Nice things that Harbourmasters HAVE said...

bobgoode

bobgoode

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Come on folks lets not be so negative with all the Salcombe post, HM posts etc. How about we chat about the nice things?

Last year I called up the HM of Whitehills in the Moray Firth for a berth. His reply went along the lines of...
Sure but we're very busy , end of regatta you know. You will have to raft up.

A short while later he called back to say he would have to charge me and it would be £10, (for a 32 footer) but that included entry to the barbecue with food and drink for me and the crew, was that still OK?

A very friendly bunch and a great night,I would go back every weekend if it wasn'tso far from Chichester.
 
"So you need that exhaust box welding? Cancel that taxi, he'll not know where to go. I'll pick you up at 8 tomorrow morning and find someone to do it." (ex)HM at Port Patrick. The whole job cost £20, including transport.
 
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I said over the radio to Yarmouth HM, "I have an engine problem and am sailing back up from Hurst, can you find me a berth to that I can sail onto?". He said "Just give us a call as you approach the trots outside the harbour, we will get a dory out to you to bring you in".
 
Scrabster HM

It's £xx for one night. Or as long as you need to wait for the right conditions. We never want small boats going through Pentland if the conditions are not right.


Kirkudbright HM

No charge for the extra night. It's not your fault that the weather is so poor.



Malahide Marina night watchman at 11:50 pm

Go away and come back in 15 minutes. Then I'll be able to put your arrival date as tomorrow, and you'll have one night's fees less to pay.



Carlingford Marina on enquiring where I could get petrol...

The nearest is Warrenpoint, but if you're stuck I'll give you a lift to get some.



Mara Marine in Tignabruich

As you asked if you could pick up a mooring, it's free for a night. We only charge people who aren't polite enough to ask.



Girvan HM

If you're only staying the night it's free. I can't be bothered with the paperwork for a few pounds. But don't tell the council I said that!




All the good experiences I've had are in Scotland or Ireland.
 
Senario: we have been trying to escape Ramsgate for days. Finally we say, screw it, let's just go. We round South Foreland to find 28kts of wind, against a good tide, in horrible confused seas just outside Dover.

"Dover Port Control, Witchfinder. Permission to enter Eastern, in the center, quite fast, and now, please"

"Witchfinder, Port Control. The green light is yours, sir. The ferry will wait"
 
Shortly after rafting two 40+ footers together on a swinging mooring in Rothsay Bay, we had a visit from a frantic man in a dory obiously wondering what on earth we were playing at. After exsplaining that we had suffered engin fairlure and the other boat had a mechanic on board, he seemed a little soothed and sugested we stayed the night of the record until we could get a tow home.
 
Nice things etc.

In A.Euphemia....Harbourmaster "How long is your boat?"
Me "ten and a half Metres"
Harbourmaster "Today ..it is eight metres"


In Palon (Nisos Nisiros)
HM "Welcome to Nisiros ! please stay and enjoy our beaytiful island! "
Me "How much is it please?"
HM "It is free,the paperwork has not arrived from Athens so I cannot give you a receipt,electricity and water are also free!"

A nice guy.
 
Cor...response to this thread are looking a bit thin, what?
Click to expand...


With considerable 'tip of the hat' to Mike Peyton, who's humorous illustrations still teach me lots of little seamanship thots......

pey1.jpg



And many, many years ago, when I'd sculled an engineless Hurley 22 into the tiny boat harbour at Falmouth's Town Quay late one summer evening and berthed just outside the Chain Locker, a white-shirted, bearded Harbourmaster peered down at me and quipped "Ah, 'Falmouth For Last Orders' is it?"

;)
 
Years ago, we had anchored overnight in Derbyhaven, Isle of Man.

We woke to one of those rare mornings that makes life on a boat really, positively, worthwhile: bright sunshine, a gentle southwesterly breeze that would later waft us on our way north, and we'd just got a proper breakfast on the go.

Ahhh...this is the life!!

Our hearts sank as we saw a little motor launch, occupied by a very Harbour Masterly looking character, chugging out towards us from round Langness.

"Here we go", thought I, "that's spoilt it, just like bloody Salcombe - the money grabbing so and so".

Wrong, so wrong!!

Tony (that being his name), lay alongside for a very civil chat and a bacon sarnie, then, in reply to our hesitant query about anchorage fees, said "I've not see you".
 
Ostend: 'Forget about it - I'll charge someone else extra'

Ramsgate: 'Whatever you want'

St Valery en Caux: 'Pendant le festival, c'est gratuit pour tout le monde'

Braye: 'I'll give you a lift to the hospital'

Haslar: 'Have a vacant resident mooring, with a family on board you wouldn't want to be near those charter boats'
 
HM: How long would you like to stay?

Me: 2 Nights please.

HM: Wouldn't you like to stay just one?

Me: No actually, I'd rather like 2 nights please!

HM: Let me put it this way, I'm finishing work this evening (it was a Friday) and won't be back until 0800 Monday morning. Anybody arriving from now and departing before then won't be charged so why should you pay?

Honfleur
 
Second vote for Dover port control; both in and out of the harbour I was very cheerfully given permission immediately I asked for it, and was a little surprised on turning round to see a queue of ferries waiting
 
Blimey! (2) They charge like fury for small boats (min charge 32 feet I think, or maybe 35?) and you have to do 6 nights normally, to get a free one!

Keep your receipts!!!
 
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