government department called Public Services with a board of elected people's Deputies. The chief of them is called a Minister, but he is in reality a chairman. His name is Bernard Flouquet, telephone number 01481 254326.
Yacht Breeze
New member
Official response
From various posts I think we can be confident that a number of official bodies on Guernsey are aware of this thread and the shortcomings of the St. Peter Port marina operation.
How and when they respond and in what 'tone' will be a measure of their commitment to customer service and desire to correct the obvious problems.
It is in everyone's interest, theirs and ours, that they take on board the comment and take steps to put things right.
We shall see.
From various posts I think we can be confident that a number of official bodies on Guernsey are aware of this thread and the shortcomings of the St. Peter Port marina operation.
How and when they respond and in what 'tone' will be a measure of their commitment to customer service and desire to correct the obvious problems.
It is in everyone's interest, theirs and ours, that they take on board the comment and take steps to put things right.
We shall see.
[2574]
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Guernsey SPP waypoint now deleted from our 2012 cruise plan.
Elemental
Well-known member
Well, I'll probably still be going. Not the greatest of marinas IMHO - and a bit chaotic - but it is busy which means things won't always go your way. St Helier is no better (maybe worse) with massively overcrowded visitor pontoons and no-one at all on duty to sort out the free-for-all. If there was ever to be a boat fire there... 
We always end up on the 'waiting' pontoon rafted 5 deep...
We generally go to SPP for provisions and to find a noisy bar but otherwise it's anchoring for us...
We always end up on the 'waiting' pontoon rafted 5 deep...We generally go to SPP for provisions and to find a noisy bar but otherwise it's anchoring for us...
rotrax
Well-known member
I have had an EMAIL from the SPP Chamber of Commerce. They tell me they have looked at the posts on this forum and will be considering their best course of action to get the faults in the service resolved. I chose to contact them as their members will be affected by fewer visitors financialy. The potential of taking less cash in the tills of SPP shops and bars will, I hope focus their minds!
sailorman
Well-known member
longjohnsilver
Well-known member
some progress then
still nothing from my email to the HM
Same here + Guernsey tourist board. Must have been a busy day in St PP.
Yacht Breeze
New member
BBC taking up the story
You may be interested to know that the BBC has spotted this thread and BBC Radio Guernsey and BBC CI TV will be covering the topic tomorrow.
I think we can be confident that our concerns will be heard and those in authority will have no excuse for ignoring the genuine concerns of visiting yachtsmen.
Stay tuned.
You may be interested to know that the BBC has spotted this thread and BBC Radio Guernsey and BBC CI TV will be covering the topic tomorrow.
I think we can be confident that our concerns will be heard and those in authority will have no excuse for ignoring the genuine concerns of visiting yachtsmen.
Stay tuned.
sailorman
Well-known member
Robin
Well-known member
So expect headline reports that 'Rich Yotties from the mainland complain about our wonderful CI facilities' sort of stuff?
sailorman
Well-known member
Robin
Well-known member
-But they will be leaving huge sums of Ill gotten cash on that Island too
Not me guv! We USED to spend heavily in Guernsey and would spend 5 days every Spring Holiday doing it plus a couple of other visits. Then the St Peter Port restaurants got greedy and increased prices by 35% in between or Spring visit and one in September, they were daft enough in one case to leave the old menu on their website (Salt Water) to prove it, not that it mattered because I still had the two bills to compare. We USED to buy spirits, eat out several times, buy food for on board, rent cars to tour the island and way back we even bought our wedding rings in St Peter Port. Last two trips we anchored out and just nipped in for a top up of cheap diesel on our way home from South Brittany and our Spring week annual trip was dumped several years back, if we went that way we would go straight to St Helier and use Sark as a truck stop going home.
I think they favoured the bankers and expenses money that was, probably still is, splashed around. We decided the good folk of Brittany and Normandy on either side should get our hard earned instead.
samwise
New member
That's a long way from Florida!
Appledore
Member
I've followed this thread all along, and I think this must surely be good news. However, if the BBC folk are (still?) reading this, then let's have it broadcast in our local areas too at some time. South-West and Southern Areas at least.
I've visited SPP twice in the last 3 years, and last visit (July 2010) was almost the subject of a major collision between an incoming yacht and myself and the alongside launch which was moving me at great speed from my nice visitor's pontoon place to another smaller berth. The HM assistant had to throw his craft into reverse to avoid the incoming yacht (probably over 40 foot, and I am 22 foot!). There was really no need to move me, and certainly not at that speed. The yacht that moved into my berth was probably less than 30 foot, and I could have easily gone back and on the outside of him. When we left the next morning, he was still the only one alongside, where we had been.
Ex-SolentBoy
New member
We go there every year and it is certainly not the easiest place to visit.
Yarmouth harbour manage to run a water taxi business as a service to their customers, so Guernsey should be able to as well, at least during April to
September.
When I asked the harbour staff why there wasn't one I was told (almost) " you are the tenth person I have told this week there is no demand for that!"
Yarmouth harbour manage to run a water taxi business as a service to their customers, so Guernsey should be able to as well, at least during April to
September.
When I asked the harbour staff why there wasn't one I was told (almost) " you are the tenth person I have told this week there is no demand for that!"
Robin
Well-known member
'Decided' as in past tense, but we are still in Poole for a while yet but trying hard to escape to our new life. Doesn't change the fact that we diverted our spend deliberately away from Guernsey even though it was a convenient stop off. We went probably from 9/10 nights per year on average over 20 or more years in St Peter Port to zero in one hit, when mooring fees went up and restaurants got greedy and some of the helpful old HM guys were still around.
They don't give a hoot. Bankers and cruise ships are the new mug money.
