Salcombe anchorages

[TiggerToo]

What is the current view (i.e. 2021-2022)?

Are any recommended, here?

Is one likely to have to pay HM?

We haven't been down there for 10 years or more.

(just fantasy sailing, right now... but hope that proper planning may actually happen, this year)

 

[Bobc]

You have to pay, even if you go right up to the Saltstone. The buggers charged me £18 for a night to anchor, but that was about 10 years ago, and I haven't been back since (for that reason mainly).

 

[Sandy]

I usually anchor up at the Saltstone as it is less rolly than the town. There is a charge as the HM staff will visit you in their wee boat in the morning. The charge includes free showers for all of your crew and use of their pontoon.

A water taxi is available. They also charge for that service and you can't stay out too late or you might need to sleep on the pontoon. I'm not sure if they charge for sleeping there.

A lovely place to visit, lots of activity on the water usually by young people who are clueless about COLREGS especially the 'F1 JetSki and RIB drivers'.

 

[Moodysailor]

If it's N-SE, Hope Cove nearby is a lovely anchorage. Not so good in a swell after an Atlantic storm, or with anything W-S, but a great anchorage in the right conditions. We didn't go into the pub at the time, but I've heard the pub there is good, and I can recommend the pastries from the village store in the morning ?

 

[owen]

The closest place to salcombe with free anchoring is Starehole bay just to port as you enter the estuary. But its a long way into the town from there.

Otherwise everything else is controlled by the harbour authorities who will charge for anchoring.

Having said that they do a very fair job and the charges are reasonable. The place is very busy in summer and needs policing in some way to keep it usable.

 

[ryanroberts]

If you stay for a week it works out about 10 quid a night, superb holding in the thick mud and from saltstone you can take your own dinghy north and not pay 20 quid for fish & chips. Harbour staff are nice and polite, realising they are part of the tourist industry unlike mr Respect My Authority in Portland - which costs about 10 quid a night for an often rolly anchorage way offshore due to seagrass and no waxi.

 

[oldmanofthehills]

+1 for Salcombe for brief visit. Bit expensive but harbour master very helpful and good water taxi service so inflatable can stay unpumped. Not much to the town now so long stay might be dull

 

[TiggerToo]

Is it possible to land a dingy in Starehole Bay?

 

[Charlie Boy]

Is it possible to land a dingy in Starehole Bay?

Last time I was there, it was. But that was in 1975!

 

[Ningaloo]

unlike mr Respect My Authority in Portland - which costs about 10 quid a night for an often rolly anchorage way offshore due to seagrass

Anchored many times in Portland and never been approached to pay. Wonder what I'm doing wrong ?

 

[James_Calvert]

Just picked up the 2022 Salcombe Harbour guide which has latest info on daily visiting charges. All inclusive VAT.

To anchor is £1.00 per metre. This is harbour dues.

From 1 Apr to 31 May a mooring or isolated pontoon, like the Visitors Pontoon in the Bag is £1.50 per metre including harbour dues.

From 1 Jun to 31 Aug a mooring or pontoon including harbour dues as above is £2.00 per metre.

1 Sept to 30 Sept as above, back to £1.50 per metre.

I Oct to 31 Mar as above. No mooring fees, just harbour dues.

I think that's all quite reasonable and even if yacht taxi charges for trips into town are taken into account, the outlay compares well with rates in local west country marinas.

 

[LadyInBed]

I think that's all quite reasonable and even if yacht taxi charges for trips into town are taken into account

What one person think's reasonable others might think is a total ripoff to use your own hook!
For that reason I haven't been into Salcombe for over 30 years.

 

[Ningaloo]

(just fantasy sailing, right now... but hope that proper planning may actually happen, this year)

Takes some advice from Sailing Uma and get off that couch! Sailing was pretty normal last year, especially if you didn't need to fly to / from the boat. I did about 3,500Nm.

 

[ryanroberts]

Anchored many times in Portland and never been approached to pay. Wonder what I'm doing wrong ?

Guy is on me like a rash at 8AM sharp

 

[Laysula]

Guy is on me like a rash at 8AM sharp

Try leaving at 07.30