Ha'Pennypier grumble..

[Tomahawk]

Arrived Ha'Penny pier yesterday afternoon. The inside was full and already boats rafted on the outside. We tied up on the outside of a Stevens motor cruiser. But he was moving so after half an hour we untied and tied up whilst he left. He also said there were no mooring signs on the pontoon, but they had been turned round so he didn't know if there was something arriving. Instead of going ashore we had to wait for the Pier Master to appear.

The Pier Master showed up at four to say we had to move because Thames Barge Reminder was booked to come alongside.... The port authority say they don’t do booking at Ha'Pennypier ... but seems they do for some but not for others.

We were put inside, then told we would have to move again because it was too crowded for comfort so we moved again. Finally we finished up on the outside. That's four moorings in one go.

After all that the bloody barge didn’t turn up. So apart from moving when the motor cruiser left, we were being mucked about for nothing at all. Very irritating as we would have gone for a walk ashore.

 

[nortada]

Arrived Ha'Penny pier yesterday afternoon. The inside was full and already boats rafted on the outside. We tied up on the outside of a Stevens motor cruiser. But he was moving so after half an hour we untied and tied up whilst he left. He also said there were no mooring signs on the pontoon, but they had been turned round so he didn't know if there was something arriving. Instead of going ashore we had to wait for the Pier Master to appear.

The Pier Master showed up at four to say we had to move because Thames Barge Reminder was booked to come alongside.... The port authority say they don’t do booking at Ha'Pennypier ... but seems they do for some but not for others.

We were put inside, then told we would have to move again because it was too crowded for comfort so we moved again. Finally we finished up on the outside. That's four moorings in one go.

After all that the bloody barge didn’t turn up. So apart from moving when the motor cruiser left, we were being mucked about for nothing at all. Very irritating as we would have gone for a walk ashore.

Was it very lumpy

 

[xyachtdave]

At least they didn't charge you 4 times....or I hope they didn't!

 

[johnalison]

With due respect, I think that expecting an easy night there on a Saturday evening in July was a bit optimistic, given the very limited facilities available. I must admit that I have only used the place for lunch stops.

 

[Tomahawk]

It wasn’t overly lumpy on the outside..
It was the buggering about on account of a barge that didn’t show that annoyed.

 

[fredrussell]

What Harwich needs is a marina, or at least a few more pontoons for visitors.

 

[Tomahawk]

indeed.
with all their money as the largest port in the UK handling 40% of all international trade. ..,
they coukd easliy sort something

 

[johnalison]

indeed.
with all their money as the largest port in the UK handling 40% of all international trade. ..,
they coukd easliy sort something

I think that with Harwich being in the middle of nowhere, this might not be the time to try to attract resident sailors, but certainly decent facilities for visitors could bring more of us to the town more often.

 

[Bru]

indeed.
with all their money as the largest port in the UK handling 40% of all international trade. ..,
they coukd easliy sort something

Yes, except that Harwich Haven Authority isn't the largest port in the UK and doesn't handle 40% of all international trade

That would be the Port of Felixstowe which is owned by a Hong Kong based multinational

HHA receives pilotage fees and harbour dues etc. which in 2017 generated a revenue of £26.5m and a pre-tax operating surplus of £6.9m much of which was used to repay loans, top up the pension fund and .... refurbish Ha'penny Pier (at a cost of £213,000)! It makes not one sou from the actual operation of Felixstowe

A trundle through the balance sheet suggests to me that HHA is financially stable but certainly not cash rich

 

[Bru]

By the by, do you know why Trinity Terminal at Felixstowe is so called? I didn't

Turns out most of the land on which the port of Felixstowe is built is owned by Trinity College, Cambridge

 

[Champagne Murphy]

By the by, do you know why Trinity Terminal at Felixstowe is so called? I didn't

Turns out most of the land on which the port of Felixstowe is built is owned by Trinity College, Cambridge

I did know that! My ex FIL worked for port as a designer many years ago. Sadly no longer with us, a nice bloke. He could see the cranes from his window, he always said that if all the cranes were in the ‘up’ position then we were in for a recession.

 

[Aquaboy]

I suspect the conditions weren't right for Reminder to get there, think she spent the night at Pinmill.

 

[Bru]

I did know that! My ex FIL worked for port as a designer many years ago. Sadly no longer with us, a nice bloke. He could see the cranes from his window, he always said that if all the cranes were in the ‘up’ position then we were in for a recession.

 

[johnalison]

By the by, do you know why Trinity Terminal at Felixstowe is so called? I didn't

Turns out most of the land on which the port of Felixstowe is built is owned by Trinity College, Cambridge

There are probably several strange ownerships around. I think most of the Naze and the Sokens used to belong to St Paul's.

 

[oilybilge]

The port authority say they don’t do booking at Ha'Pennypier ... but seems they do for some but not for others.

I was there the other week and one chap was very grumpy. He'd booked a space on the inside to get some repairs done to his yacht, and a motorboat had taken his place and the owners had disappeared.

 

[Champagne Murphy]

Over the lsat few years its gotten more and more busy. Time was we could always tie up and take the kids for an ice cream but nowadays we’d have to raft up.

 

[Old Harry]

Over the lsat few years its gotten more and more busy. Time was we could always tie up and take the kids for an ice cream but nowadays we’d have to raft up.

And take then for a beer

 

[Champagne Murphy]

And take then for a beer

I bet I’d still end up paying!

 

[bluerm166]

The Pier website will answer some of the queries you raise.

 

[davidej]

By the by, do you know why Trinity Terminal at Felixstowe is so called? I didn't

Turns out most of the land on which the port of Felixstowe is built is owned by Trinity College, Cambridge

My Uncle and his brother used to farm most of this land for decades. I had many childhood holidays there in the 50's

According to my cousin, Trinity College offered to sell them the farm (3000 acres) for £10 an acre. He turned the offer down as too expensive ! In the agricultural depression in the 30's, I believe.