Portpatrick in the news...

[JumbleDuck]

+1 Yes nearly passed this thread by, an excellent read.

Well done Portpatrick and its civic minded friends

+1. Their pioneering has helped elsewhere - my village in Galloway is being transformed by another community company.

Next up: Drummore Harbour?

 

[Seajet]

It was a cold wet evening so they had the pipe band parade inside the village hall, several days before I could hear again.

As long as it wasn't the Red Arrows

 

[NorthRising]

The four yachts rafted on the far side are some of the North West Venturers YC summer cruise of either 1989 or 1990.

So is that Seamint against the wall? I recognise the tender, in fact I now own the tender.

 

[vyv_cox]

So is that Seamint against the wall? I recognise the tender, in fact I now own the tender.

No, Seamint was not with us at that stage. Mischief II is against the wall. Unfortunately Seamint was broken up recently, by a strange coincidence within days of Gordon's passing.

 

[norwester]

So sad to read about Seamint. I recall passing her way back in August 1994 on my way north to Portpatrick. She was just north of the Mull, standing by a fishing vessel that had suffered engine problems... I'll try to post a pic but sadly I usually fail.
Portpatrick was very quiet in those days with just a few visiting yachts, all from the Menai Straits...Felt a bit like a goldfish in a bowl there at low water tho with people peering down at us from above.

 

[Seajet]

norwester,

that doesn't just happen in Portpatrick, in the old days of rafting up at Poole Town Quay one got used to holidaymakers peering in as if a council-funded exhibition, -- " Oh look Norman, they've got a little kitchen and everything ! "

Sad to hear of a boat and skipper going at the same time; quite pagan, reminds me of the book ' HMS Saracen '.

 

[norwester]

Seamint standing by a broken down fishing vessel near Portpatrick and Portpatrick Lifeboat arriving.. August 1994.
Also, the harbour on return visit.

 

[Seven Spades]

Now the community owns the harbour, will the council turn down the community if they re-apply for the 53 berths?

 

[dgadee]

norwester,

that doesn't just happen in Portpatrick, in the old days of rafting up at Poole Town Quay one got used to holidaymakers peering in as if a council-funded exhibition, -- " Oh look Norman, they've got a little kitchen and everything ! "

In Poole they used to shout down questions. In Portpatrick, the Glaswegians on holiday are usually more taciturn - until they get started.

 

[Seajet]

In the very amusing ' Narrow Dog To Carcassone ' Terry Darlington describes ' gongoozlers ' - the berks who gather around locks to watch the process but never offer to help.

I was nearly one of them as a barge went through the Guildford lock, quite a crowd had gathered so I went to see what the fuss was about; the hassled solo skipper turned to the crowd,

" Now for an encore I'll just sing Mammy ! "

 

[JumbleDuck]

Now the community owns the harbour, will the council turn down the community if they re-apply for the 53 berths?

Dunno, but bearing in mind what happened to the rest of Portpatrick harbour[1], I reckon pontoons would have a roughly 50% chance of making it through each winter. Unless a lock gate is part of the plan, maybe.

[1] The Rennies' south pier lasted three years. For those with an interest in such things, the joddle and trenail construction can clearly be seen in the remains. Fun fact: the lighthouse at the outside end was dismantled and sent to Colombo, where it is still in use:

 

[vyv_cox]

Now the community owns the harbour, will the council turn down the community if they re-apply for the 53 berths?

I understood that the whole harbour was listed, which prevents the installation of pontoons. Anyway, I suspect that there is nowhere near sufficient protection from the south west. Good luck with trying to provide one: the one built in the 19th century did not survive a good storm.

 

[[448]]

Interesting film from the 50s with Dirk Bogarde as a kidnapper called either 'Hunted' or 'The stranger inbetween'. The last 10 minutes shot at the harbour area, which was packed with Herring boats. How things change! It keeps coming up on Talking Pictures.

 

[steve yates]

Don't have any issues with the ladders myself, (apart from the one with the acute bend after t and they don't seem particularly dangerous, it's a ladder, don't let go I'm sure I've been up worse.

 

[savageseadog]

I understood that the whole harbour was listed, which prevents the installation of pontoons. Anyway, I suspect that there is nowhere near sufficient protection from the south west. Good luck with trying to provide one: the one built in the 19th century did not survive a good storm.

I think a lot of the Liverpool Dockside is listed but there's plenty of pontoons in Albert, Brunswick and Coburg Docks. They are a lot more sheltered though so I suppose the fixing methods would be different.

 

[[448]]

Regarding pontoons. I understand that the harbour bottom is paved with slabs, so making it difficult to secure the pontoons. Witness the fact that boats moored in the harbour seem to have ropes to the harbourside and no anchors.

 

[dgadee]

Regarding pontoons. I understand that the harbour bottom is paved with slabs, so making it difficult to secure the pontoons. Witness the fact that boats moored in the harbour seem to have ropes to the harbourside and no anchors.

I'd imagine they would be fixed to the walls primarily. But only after a gate was installed at the inner harbour - the marina at Donaghadee has such a system. It's closed whenever strongish winds come from the east and seems to work. It isn't as wide as Portpatrick though.